31 Oct 2014

Carra: £50m star is 'best in the Prem'. Sturridge is better & here's the proof

Who is the best striker in the Premier League? Last season, Luis Suarez undoubtedly ruled the roost, and in my view, Daniel Sturridge was a close 2nd to the Uruguayan. Suarez is gone now, though, and according to Anfield legend Jamie Carragher, there's at least one striker ahead of Sturridge in the quality stakes.

When asked this week to name the Premier League's best striker, Carra ignored Sturridge and selected 'mesmerising' Manchester City star Sergio Aguero. He told Sky Sports:

"It would definitely be Aguero. He has the best minutes-per-goal ratio in Premier League history. Aguero’s movement, skill, pace and trickery edge it for me. With Luis Suarez gone, he is now the best striker in the division".

Carra also name-checked Robin Van Persie ahead of Sturridge, suggesting that he doesn't rate the LFC striker as much as some. Is he right, though? It's hard to argue against Aguero - the Argentine is a superb player, and his stats in the Premier League are formidable:

* 86 goals/36 assists in 135 apps for Man City
* Goal every 1.5 games.
* Goal/Assist every 1.10 games.
* Prem Only: Total mins: 6696
* Prem Goals: 61 (Plus 17 assists)
* Goal every 111 minutes.
* Goal/assist every 86 mins.

However, rather surprisingly, Carra has his facts a little skewed here - Sturridge's goalscoring stats for LFC are actually superior to Aguero's for Man City:

* 37 goals/14 assists in 52 apps.
* Goal every 1.4 games.
* Goal/Assist every 1.0 games.
* Prem Only: Total mins played = 3634
* Prem Goals = 33 (Plus 10 assists)
* Goal every 110 minutes.
* Goal/assist every 84 mins.

As the stats show, over the last three season, Sturridge is more prolific that Aguero in the Premier League. A striker's primary role is to score/create goals, and although the margins are small, LFC's main man is out in front, and that makes him (arguably) the best striker in English football.

It would be amazing to have £50m-rated Aguero at Liverpool, but I wouldn't swap him for a consistently fully-fit Sturridge, who, at £12m, is far great value that the Argentine.

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52 comments:

  1. Sturridge has been an excellent buy for LFC.


    But to ask who is the best striker right now, the answer is Aguero. He plays more and he offers more options skill-wise.


    Sturridge is no slouch by any means, and I am happy he's at LFC. But he's also been incredibly unreliable due to his injury history and this season is living proof.

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  2. Going purely on goalscoring/creation stats, Sturridge is better. Plus, Aguero has been playing at Man City for a longer period, yet Sturridge still exceeds his moinutes per goals/assists ratio.

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  3. Realistically, my rankings are-
    1. Aguero
    2. Costa
    3. Sturridge
    and so on

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  4. But that's like saying if a player only played 1 game and scored 3 goals in that 1 game, he'd be more prolific.

    Aguero has been there longer, but Sturridge has also missed a significant amount of games due to injury.


    If healthy, I think it's a close contest between the two.


    But if you were asking me to start a team today and I had to pick one striker, I'd pick Aguero because I believe he'd be more reliable to play every week.

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  5. Two very different players. The question should rather be who is the better goal scorer. Aguero is very much like Suarez. I would rather have a injury free Sturridge though.

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  6. That's not what Ive argued at all. It's based on minutes-per-goal/assist, not number of goals, and Sturridge is better in that regard.

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  7. Let's not forget that Aguero is just as injury prone as Sturridge.

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  8. I understand what you're arguing but it's flawed to an extent due to the significant difference in sample size (games played)


    Sturridge has been great when he's played (and statistically better than Aguero given Sturridge's limited sample size), but the problem is there is such a huge gap in playing time (particularly due to Sturridge's injury history).


    If Sturridge played more consistently and his stats remained relatively consistent, then there wouldn't even be a discussion about it.


    The problem is simply that he doesn't play enough due to injury. Sturridge has made just over one-third the amount of appearances.

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  9. I dispute that it's flawed. As a comparison, using your argument, you'd never be able to compare Rush, Fowler, Dalglish, and Suarez because they've all played a different number of games for LFC.

    When there's an appearance disparity, comparing numbers is unfair, but comparing minutes per goal is (arguably) fair, as it's a true reflection of a striker's effectiveness.

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  10. Aguero only played 1528 minutes of EPL football last season compared to Sturridge with 2269 minutes.


    Aguero is very injury prone too but i think it it is fair to say that we would rather have a injury free Sturridge.

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  11. No one is more injury-prone than Sturridge.
    Wait...I take that back. Hans Moleman is *slightly* more injury-prone.

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  12. Sturridge did play much more EPL minutes last season than Aguero.

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  13. Hahahahahahaha nice one - Roy Keane on I'm a celeb apparently

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  14. With respect you, and I suspect many others, are blinded by the idea that Aguero seems to be a world class striker whereas Sturridge is just a talented player with injury problems
    This is the accepted wisdom. Nobody questioned Carra when he said Aguero has the best goals to game time ratio
    Except he HASN'T
    He doesn't have a single metric which outperforms Sturridge apart from total goals scored. Aguero hasn't scored more goals than Kevin Phillips. That doesn't make Phillips better
    I admit- I was surprised to see the stats. But it is not in dispute as far as I'm concerned. Sturridge's sample size is easily enough to be statistically relevant compared to Aguero. And it follows that at the same number of minutes on the pitch, Aguero scored LESS goals and less Goals?assists than Daniel
    That makes him better. And I never hear anybody calling Aguero injury prone either. Why not?

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  15. Aguero is certainly better than Sturridge and more complete player too. He is 'almost' as good as Suarez. For me, Sturridge and Rooney are second best strikers in EPL followed by Costs, Falcao and Van Persie.
    .
    I liked Negredo too and if it wasn't for his homesickness I wished Liverpool would bid for him.

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  16. I'm not disputing the goals/gametime ratio.


    My point is that if I were to choose one striker to start a team with, I'd pick Aguero because Sturridge is unreliable as it pertains to his injury history.

    Has Aguero gotten injured in the past? Yes.


    But Sturridge has still played ONLY 52 games for LFC because he's been hurt multiple times. He's already missed nearly two months this season. Even when he comes back, I don't believe that he'll be healthy the rest of the season and odds are he'll miss more games due to injury. Obviously I hope that's not the case, but the historical data tells me it's bound to happen.


    Granted, Aguero's games played should be higher because he's been at Man City longer than Sturridge has been here, but in spite of those injuries both have had, Aguero's still played nearly 3 times as many games as Sturridge.

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  17. Carra says Aguero has the best mins per goal ratio in premier league history. Sturridge's minutes per goal ratio may be better since he's been at Liverpool but his time at Chelsea, Bolton etc will also be counted in his premier league minutes to goals ratio so that's why Aguero's mins per goal ratio will be the best as Carra refers to it

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  18. Playing a different number of games is not my argument.


    It's that Aguero has played almost 3 times as many games as Sturridge.


    And as I've stated a few times, my point of determining ultimately who is currently better, it's Aguero because he's more reliable to be on the field than Sturridge.


    That's not to say that Aguero is a perfect bill of health. But when comparing the two against each other, Aguero comes out on top until Sturridge can stay healthy for a prolonged period of time.

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  19. I would like to see this team play someday
    .
    Neuer
    Lahm-Kompany-Terry-Alaba
    Yaya Toure- Alonso
    Suarez-Messi-Ronaldo
    Ibrahimovic


    Subs:- T.Courtois, Varane, Ivanovic, Gotze, Bale, Neymar, Aguero

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  20. Sergio Aguero is the best striker in the Premier League, but DS comes a close second.Some people are willing put any Tom, Dick or Harry ahead of Sturridge for some reason.
    Robin Van Persie was the man for a while.His last season for Arsenal was fantastic and his first year for Man Utd was good, but that train has left the station! RVP is still capable of doing the spectacular, but he no longer produces consistent top level performances.Just flashes.
    Diego Costa the new drug/player everyone seems to be high on.How can people rate 8 or 9 matches over 2/3 seasons of DS consistency.If you think like that, you literally have a what did you do for me last weekend mindset.That's why a hot right now striker like Saido Berahino is valued at £25m.Combined with the extortionate tax add on for British players!
    Wayne Rooney is a streaky player.He'll do nothing for 6 or 7 matches, scores a brace and morons in the media will try to put him on the same level as Ronaldo and Messi.DS is England's best striker!

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  21. I think DS is much better than Costa Coffee.

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  22. DS and Rooney on the same level IMO.

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  23. id sooner have a lesser player who is more robust ,no use being great if you never play

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  24. I'm sorry but Rooney? Reminds me of Messi if you know what I mean:-)
    I'll give you hint: Both Walk on the pitch!

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  25. Sturridge...when healthy.

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  26. Bah! What do facts have anything to do with anything?

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  27. Gilstrap, Liverpool have lesser more robust players in our other 3 striking options, but none of them are stamping their mark with top notch performances.They don't score a lot individually or collectively.
    The desperation to get Daniel Sturridge back in the team clearly indicates quality is the most important thing!

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  28. What? Aguero has been with City since the 11/12 season. So he's had three full seasons plus the games of this season. That's 125 games he should have played. He's played 96.
    Since 11/12 Sturridge has played 83 games, for CFC and us and for CFC he wasn't a first choice player.
    Last I checked 96 wasn't 3 times 83.
    Now if you mean total career appearances then you're still wrong (420 to 194 just over 2 times as much), but then you have to factor in that Aguero was playing first team in the Argentinian league from the age of 15 and has played in teams that had European competitions and he's also a couple of years older than Studge.
    Also since moving to Europe has only ever completed a 38 game season in the league once, in his first season at Atletico.

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  29. Terry. Really? I am not just saying this because I find him to be a thoroughly low-life scumbag but also because I would seriously question his presence amongst such esteemed company.
    It would surely be something to behold.

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  30. You killed Hans Moleman, you b@stands!

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  31. Sturridge is far better than Rooney.

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  32. You are forgetting the multiple times when Sturridge was fit for City but not selected to play. Aguero does get injured quite regularly and is playing for a PL winning team- more chances to score

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  33. No way! Rooney never had the skill or pace to beat a player. Most importantly, his professionalism with regards to lifestyle is just awful! Rooney drinks & smokes Sturridge lives an athlete's life!

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  34. You are being duped.
    Injury record since 2011/12 seasons to present
    Days lost to injury
    D Sturridge: 157
    S Aguero : 162
    Source: Physioroom .com
    It's all about how the media portray them. That means there is only one measure which Aguero betters Sturridge: Total career goals scored. But he's older and should have done.
    Game over.

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  35. Based purely off the stats that Jaimie presented. Not forgetting anything nor am I purposefully leaving anything out.

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  36. Just curious, how many games has Aguero missed since joining Man City and how many games has Sturridge missed since joining Liverpool?

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  37. I looked at the site you referenced which lists all the injuries. Are those injuries that have kept him out of games or are those injuries that have just been reported, but he's been able to play through some of them?

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  38. I don't think for one minute that you're doing it on purpose. But the facts don't support your theories. Aguero has lost more days to injury than Sturridge over the past 3 seasons, and that is the opposite of what you are saying here. It's because the media always go on about Sturridge being injury prone when in fact Aguero is more so. In fact between May 2008 and Nov 2012 Sturridge did not miss a single game due to injury

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  39. Physio room is very accurate re injuries. There is a list of number of games missed as well as days lost to injury. Playing through the pain does not count.
    Use transfer market .com if you like, the result is the same, I rarely only check one source

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  40. 4/15




    Thigh Muscle Strain




    Sep 5, 2014




    Oct 3, 2014




    28 days






    13/14




    Sprained Ankle




    Dec 1, 2013




    Jan 9, 2014




    39 days






    13/14




    Torn Ankle Ligament




    Nov 27, 2013




    Jan 9, 2014




    43 days






    12/13




    groin strain




    Feb 3, 2013




    Feb 14, 2013




    11 days






    12/13




    Hamstring Injury




    Nov 17, 2012




    Dec 23, 2012




    36 days

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  41. Aguero: 162
    Sturridge: 157 and counting due to latest one

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  42. Both are nothing without a good strike partner.

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  43. Who was more reliable last season? Aguero gets just as much injuries if not more

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  44. Aguero's injury history is as poor as Sturridge's in the last few years.

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  45. Sturridge has the potential to be a great player however his injuries seem to be holding him back and you just get the feeling that if everything is not 100% right with his body he will not play..for that reason Aguero edges it as he appears more willing to play when not 100% and still be in a position to get you that goal.
    Would be nice to see them together however

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  46. one season wonder, he can't even be fit for the whole season
    with Suarez gone - defenses were too worried about Suarez & he would create the spaces & chances for Sturridge, now there is a dry run
    Sturridge should come with a "fragile" tag
    if you compare data on a computer screen & if it makes you feel any good by saying that Sturridge is a better player than Aguero in the PL, well i'd let you enjoy your fancy till it lasts
    the fact is that even when he's back from injury (keep your fingers crossed) - we will not be much different and just wish that we finish in top 4 & get CL qualification

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  47. go fifa manager, fifa ultimate team, fantasy football
    live your dream

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  48. well, Rooney has Coleen by his side
    what would you expect
    i'd leave their off the pitch life to well, off the pitch
    coming to skill/pace - as long as he bangs in the goals, who cares?

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  49. Rooney's lack of dedication has held him back no end, to the point that he blew his chance of becoming world class! He could have been on Ronaldo's level, now he has to settle for being a good footballer just because he couldn't make the necessary sacrifices!

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  50. Its really not that great IMO.

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