08 Sep 2016 05:27:32
People wrongly assume that Sturridge has an attitude problem due to him not showing as much movement nowadays or harassing defenders like Firmino does. But do they stop to consider that he's doing this to prevent injury, since he started playing in this manner, he's had only 1 minor injury that I can think of, so it's been effective in preventing any injuries. Sturridge's best role would be as a poacher, he has the instinct and natural finishing ability to thrive in the role. In the season we came 2nd, Sturridge was harrying defenders, switching positions, pulling out wide in tandem with Suarez. He was then finishing teams with deadly finishing and lightening pace. Current Sturridge may not have that pace, or be able to use his pace due to injury concerns, but he's still got his instinct and deadly marksmanship and on his day, Sturridge is without doubt a world class striker and one of the most dangerous players in the league.

1.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 07:53:40
Agree with all that. But a striker who doesn't want to (or can't) run at full pelt, doesn't like pressing and only wants to play in the position he prefers does not have a long term future under Jurgen Klopp. It's early days, but this is a definitive season for Sturridge. He either gets with Klopp's program, or he's not here next season.
No player is bigger than the club.

2.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 08:47:15
I'm not sure this is the case, and if it were, I wouldn't be happy.

We can't afford to have players thinking they need to avoid the hard yards in order to avoid injury. In your own words we were at our best when sturridge was 'harrying defenders, switching positions, pulling out wide' and that harrassing from the front is key to Klopps system. At the moment his movement is mixed at best.

I actually think his problem is he works better with two strikers and hasn't quite figured out the target man role. I think he's not sure what to do with himself alone upfront and tends to drop too deep instead.

I think he'd be a lot more dangerous with him and Origi playing together upfront and with Firmino at no.10.

3.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 09:25:50
He is being marked heavily in most of the games and never has been feeded with anything worth. He has often dropped deep to get involved with the guild up play. I don't understand what's the obsession about Hard core running. We need to go back and check how he was deadly 2 years ago. We might get a solution how to play him.

4.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 09:25:50
He is being marked heavily in most of the games and never has been feeded with anything worth. He has often dropped deep to get involved with the guild up play. I don't understand what's the obsession about Hard core running. We need to go back and check how he was deadly 2 years ago. We might get a solution how to play him.

5.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 13:28:07
Sweet, the season he was deadly was because he had Suarez (of course), with Coutinho`s guile and Sterling`s pace to rip at defences hence, opening up space for him to thrive on. LS did the harrying and pressing while Hendo and the rest of the mids did the pressing from that position hence, Studge could just eat up all the spaces being left as defenders were being tied up in knots. That is not going to happen now as those players are gone and we don`t play that way anymore. Studge will have to adapt and get with the programme because Klopp is in charge now and he`d better work hard or he won`t play and if he refuses or shows no desire to do that then it`s his choice because Klopp will be here longer than Studge will if they go to battle. I do agree that we have to try and play him or Origi up top with Firmino in behind. That would mean that both Lallana and Wiji drop to the bench as Can will then partner Hendo in midfield (which I wouldn`t mind at all) . Is Klopp willing to do that?

6.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 13:45:48
Studge likes to be the main man, the star of the team but Klopp just doesn't promote that in his teams and I think Studge gets frustrated with that. One thing is for sure we haven't had the real Sturridge for the last 2 years whether that's down to injury or attitude. I hope he comes back fighting and hits top form for us because he's frightening when he does. If he doesn't then he'll be gone and we won't miss him because you can't miss what you haven't got.

7.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 16:54:54
Sturridge scored at a slightly higher rate without Suarez on the pitch then when he was, so I'd say he's quite fine being the only striker. Whether or not Sturridge will be in Klopp's long term plans I couldn't say, but it wouldn't surprise me if he wasn't. Not saying that's what I want mind as I think it would be silly to let him leave, but I also think it's a tad silly to not be starting him when he's available so.

{Ed002's Note - That would be expected. If you remove Aguero from the Manchester City side then it is likely that the other forwards will score at a higher rate.}

8.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 18:07:18
RDL as lethal as Studge is, if he`s not ready to play the way Klopp wants him to play while the other strikers are playing that way, why should he start over them? Remember, Klopp doesn`t care who you are or in this case, were before he came here. Go ask benteke and Sahko if you don`t believe me. Therefore, it`s up to Studge now as Firmino may not score a lot of goals but is able to do exactly what Klopp wants and is outstanding at it as well as having goals and assists in him along with his ability to occupy a whole backline on his own. IMO, I don`t think Klopp should not start a player who for reasons x or y, is not ready to or can`t play the way he wants and then bench the others who actually do what he wants all because of who Studge used to be.

9.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 19:10:44
For me, Hamilton, the first attribute I want in a striker is goal scoring, everything else is secondary by some distance. Choosing a starting striker by how good they are defensively I find a strange one. I don't necessarily disagree with you that is how Klopp may see things at all as I said previously it wouldn't be shocking to me to see Sturridge move on at some point, but for me personally the best six attacking types we could field would be Firmino, Sturridge, Mane, Coutinho, Can, and Henderson.

10.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 17:24:36
Agreed to an extent, Ed002, unless the belief is that Sturridge isn't effective without Suarez or another striker with him. When given the opportunity to play central by himself, he's generally done very well for us.

{Ed002's Note - It is irrelevant - he scored less goals when the one who squats to piss plays and more when el runto is removed.}

11.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 20:52:30
I see no reason why firmino and Sturridge can't play up top together as he did with Suarez. Firmino Is not as good as Suarez was but I think they are similar players. Mane replacing sterling, still have Coutinho and Hendo. Not so different from the foward line that nearly won is the league. definitely think studge should play whenever fit though. Guy scores bag fulls when he's half fit, end of.

12.) 08 Sep 2016
08 Sep 2016 21:20:58
IMHO, our weak MF trio (Hendo, Lallana, and Wij), and not Firmino, is what is keeping Sturridge out of the lineup.

I think an attack with Sturridge at 9 and Firmino at 10, is our most dangerous, with Origi off the bench to replace Sturridge in the 2nd half.

Can is good enough to play in a midfield two, as he did last year, which freed up space for a more dangerous attack led by Sturridge.

Unfortunately, we never see that because with Can injured, we're stuck with Hendo at the base of a midfield three. Lallana and Wijnaldum are just not true box-to-box players. Neither is Hendo, either, but he's at least better defensively than the other two.

Can is our only true box-to-box midfielder though he's still a work in progress; Grujic also has the potential on this count, but is very raw.