Michael Mongie explains why Daniel Sturridge should stay at Liverpool.
Daniel Sturridge is unhappy. We all know that and it’s no surprise. Per data from Whoscored.com, the Englishman has only played 367 minutes of Premier League football whereas Roberto Firmino has played nearly 900 minutes in the league for Liverpool.
I completely understand Sturridge’s position and his frustration, but a move elsewhere, as reported by The Mirror, doesn’t benefit anyone. Sturridge might get game time but it would be for a side like West Ham, who are very much a mid-to-lower table side.
While sitting on the bench at Liverpool is doing nothing for his development as a footballer, it might be better for him to stay at the club and really fight for his place. Much in the same way he did when he and Luis Suarez formed their lethal partnership. He needs to make himself undroppable and this won’t be done only by scoring goals. This can only be done by fully adopting Jurgen Klopp’s high pressing mantra and sticking to it.
I haven’t seen any real indication that Sturridge has bought into the high pressing style of play and that’s why he starts almost every Premier League game from the stands. This might be the first time that Sturridge is fit for a long period of time, but it won’t do him much good if he’s sitting in the stands.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
The man in his way, Roberto Firmino is the embodiment of the high press. The Brazilian is the instigator behind every press from the front of the pitch and will even drop deep to retrieve the ball. It may be innate to his South American footballing upbringing but Sturridge really needs to emulate Firmino or he might not have a place at Liverpool – if he wants one or not.
READ MORE: Sturridge needs to take a leaf out of Firmino’s book
Sturridge may well get his chance to break into the side come January, with Sadio Mane off to the African Cup of nations with Senegal. The Englishman has a chance to show all his doubters how he can play when started as the number nine. With no European football and less rotation and the form of Coutinho, Firmino and Mane, there has been little football for Sturridge, but selling him could be detrimental to the team’s challenge for the title as finding a forward of Sturridge’s talents is near impossible these days.