English Premier League Analysis
Just like a ticking time bomb that is left un-attended for too long, the injury of Daniel Sturridge has come back to haunt Liverpool and like his early season injury where the Reds suffered more comparatively, his absence now can prove to haunt the Liverpool fans who are still reeling from that early season after-shocks.
Talking about common happenings in the World of football and as far as Liverpool football club is concerned, a failed title challenge for the Premier League has been as common for Liverpool in recent years as the injury to Daniel Sturridge.
Averaging an injury every 5 matches in which he features for the Reds, Daniel Sturridge has spent more time on the sidelines than on the ground during his brief Liverpool career till date.
However, as out title suggests, the injury can be cured as far as Liverpool is concerned. While they cannot use magic to get Sturridge back, Liverpool have the necessary artillery with which they can mitigate his loss.
Here are 5 reasons why all is not doomed for Liverpool: -
Liverpool not a one man team
Contrary to popular belief that has been linked with Liverpool under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers, the Northern Irishman has worked his tail of to distribute the responsibilities among his players.
While last season 50% of the goals that were scored by Liverpool came from Suarez and Sturridge, the scenario has been altogether different for the Reds this season with 13 different goal-scorers already in the side
Having scored 44 goals this season in the League, it is needless to say that the Reds have been far from productive this season. However, more importantly when it comes to distribution of goals, the Reds have 13 different goal-scorers this term in the squad.
And looking at their team that plays every weekend bar Daniel Sturridge, 7 of those 13 have been a part of the recent 3-4-3 formation that has been employed recently. Thus with goals coming from all areas of the team, the injury of Daniel Sturridge might not have the same impact as it did in the early stages of this season.
Raheem Sterling would be pushed forward
As they say that adversity gets the best out of people, Liverpool’s early season form had the same impact on their boss. Trying the likes of Lambert, Borini and Balotelli alone before stumbling onto Raheem Sterling, Brendan Rodgers got a solution of his problems.
Even though they say that excess of everything is bad, the excess of creativity in the Liverpool starting 11 has taken them out from a mid-table side to a side competing with the financial muscle of Manchester United.
Looking at Sterling’s performance against Lithuania in which he scored his 1st International goal for England, it was his pace of a winger catalyzed by the calmness of a poacher that helped Sterling to deflect a Rooney cross into the net.
Pace of a winger catalysed with the finish of a poacher, Sterling’s goal against Lithuania epitomized the fact that he has all the abilities to succeed further forward than his usual position at Liverpool in recent times.
And while the match was already one way traffic before that moment, Sterling’s goal epitomized the fact that he has all the abilities to succeed further forward than his usual position at Liverpool in recent times. And with the injury to his team-mate Daniel Sturridge, Liverpool are left with no choice but to play their top-scorer in the heart of their attack.
Been there – Done that
To say that the injury of Daniel Sturridge would be catastrophic is exactly equal to the fact that England will win EURO Championship under Roy Hodgson. That is due to the reason that as far as the former case is concerned, the Reds have been more used to playing without Sturridge then with him in the squad.
And while Liverpool suffered in his absence of late, putting that thing into context now cannot explain the situation. While Liverpool did suffer in his absence, it was more due to the ‘’Post-Suarez’’ syndrome and unlike the early season failures, now they have a system that is working. Thus, while Sturridge injury might cause Liverpool to stutter, they will not be down and out for sure.
Underdog tag always works for the Men in Red
From that Champions League final in 2005 to that FA Cup win in 2006, from that Carling Cup win under Kenny Dalglish and to their most recent defeat, one thing that can be counted out as common is that all the Liverpool teams work the best when they are put under pressure.
Give Liverpool an edge over paper and they will crumble – just like last season’s title race, however, try to compress them and they will act like a spring board
Thus, with all the odds going against them and history defying them to the core, the Reds have nothing to lose, pressure will be off them and more importantly, the history of Liverpool football club is littered with comebacks so one more won’t disturb the decorum.
Lazar Markovic would be back at the right wing back position
With the return of Daniel Sturridge to the squad, Brendan Rodgers had no choice but to push Sterling back and Markovic out of the squad. That, to be fair with Markovic hasn’t been fair with the Serbian because the amount of escalation that he has undergone in the absence of Sturridge was detrimental for any team that was coming against Liverpool.
Thus, now with Sturridge back to his usual position – his bed, and Sterling pushed forward, Lazar Markovic can play a much better role at the right wing-back position than Raheem Sterling.
Daniel Sturridge injured: 5 reasons why all is not doomed for Liverpool
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