Last time Liverpool went on a Premier League spending spree with Kenny Dalglish, things did not go well. To put it mildly, the likes of Andy Carroll, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson have not made for good additions at Anfield. They struggled to make the step up and as a result, Kenny Dalglish was sent packing. Indeed, I think it’s fair to say that these signings precipitated Liverpool’s fall from grace and descent from the top four. The Reds haven’t been as competitive from the moment they swapped Fernando Torres for Andy Carroll.
So it’s a little worrying to see Brendan Rodgers take Liverpool down the same path. After all, according to the Daily Mail, the Reds are planning a ‘double swoop’ for England Internationals Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott. So could things be different this time, or could pulling off these signings only cement Liverpool’s position at a mid-table club?
The problem with buying from other Premier League clubs, is that you’re essentially trying to get your rivals to sell to you. If the player in question is any good, they’re hardly going to give you a fair price – after all, they don’t want you to improve too much at their expense.
In the case of Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott, however, it may be different. Theo is coming to the end of his Arsenal contract and his club now have very little control over his future. Sturridge, on the other hand, has found himself sidelined at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea may be willing to let him go at a reasonable price, so they are not accused of ‘damaging’ his future.
So whilst they may not break the bank, I’m not convinced they would improve Liverpool substantially. Since impressing as a youngster, Sturridge’s career seems to have fizzled out. He still grabs goals, but he can be wasteful and he doesn’t have much technical ability/movement/physicality to back up his confidence in front of goal.
Theo Walcott, on the other hand, is primarily a pace-machine with little more to his game. He doesn’t seem to have improved measurably since joining Arsenal back in 2006. I think Liverpool could use somebody whose career is on the up (as opposed to Theo’s, which seems to have plateaued).
Why doesn’t Brendan Rodgers go out into other markets in search of other bargains. By snapping up Santi Cazorla for around £15m last summer, Arsene Wenger proved that there are still bargains out there. For me, it’s time that Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers adopted a similar mindset.
What’s your take? Would Sturridge and Walcott be good additions at Anfield?
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Quote: “What’s your take? Would Sturridge and Walcott be good additions at Anfield?”
Good, I say, but not great.
there is better outside the prem sturridge and walcott not good enough
Well I don’t know how you can even right an article like this all that is just speculation and he’s brought in foreigners sahin, borini, yesid and some one else and has got rid of two players dalglish bought in carrol, Adam so he’s already shopping abroad.