It’s something of an understatement to suggest that The Reds have missed Daniel Sturridge this season. Last season, Liverpool could call upon both Luis Suarez (one of the deadliest, most gifted strikers in the game) and Sturridge (one of the best finishers out there). This year, they’ve been unable to rely on either of them.
Unfortunately, Mario Balotelli hasn’t been up to snuff either. As a result, The Reds have dropped right down the Premier League table. Having fought for the title last season, they now lay in 7th place. In fact, they’re 15 points off of the top slot.
Brendan Rodgers certainly seems to recognise how important Daniel Sturridge is to this Liverpool team:
‘Daniel’s absence has had a huge impact on our season, no question about that. You can trace that back to the start of the season when we played Tottenham. You can see the reference he was in that game and he hasn’t played since.’ (Source: The Express)
Following these comments, Daniel Sturridge went on to feature in Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over West Ham. The English centre-forward had only been on the pitch for 12 minutes before he re-opened his goal-scoring account (with a fine finish too). He’s well and truly back.
This begs the question: what can Liverpool achieve this season? Can they nab a slot in the top four?
It’s hard to say. At the moment, the competition are looking fired up. Manchester City and Chelsea have been in fine form all season long. I fully expect them to claim the top two slots of the Premier League table. Then there’s Manchester United and Arsenal, who both seem to be finding their feet at the same time.
Their situation seems to parallel Liverpool’s. They’ve been inconsistent this season, but they both have access to a core group of decent players.
With Tottenham and Southampton both up there as well, The Reds could struggle to finish in the top four. Still, it’s certainly not a hopeless situation. With Daniel Sturridge leading the line and Philippe Coutinho pulling the strings in the centre of the park, Liverpool still have plenty of ammunition going forward.
Let’s just hope they’ve got enough to carry them over the finishing line.
What’s your take? What does the future hold for Liverpool Football Club?
Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.