Sturridge: Sort it out and take your chance!

As we know yesterday, Romelu Lukaku signed for West Brom on loan for the coming season and the fact that RDM and Chelsea have sanctioned this one to go through, it leads me to ask the following question:

Will Chelsea bring in another striker or has RDM set his stall out with Torres/Sturridge leading the line? Ever since he signed for Chelsea, there has been plenty of focus and comment on Fernando Torres and his performances here. I have posted numerous times about him and recently have posted about the season ahead for El Nino.

If anything, with Didier Drogba gone, it’s exactly the same for Danny Sturridge now. Both he and Torres need to up their game and make a claim to be the outright number 9 at this club. At present you would have to argue that Torres starts ahead of Sturridge so the gauntlet has been thrown down.

In an interview published on the official website, Sturridge said: ’Collectively, winning trophies is what everybody wants to do. On a personal level, I just want to be playing regular first team football. Nobody wants to sit on the bench so it’s important for me this season to be playing regularly and show everybody what I’m capable of doing as a centre-forward. Hopefully this season I’ll be playing up front, so whoever the manager signs or wants to bring in, it only gives me the impetus to want to do better. It’s important that you take your opportunities when they come along.’

It’s clear to everyone that he wants to play through the middle and I really believe that he will get his chance to play there this season. In a direct fight with Torres, it will be interesting to see what happens and who comes out on top.

Speaking of Sturridge yesterday, RDM was keen to confirm that Sturridge does feature heavily in his plans. He said: ’He is part of the squad, of the team, and still has a lot to give. He still has a lot to learn as well but we are hopeful he can develop even more and become a great player for us. He has the ability to play in more than one position. He made it quite public he likes to play as a number nine but there is competition, which is good, and we will see as the season starts who is going to play.’

I think being honest, and most of you will agree with me here, is that Sturridge seemed to be getting a bit above himself at times last season. He got his chance with AVB and to be fair for the most part, thrived on it. He was scoring goals and playing well.

The problem was and as far as I can see still is, he is too greedy! He gets into positions where it’s obvious that the better option is to play someone else in, cross the ball or keep hold of possession but he will shoot from ridiculous angles and ignore our other players around him.

I really rate Danny Sturridge and the ability he has and the out and out pace to burn he has in his locker but he needs to channel it all the right way.

He needs to learn to understand when it’s the right time to pull the trigger and when it’s the right time to give it to someone else.

Sorry for saying it but if anything, the Team GB penalty miss may be the jolt or kick up the arse Sturridge needs to get his head back down to earth, to refocus on working hard and to push Torres hard for the start week in, week out.

The thing is, you know that if Danny Sturridge started every game, every week throughout the whole of the season, he would score you at least 20 goals per season which is what we are all looking for from our strikers.

The chances seem to be there this season, it’s whether he steps up as a team player first and foremost, and then focuses on being our number one striker!.

Studge, it’s over to you mate!.

KTBFFH!

Published with permission from CHELSEADAFT - A Chelsea fans blog..