3. Who are you and what have you done with Daniel Sturridge?
It’s no secret that Daniel Sturridge has fallen down the pecking order at Liverpool. It’s also not a secret that this is the one player Klopp has no idea what to do with. The Manager played him out on the right early on in the season, only for the player to complain about not being played in his natural position. Time on the bench followed, only for Sturridge to be given the chance to lead the line in this match due to injuries in other positions.
What followed was 60 minutes of ineptness and a general sense of meh. Once an integral part of an attack that included the wily Sterling and the guile of Suarez, Sturridge thrived on leading the line and being the siege weapon that finally brought down the door. Now he exists in a state of flux, in a system that is fluid and affords him no opportunities for selfishness or errors. He is neither creator nor finisher and that doesn’t suit his game at all.
Let’s also admit that his heart's not in it. Sturridge has to be the focal point. Right now, he is an unprepared extra in a play where all the characters know their parts instinctively. He does not have the Manager’s trust. He has not finished a single game in the league and all his goals this have come against Burton. An egotistical Striker like Sturridge simply cannot strive in conditions where the onus of goalscoring is shared burden.
Perhaps it is time for Manager and player to sit down and discuss the near and long term future. Maybe a loan or permanent move in January awaits. January however, is months away and Klopp has to somehow figure out how to get the best out of someone who looks like he mentally already has one foot out the door at Anfield.
