Here’s my fantasy premier league analysis of Sturridge to Liverpool.
I was really looking forward to the Mansfield v Liverpool for 1 main reason. Would Suarez and Sturridge play together and if so how would they? Ok its only Mansfield but how they lined up together would have been very interesting. In the end Suarez replaced Sturridge and we didn’t get to see how it would work which was a great shame.
Rodgers has said that Sturridge would play as a central striker and Suarez would shift around which he apparently is happy to do so. Rodgers plays 4-3-3 so presumably Suarez would shift to a flank although he’s hinted at something less severe maybe shifting behind in a number 10 type role.
The essence of this article is that I just don’t believe it will happen. Suarez at the moment kills every underlying stat in terms of shooting and chances created for strikers whether its the entire season or for the last 6 games. He’s also scored 15 goals, 44% of Liverpools. This is after scoring only 11 for the premier league season last year after he was messed about position wise constantly. After a bit of a shaky start he’s finally showing that he is only second to RVP and one of the worlds best strikers. Is Rodgers really going to risk that or is it just sales pitch to Sturridge. Rodgers has given himself an out and bought some time by stating that Sturridge isn’t match fit and he needs some time. This presumably can see Suarez maintain his central position in the short term.
By contrast Sturridges underlying stats last year were on a par with Steven Fletchers, worse than Grant Holts and only just better than …. Torres. He scored 11 goals in 30 games. Ok that was on the flank and yesterday he was very good with Shelvy finding little balls in behind the defence to use his pace but that was Mansfield.
I don’t understand why Rodgers has come out and said this but I cant believe he will risk Suarez’s production at a time when everything has really clicked for Suarez and with his importance to the team not to mention his understanding with Gerrard. He is a brave manager and has shown this in the past with his beliefs on how to play no matter what but risking Suarezs production would be just plain stupid
Suarez will not be going anywhere in my fantasy premier league team even with the tricky fixtures. Interestingly 106,000 fantasy premier league managers transferred in Suarez this game week, just 11,000 for Sturridge.
Hopefully I’ll be right but rest assured every game of Suarezs will be watched very closely starting with Man U this weekend.
As for Sturridge given the comments by Rodgers regarding fitness I would leave it until things become clearer especially with the fixtures and lack of people purchasing to push up the price.
The last point is the potential effect on Wisdom if Downing is forced out of the front 3 and back to LB. I just cant see this happening given his current great form and would still gamble on Wisdom.
Hope that provides some interesting points to mull over
