Daniel Sturridge

[Kenneth]

Aguero is class he really is, I think Sturridge could be seen in the same bracket as him but he needs to keep himself fit, he's got all the talent in the world but it's no use if he's perennially injured.

Sturridge has the talent but he needs to do it over a more consistent period to be considered a 'world class' striker.

[MosRay]

Sturridge has the talent but he needs to do it over a more consistent period to be considered a 'world class' striker.

I agree, Sturridge is a fantastic striker when fit and on his game. If he stayed fit and proved to be constantly good may be he could be considered top draw or world class. I think we shouldn't label him otherwise we'll expect to much to soon. Lets get him back to playing and enjoy what he'll hopefully bring to the squad, and lets hope the goals will follow too

[Daniel 7]

I suppose the criteria differs for each position but clearly for a striker it is goals. Obviously skill, technique etc are factors but a striker is rated on how many goals he scores. Sturridge had 1 brilliant season where he got 22 league goals, any other season he's only goal 11 league goals.

I think when fit he's a brilliant player & was a great coup by LFC, but is isn't world class...not yet anyways. Injuries have plagued him & he really does have the ability to become a world class striker. IMO he's just not there yet. Can't wait to have him fully fit back in the side though

It wasn't just one season though was it? He joined in January 2013 and scored 11 in 16 games, then had a full season where he scored 24 in 33. That was the first time he had been chosen as a first team player, other than when he was on loan as a kid at Bolton. You can't really take Chelsea into consideration as he was no more a first team player there than Ings or Origi will be for Liverpool, or Borini was last season. Also, he was used as a winger mainly, but you knew that anyway.

So 18 months of top class play and stats, where he became the best striker in the league other than Suarez and England's no.1 striker.

Aguero is the main man at City, but he also has his injury problems. He's also further down the line with his football career as well, even though he's only 18 months older - Sturridge never had the early blossoming that Aguero had. I don't think there's anything in it between them.

[G]

There are many many really top class players out there but for me world class is an extremely limited number of them, those who can turn up anywhere and play at the top of their game consistently plus have the ability to win games on their own. Thats probably Suarez, Messi and Ronaldo and the rest are a level below that. Even of those 3 only one of them ever turns it on in international football very often.

[redmike65]

I know its a terrible clichè but when Sturridge comes back it really will feel like a new player has been signed. When fit he'll add a whole new range of attacking options for the team.

[Kenneth]

But we had that said when he was due to come back last season, he was going to rescue the end of the season. It didn't really work out that way. Hopefully his recovery is more robust this time.

[redmike65]

Well duh!

[danperkins]

In 13 seasons he has scored more than 20 goals three times .... couple seasons ago he scored 12 .. and went about 10 games without hitting the back of the net .. Sure hes a great player but for me hes not on the same level as Suarez, Messi, Ronaldo hes in the same group of players I would firmly put Sturridge in

With all due respect, that is a load of bollox. Sturridge in the same bracket as Messi, Ronaldo & Suarez

Surely you're on a wind up? If you are, you got me real good.

[danperkins]

It wasn't just one season though was it? He joined in January 2013 and scored 11 in 16 games, then had a full season where he scored 24 in 33. That was the first time he had been chosen as a first team player, other than when he was on loan as a kid at Bolton. You can't really take Chelsea into consideration as he was no more a first team player there than Ings or Origi will be for Liverpool, or Borini was last season. Also, he was used as a winger mainly, but you knew that anyway.

So 18 months of top class play and stats, where he became the best striker in the league other than Suarez and England's no.1 striker.

Aguero is the main man at City, but he also has his injury problems. He's also further down the line with his football career as well, even though he's only 18 months older - Sturridge never had the early blossoming that Aguero had. I don't think there's anything in it between them.

I think there is very few people that would say Sturridge is world class.. let alone a better player than Aguero. Aguero is absolutely outstanding.

IMO the only thing they share in common is both are very injury prone. Sturridge is a brilliant player but not on the same level as Aguero... few are.

[Daniel 7]

With all due respect, that is a load of bollox. Sturridge in the same bracket as Messi, Ronaldo & Suarez

Surely you're on a wind up? If you are, you got me real good.

You're misunderstanding him there, he said Aguero is in the group below Messi, Suarez and Ronaldo - and that Sturridge is very much in that group below them too. I'd agree with that.

[Daniel 7]

I think there is very few people that would say Sturridge is world class.. let alone a better player than Aguero. Aguero is absolutely outstanding.

IMO the only thing they share in common is both are very injury prone. Sturridge is a brilliant player but not on the same level as Aguero... few are.

Gerrard referred to Sturridge as a world class striker several times last season - that's endorsement enough.

[danperkins]

Gerrard referred to Sturridge as a world class striker several times last season - that's endorsement enough.

The same Gerrard also said the Joe Cole can do anything Messi can do. So let's not read into his comments about a captain bigging his fellow team mates up.

You're misunderstanding him there, he said Aguero is in the group below Messi, Suarez and Ronaldo - and that Sturridge is very much in that group below them too. I'd agree with that.

Suarez isn't in that group. For Me, Ronaldo & Messi are miles away from everyone else. Suarez and Aguero are in that group below Messi & Ronaldo and IMO Sturridge is certainly not in that group yet. I'm not misunderstanding anything I just think that although Sturridge is a quality player, he's not at Aguero's level. I very much doubt anyone outside a very small minority of LFC supporters would say otherwise.

[Daniel 7]

Its perception, subjectivity and your own classification model then.

The stats over the last season and a half of being regulars in their respective first teams suggest there's not much in it, especially when you consider the megabucks that City were put together with, and the squad strength in depth they have put together to make sure Aguero is serviced to be at that level.

I'm not saying he's bad, but if Sturridge had been in receipt of that level of investment behind him, he would score just as many, and would be rated just as highly.

[Shaggy]

For what it's worth Aguero edges it for me but there's not a great deal in it and Sturridge is a lot better than most think. Still ridiculously underrated. Many non LFC fans would still have Welbeck in the England side ahead of him FFS

It's mental. Sturridge when fit is an absolutely brilliant centre forward and he walks back into the team for me (assuming he's fit and at the same level as before).

[Exiled_red]

For what it's worth Aguero edges it for me but there's not a great deal in it and Sturridge is a lot better than most think. Still ridiculously underrated. Many non LFC fans would still have Welbeck in the England side ahead of him FFS

It's mental. Sturridge when fit is an absolutely brilliant centre forward and he walks back into the team for me (assuming he's fit and at the same level as before).

I'd rather have Welbeck in the England side than Sturridge - although I guess that is probably for very different reasons

At the level that he was at the for the 18 months before last season he was as good as anyone in the league at the time (Suarez aside). For me there are a couple of questions he needs to answer: is he capable of staying injury free and repeating that level of form, or was he so good because off Suarez?