How to fix Liverpool: Stop waiting for Sturridge, stop hiding behind excuses and sign a proper striker David Maddock believes Liverpool need to be decisive in the coming weeks, otherwise they risk losing the momentum of last seasons campaign There can be no agonising, no dallying, no pontificating, no compromising. There needs to be decisive action at Anfield, now they know they can never truly rely on Daniel Sturridge. Two things must happen. First, they HAVE to sign a striker in January. A proper striker, and for that, there needs to be courageous, significant investment. No arguments. They need a proven goalscorer with a track record of delivering. Not a loan signing, not a promising youngster, not a gamble like Mario Balotelli, not a recall of a kid out on loan. A proper striker. There are not many around of course, which is why bold action in the transfer market is required. The American owners of Liverpool have no choice if they want their club to remain within the Champions League elite. Somehow, they will need to find the funds to buy a Cavani, or a Benzema, or at the very very least, an Alexandre Lacazette, who has proven himself the best striker in the French league at the moment, and one of the most exciting in Europe. Liverpool are at a pivotal moment in their development. They either cling on to the progress of last season and actually build on it, or – just as they did in 2002 and 2009 – they get within touching distance of to the top, make disastrous mistakes in the transfer market, and take yet another timid, half-arsed step backwards. There is no place for the timid right now. Sturridge is clearly never going to be a front line leader, a striker like Suarez you can build your team around. At best, he will be a top class supporting act, happy to let someone else take the pressure of true expectation. Balotelli is never going to be that man either, so they need to sign one. And on January 1. Any later, and their season will be over...and last seasons momentum lost forever. In the meantime of course, there are 15 games to be negotiated. Which brings us to the second requirement. Liverpool need a leader. Now. Someone, anyone, has to step up and take responsibility. It would be better if everyone did that of course, but the time has come for one of their extremely well paid stars to show why he is worth the salary. Stop waiting for Sturridge, stop saying things will be ok when he returns. Forget him completely. And stop hiding behind the excuse of new players bedding in and Suarez going. Put your hand up, and lead this team. It aint going to be Balotelli of course, so someone like Rickie Lambert or Fabio Borini will have to show why they are full internationals for nations in the top 10 in the world. And behind them, Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen, Steven Gerrard and perhaps even Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, and Philippe Coutinho all have to look at themselves now. As do Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren. Can they take responsibility, can they take the team and the game by the scruff of the neck and drag Liverpool back to the sort of mentality they displayed so ferociously last season? Someone has to do it. And they have to do it now.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 12:16:54 +0000
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