Search icon

Football

28th Nov 2015

Jamie Carragher verdict on Daniel Sturridge’s injury saga is somewhat damning

Mental block

Patrick McCarry

Daniel Sturridge has frustrated just about every boss he has played under.

The English striker has no plied his goalscoring trade at Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool and given more than enough glimpses of his talent.

For all of his netting-finding abilities, Sturridge has left questions unanswered about his commitment to each club.

At present, he has played 70 games for Liverpool, since his transfer from Chelsea, but missed 68 games through injury.

On Friday, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp commented, “[Daniel’s] body had to adapt to the new intensity of training and learn what is serious pain and what is only pain.”

In his Daily Mail column today, Jamie Carragher gives his take on Sturridge’s mental and physical kinks. He writes:

“The one thing I remember most of all from being his team-mate is that he had to feel 100% right mentally and physically in order to play.

“The thing is, with professional football, it’s not often any player will take to the field 100 per cent fit. There is always a knock or something niggling and when that is the case, you just grit your teeth and get through it.”

Carragher sticks by his previous claim that Sturridge, when fit, is second only to Sergio Aguero in the Premier League goalscoring stakes.

However, he warns that the striker is fast becoming more known for his injuries than his on-pitch exploits.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10