“When he doesn’t score, it’s like playing with 10 men.”
Jamie Carragher has delivered a withering assessment of Daniel Sturridge after his performance in Liverpool’s loss to Southampton in EFL Cup semi-final second leg.
Sturridge missed a number of key chances in the game at Anfield, and his former teammate didn’t spare his feelings during post-game analysis on Sky Sports.
Carragher was measured and calm when discussing the striker, and said that the player’s woes extend beyond one game.
High praise https://t.co/Q2qQMinKAp
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) January 26, 2017
The former Liverpool defender said that Sturridge is essentially a passenger in the side.
Carragher claims that the 27-year-old is a different, and lesser, player compared to when he joined the club in 2013.
“Sturridge is a completely different player to when he first came,” Carragher said.
“You could link him with (Sadio) Mane when he first came, because the whole point of buying him under Brendan Rodgers when I was at the club was he gave you penetration, he could run behind, he had pace.”
Carragher also said that it looks as though Sturridge has lost his pace due to the number of injuries he has suffered in recent seasons.
“I don’t know if his pace has completely gone, or whether he is that worried with injuries that he’s going to pull something.
“I remember Michael Owen being in a similar situation when he had a lot of hamstring injuries, it’s when he goes to take off – have the legs gone or your just worried about pulling something?
“He’s not the player to run in behind so forget replacing Mane it’s never going to happen – all he does is come to feet now.”
The 27-year-old has scored an impressive 58 goals in 105 games for Liverpool.
However, Carragher said that Sturridge’s ability to finish chances, which wasn’t on display last night, is all he can currently offer Klopp’s team.
“When he doesn’t score, you’re basically down to 10 men really, because they’re not offering anything else whatsoever.
“You look at his l record in terms of finishing its fan and his goal to game ratio but I’m talking about his pace and his overall game.
“When he doesn’t score, it’s like playing with 10 men.”
https://youtu.be/rkujAYmfZfg?t=18m23s
Liverpool fan on social media seemed to agree with Carragher:
https://twitter.com/JamiecChand/status/824592307311747072
https://twitter.com/shaunstafford2/status/824545609189355520
Carragher spot on with Sturridge
— . (@KloppsLegion) January 25, 2017
If Sturridge had done his job Liverpool would have walked it. Carragher is right. He's a spent force.
— Allen Cummings (@AllenCummings6) January 26, 2017
https://twitter.com/DamoFlood32/status/824381132238192640
Jamie Carragher says that when Daniel Sturridge fails to score, Liverpool are "basically down to 10 men"#LFC #YNWA
This is true— Raymond Oniel's 🇺🇬🇬🇧🇪🇹 (@Garang06) January 26, 2017
I agree with Carragher that Sturridge is a waste of time now!! His time at Liverpool is up I'm afraid.
— Stephen (@Steve_Macca1) January 25, 2017
