http://www.theguardian.com/football...rridge-liverpool-real-madrid-champions-league "Brendan Rodgers may be prepared to gamble on Daniel Sturridgeâs fitness for Liverpoolâs Champions League match against Real Madrid with the England striker travelling with the rest of the squad on Monday. Sturridge has not played for Liverpool since 31 August and last week Rodgers suggested that the 25-year-old would be absence for Tuesdayâs trip to the Bernabéu as well as Saturdayâs visit of the Premier League leaders, Chelsea. But Sturridge was pictured with his Liverpool team-mates on board the squadâs flight to the Spanish capital and, with the Reds having lost their last two Champions League matches and currently third in Group B, he may be in line for a shock return. Sturridge may also be travelling in a non-playing capacity â Rodgers has been known to involve players who have been on the sidelines for long spells in squads â but the Liverpool manager has acknowledged that profligacy in front of goal is an increasing concern following Saturdayâs 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, the third time in four matches the Reds have failed to find the net. âFor the team to have confidence, itâs important that you look like you can score a goal,â he told the clubâs official website. âWe didnât look as if we could threaten so much. Iâm a creative and attacking coach, and we have seen over my time here how we build teams to score goals in order to win games. But at the moment itâs not quite happening for us. We just need to analyse the game and work harder to make it work.â Sturridge has managed just three appearances for Liverpool this season, initially picking up a thigh problem when on international duty at the start of September before suffering a calf injury upon his return to training. In his absence Liverpool have managed seven goals in seven Premier League matches while the £16m summer signing Mario Balotelli has scored just twice in 13 appearances, against Ludogorets in the Champions League and in last weekâs Capital One Cup victory over Swansea."
Damn you beat me to it, I was going to post this I do not want BR taking any sort of gambles on his fitness at all. If he can do last 20 mins or so in time for Chelsea then great please log in to view this image
Why the **** would we gamble on Studge's fitness in a game we still very little chance of getting anything from? Save him, make sure he is right and hopefully have him for the rest of the season (yeah right) instead
On the OS which has BR saying your quoted piece above he is taking some flak in the comments section (although many must be wums, some comments are just so stupid in every article on the OS). This one stood out for me ""WE THE FANS ARE GETTING ANGRY OVER THE TEAMS AND COACH PERFORMANCES; SOME PLAYERS LIKE G.JOHNSON SHOULD BE PLAYING GUITAR INSTEAD OF FOOTBALL, SO ALSO IS MORENO SINCE HE JOINED LFC- MANY MISTAKES.COACH CAN`T CHANGE FORMATION TO FRUSTRATE THE OPPONENT FOR ONES. MAKES ALL OUR OPPONENT LOOK SUPER STARS. SACK BR NOW. HE KNOWS NOTHING IN FOOTBALL." " Playing guitar?? WTF
Yep, don't agree with using him if he's not 100% fit. I know it sounds a little defeatist but I rather him back for the games we should be winning.
not worth the risk. home game i can sort of see, but one of the hardest away games to go to?, i think and hoping its just team building bollocks, ie keep him in and around the team even if not playing.
Screw the Champions League. Chalk the Madrid game up as a loss. We've got to do well in the league and we have a chance at silverware in League Cup. Got to keep our place in top 4 this season or it may be a long time before we're back. Top 4 again and we'll stay attractive to talent. Don't risk Studge unless he's 100% fit. Unless it's just for 10 mins at the end to try and get match preparedness back ahead of the next league game.
Any fear rodgers massive ego will have him start sturridge against madrid? Would be incredibly naive and stupid of him.
Only this morning on TS they were saying that he'd be out until late November or early December, and that was from Mickey Quinn who interviewed Sturridge himself only last Thursday? Seems odd, unless he's just going along for the ride.
i heard december at the earliest some time yesterday, now you have reminded me of that, does seem odd must be team building bollocks.
That's a lot longer than BR originally mentioned. Was suppoed so be 2-4 weeks (17th October injury), and more recently BR has said it would be "unlikely" he would feature in the RM or Chelsea game
Not every day you get the chance to go to watch your side play Real Madrid, you'd be bothered if an injured player wasn't arsed!
Yeah, I'd be more concerned if he didn't want to go. Just hope that he isn't thinking of playing him!
Was about to say the same thing. Would rather he didn't travel and we rested sterling Henderson Coutinho for this game. We have a small chance of drawing with our best 11 so sacrifice the game for the weekend which is far more important.
nope. 17 Oct was the new injury http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...ews/daniel-sturridge-suffers-new-calf-7956205