Interesting theory but the reality is that last season Sturridge was scoring 0.71 goals/app with Suarez and 0.8 goals/app without Suarez
So Suarez can raise the team's performance from off the pitch so long as it's only for 6 games or so?
2011/12 wasn't a bad year either. As for him harnessing the power of Suarez, of course he did, but he also scored in the 5 opening games of the season when Suarez was banned, three of which were 1-0 wins. He, arguably, was responsible for kicking off the season the way it carried on.
No......Sturridge can play football too. I am not saying he is a brainless zombie unless Suarez is pulling his strings, but he scored a decent amount of goals in a handful of games once, without Suarez......since then...his record without Suarez has not been good. I am fully willing to accept his injuries will have played a part and am not writing him off, just saying that he has more to prove for me personally before I can count him amongst the best. Hopefully he stays injury free next season and we can get a better idea.
Suarez wasn't great for us when he signed. Loads of ability but he could be isolated and frustrated. The key is the Sturridge-Suarez-Countiho triangle which gave opponents too much to worry about. Sterling also came in and benefitted from and added to this effect.
Perhaps I should have said, AS GOOD. Its not been AS GOOD, as before. With Suarez at Liverpool 43 games 31 goals Since Suarez left 12 games 4 goals Like I said, I am not writing him off, just think he has to prove that he can continue the good form Sans Suarez.
He only has a one in three record due to missing most of the season EDIT: since Suarez left #madeofglass
Odd as it may sound, it has actually, 1 in 3 is pretty good return I'd say. Bearing in mind he hasn't really had a decent enough run for you to even make that statement!
Least you're willing to admit he's been hampered by injury and his record would be much better had he been able to stay fit
That you seem obsessed with. Not quite as obsessed as you are with our other strikers, particularly Borini, but obsessed all the same
2 of Sturridge's goals this season were winners compared to Lukaku's 1. The bottom line is, as fans are we happy with our man? Nobody in their right mind would be happy with the amount of injuries Sturridge has had and if he had them before he came to us, it would have placed a huge question mark over his signing but injuries aside, I'm more than happy with Sturridge, Can Everton fans say the same about Lukaku? If Liverpool fans are defined by their sense of entitlement and expectancy, Everton fans are defined by their acceptance and defence of mediocrity.