This. I just think it can't just be completely dismissed - football is a funny game and you get flavour of the month type players. If we had bought him from a club like sociedad and he was Fernando Sturridge there would be so much more hype around him with his record for us.
No one is dismissing it, however it does appear that you're dismissing everything but goals in your judgement of Studge Edit: not saying this is the case for you but I'm sure some would be biased due to their dislike for Torres after the way he left
I do think he is a top player, he is excellent in possession, has great hold up play, makes the right runs, blistering pace and scores for fun - I love the bloke I know he isn't as good as Torres was when he was on top but I don't see why he couldn't get there
Exactly, just proves my point. 3 goals in those games in theory proved far more valuable than when he scored 2 against Everton and 1 against Arsenal in the 4-0 and 5-1 wins. You can't say just because someone got to more goals quicker than someone else it makes them better as goals earn you different points. Don't get me wrong, I think if Sturridge continues scoring at the rate he is, continues to become a better team player and helps win us silverware and then does it in the CL, then I will happily revise my opinion. But at the moment, I'd take a Torres of 07-09 ahead of probably anyone else (bar Ronaldo/Messi)
This^ I believe that good start was the foundation of our season. To have those points so early gave us confidence, and we've hardly looked back. I said at the beginning I thought the old Torres was better, but I don't think there's anything like the gulf that some have since made out.
Daniel's still young. When he's had the same experience Torres had then maybe he'll be at the same level. At he moment he's playing great and I don't want to over analyse it, tbh. The lad's a great talent and if he continues to improve he could become scarily good.
I'm torn. If we're talking about goal scorers then yes, I'd take Torres. We all agree that Torres was a better striker and finisher than Suarez will ever be. However Suarez will create a hell of a lot more etc. That's why it's so hard to compare them. Sturridge is more similar to Torres than Suarz is which is why I think this is a good debate
There isn't a massive gulf but I do think it depends on what you consider to be key qualities. TBF, my main issue with Studge is the greediness but Torres had the same mindset as do most strikers. Sturridge is the only one I know of that hogs the ball in his own half
Yeah, I think we've had this discussion before. If you're picking one to play alongside Sturridge then its Suarez every time. Instead of Sturridge would be Torres.
Torres was 23 when he joined us and had his 2 best seasons. Sturridge is 24 so was 23 when he joined us as well. Torres has no Prem experience and became most prolific goal scorer in a debut season for a foreigner since RVN. Sturridge had a few years as a bit part player at City then Bolton then Chelsea.
Torres was just as greedy, imo, but then he was up there on his own all the time and had no ****er to pass to anyway. Sturridge's greediness is highlighted because he often has several options open to him and usually goes for glory himself. But at the rate he's scoring, who can blame him?
I didn't want us to sign Sturridge (but glad we did) because of his greediness so I think it was very much evident before he joined us. Edit: Torres was never greedy in a impossible position, he held the ball and look for a pass, if nothing was on then he'd try to create something much like Suarez does. Sturridge will shoot from anywhere regardless of who is near or where he is.
He'd had plenty of experience at Atletico though. He was their captain at 19 and had much more first team experience, and a bigger reputation, by the time he came to us than Sturridge has. I'm not trying to belittle Torres' quality in those first 2 years, just putting it in perspective.
Can you not want us to sign a few more players that we get in the summer please I suspect you wanted us to sign Aspas!!
