There is often a chasm between reality and what a manager says for the betterment of his team.
Alex Ferguson is a good example, with his praise of Phil Jones more than raising a few eyebrows. Most can see the talent and potential in the young defender, but to label him as potentially Manchester United’s greatest ever player is a stretch too far.
The thing is, though, you can understand what Ferguson’s intentions were. He raised the bar and set a goal, beyond others, for Jones, as well as adding the confidence that is absolutely vital for a young player.
Brendan Rodgers is no different. He too may have parted with words that would have left many scratching their heads, and how far can even he believe the idea that Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez, after two games played this season, are the most lethal strike partnership in the Premier League?
I don’t blame him, but I far from agree with him. Both Manchester clubs have a far more potent strike force when everyone is on form, and of course each have players who, combined, have done far more for the clubs in their careers than Liverpool’s duo. Maybe that doesn’t matter to some, but it really should.
Edin Dzeko may walk the line between very good and world class – and there is certainly a debate – but the Bosnian striker has won a German club the Bundesliga title, beating off the far stronger powers in the league at the time. Adding him to a forward line that already includes Sergio Aguero and is supplemented by Alvaro Negredo makes for one of, if not the most impressive in the league, and certainly part of the reason why City are among the favourites to win the Premier League this season.
Liverpool’s forward line have pace, trickery and goals – the need for power in a Premier League attack is diminishing as more and more foreign players with varied ideals join English football. But there are obvious flaws to Rodgers’ praise of his attackers. For one, Sunderland are bottom of the league, and while the best clubs need to take maximum points from those who are deemed mid-table and below, it’s not too groundbreaking to take three points from the Stadium of Light at this time.
The other point, of course, is that Sturridge, unlike Suarez, is not yet the finished article. Maybe that points to how good he could be in the future; maybe it doesn’t. There is a good chance that Sturridge has reached his peak, and while he may be scoring freely at the moment, it’s more than likely that he’ll come across a scoring drought that prevents him from ever breaking the barrier into world-class status. It’s a debate, but the point is we just don’t know, so to say categorically that Liverpool’s forward line could be the best in the league is wide of the mark. The strikers at Manchester City and Manchester United are far more proven than those at Anfield.
But ultimately, Rodgers’ message wasn’t for the media or the fans, despite the fact that his words will be scrutinised and debated for much of the season. Instead, the Liverpool manager was lighting a fire of belief beneath his two forwards, urging and placing responsibility between them to take the club onto the next level.
We don’t have to believe it, but it’s important that Rodgers’ players do.
Can Suarez and Sturridge be the best strike partnership in the Premier League?
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