Gaël Kakuta

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Look at Sturridge goals to games record and come back to me with the pointless sarcasm.

Only thing that can stop Sturridge from reaching his potential are injuries.

Sturridge is an average player.

If you want world-class, look at Van Persie.

[Jase 43,479]

Funny to see so many want Marin out and don't want to give him a chance but then want Kakuta to be given that privelege when their situation is almost identical at the club.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Sturridge is an average player.

If you want world-class, look at Van Persie.

To be fair, RVP didn't begin to get "world class" status until he was 27/28. Sturridge is still 23 and has the potential to be world-class.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Sturridge is going to be a very, very good player. It'll be interesting to see how he develops, just needs a bit maturity in his game.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

To be fair, RVP didn't begin to get "world class" status until he was 27/28. Sturridge is still 23 and has the potential to be world-class.

I disagree, but that's your opinion and I respect it!

When I look at Sturridge, I fail to see anything special. He has his positives but he is lazy and egotistical, and that will prevent him from becoming world class. Give me a work-horse like Shane Long over him any day - I think there is a reason the club let him go, and that's because the manager at the time didn't think much of Sturridge.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I disagree, but that's your opinion and I respect it!

When I look at Sturridge, I fail to see anything special. He has his positives but he is lazy and egotistical, and that will prevent him from becoming world class. Give me a work-horse like Shane Long over him any day - I think there is a reason the club let him go, and that's because the manager at the time didn't think much of Sturridge.

So? He went from being a bit part player at Chelsea (despite being one of our best players for half a season out of position in 2011/12 but people won't remember that) to being one of Liverpool's key players. To say he's average just sounds bitter to me, and to say that he's lazy and egotistical (don't know why people keep banging on about this) will prevent him from being world class is far fetched (he certainly works hard, to say he's lazy is just blind hate) - Ibrahimovic is perceived egotistical and lazy - doesn't mean he's not world class.

I'm not saying Sturridge will definitely be a world class striker but to say he doesn't have the potential to be there; you look at his attributes - he's tall, great speed, great feet, good technical ability, flair, an eye for goal - to say he's average is bewildering. Average players don't do what he's done in his so far short professional career. He's going to turn even more heads next season should he stay injury free, I firmly believe that.

[5354 204]

Sturridge bailed us out so many times under AVB's season. Common people, did you forget that?!

[The only place to be 11,313]

Sturridge bailed us out so many times under AVB's season. Common people, did you forget that?!

So why didn't AVB try and sign him? Why was the only offer on the table from a mid-table side like Liverpool?

[The Skipper 20,593]

Why was the only offer on the table from a mid-table side like Liverpool?

Mid table is harsh on Liverpool. He went there because they were one of the few decent clubs aspiring to challenge for Europe that would allow him to develop as a striker, and alas, he's hit the ground running there and is already a key player.

[The Skipper 20,593]

The difference between Danny and Gael is that one has the drive to be a top player whilst it looks like the other just doesn't.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I disagree, but that's your opinion and I respect it!

When I look at Sturridge, I fail to see anything special. He has his positives but he is lazy and egotistical, and that will prevent him from becoming world class. Give me a work-horse like Shane Long over him any day - I think there is a reason the club let him go, and that's because the manager at the time didn't think much of Sturridge.

Lazy? I think that's a bit harsh on him. A lot gets said about Sturridge, because he has been vocal about his position preference (down the middle) and so people are under the impression he doesn't give as much effort when he's on the flanks. But I didn't see a lazy player. I saw someone who was frustrated by tried to let his football do the talking. He was at fault for trying to go for glory most of the time, however, he was too persistent with cutting inside and going for the shot. But you see the effect he's had at Liverpool playing where he wants to be played. He's not just a poacher, he's also someone you can use as a target man and bring others into the game. He's had a fantastic work-ethic when playing with Suarez, the two just compliment each other.

As for Kakuta, in relation to Sturridge, it'll be hard to judge his path till we've actually seen more of him. From what's been said about him at Vitesse, he's actually taken himself down a notch and focused on letting football do the talking. Everyone knows the ability, skill and potential he has. The think about potential is when a player knows his potential, he can either let himself fall on that and just dilly-dally along or he can try to live up to that potential too early - Which I think Kakuta attempted. I think he let himself get carried away trying to be that player, but it was simply too early.

[5354 204]

So why didn't AVB try and sign him? Why was the only offer on the table from a mid-table side like Liverpool?

will chelsea even sell to a local rival club? i doubt so.

whats more Spurs had defoe and adebayor. they weren't looking for a striker in sturridge's mould.

[Term-X 7,891]

Kakuta's contract runs out in 2015, how mad is that..

Hopefully tying 'raw talent' to mega long term deals will be a thing of the past now.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Lazy? I think that's a bit harsh on him. A lot gets said about Sturridge, because he has been vocal about his position preference (down the middle) and so people are under the impression he doesn't give as much effort when he's on the flanks. But I didn't see a lazy player. I saw someone who was frustrated by tried to let his football do the talking. He was at fault for trying to go for glory most of the time, however, he was too persistent with cutting inside and going for the shot. But you see the effect he's had at Liverpool playing where he wants to be played. He's not just a poacher, he's also someone you can use as a target man and bring others into the game. He's had a fantastic work-ethic when playing with Suarez, the two just compliment each other.

As for Kakuta, in relation to Sturridge, it'll be hard to judge his path till we've actually seen more of him. From what's been said about him at Vitesse, he's actually taken himself down a notch and focused on letting football do the talking. Everyone knows the ability, skill and potential he has. The think about potential is when a player knows his potential, he can either let himself fall on that and just dilly-dally along or he can try to live up to that potential too early - Which I think Kakuta attempted. I think he let himself get carried away trying to be that player, but it was simply too early.

Very fair, once again. My concern with Sturridge is his rapid disillusionment. Okay, yes he's a bit of a cunt, but Gallas played at left-back without objection. Essien never complained about playing right-back, centre-back, centre-mid. Sturridge always wanted to be our centre-forward, but when he was on the pitch he tried almost too hard, often over-looking the simple things. Let us not forget that last season, with Drogba, Anelka and Kalou all having left and Lukaku on his way to West Brom, it meant we only had Torres and Sturridge as our options for the centre forward position. It just so happens both di Matteo and Benitez favoured Fernando - and when you think how mediocre his season was, that, for me, says quite a bit about Sturridge's temperament.

I think he has the chance to prove people wrong by playing regularly at Liverpool, but I don't think he's suddenly going to turn into the next Thierry Henry. I believe we let him go because we felt we had other options who were far more effective than he was for us, hence why we allowed him to leave. Sturridge has made an excellent move for his career as Liverpool are currently at "his level" - if he'd have gone to a team like Arsenal, United or City, I don't think he'd be in their team. That, to me, suggests he isn't quite top four material, hence our allowing him to leave.

He has a far, far wiser head on his shoulders than Kakuta though. Kakuta has all the ability but none of the temperament. Which is a shame, considering what we risked to sign him. He's wasted here and he needs to return to France and rebuild his career, from the bottom up. I don't think he'll do any better than play for a top-eight side in France such as Lille or St. Etienne.

[Badboy 1,526]

I think Lukaku is already a better player then Sturridge and he's a lot more rounded and he'll prove to be the better player in future. As for Kakuta.... the biggest waste of talent in Chelsea's modern era what a waste !

[didierforever 7,349]

So why didn't AVB try and sign him? Why was the only offer on the table from a mid-table side like Liverpool?

defoe, adebayor and dempsey. plus at the start of the last season with only torres and sturridge as our striker options, AVB would have had to pay double of danny's worth.

[The only place to be 11,313]

defoe, adebayor and dempsey. plus at the start of the last season with only torres and sturridge as our striker options, AVB would have had to pay double of danny's worth.

Spurs fans were clamouring for a striker - are you saying that Sturridge (who apparently is going to be one of the Premier League greats and whom AVB watched in training every day for about 8 months) wasn't a target for them because they had Defoe and Adebayor?

I don't buy it. I think he's a decent player but he's become overrated on here because people either have an agenda against our board and want to use this as a stick to beat them with, or simply because he's moved on and the grass is a little greener.

[didierforever 7,349]

Spurs fans were clamouring for a striker - are you saying that Sturridge (who apparently is going to be one of the Premier League greats and whom AVB watched in training every day for about 8 months) wasn't a target for them because they had Defoe and Adebayor?

I don't buy it. I think he's a decent player but he's become overrated on here because people either have an agenda against our board and want to use this as a stick to beat them with, or simply because he's moved on and the grass is a little greener.

i do think that defoe and adebayor plus dempsey in the spurs squad would have been a part of the reason but the major part would have been AVB and SPURS. those 2 names would have stopped us from selling our own turds to them.

i mean come to think of it, our last manager who got fired and goes to one of our main derby rivals who had pulled a bloody scam on us by not selling modric for 40mil but sold him to RM for 30 mil, if they would have gone for sturridge who was our only back up striker at the start of the last season, do u think we would have been reasonable in our demands?? i seriously doubt that sturridge was a realistic option at that PARTICULAR point of time for spurs.

as for sturridge being OVER-RATED, no way. i mean half the people here are still happy that he left us while the other half just think he had deserved a real chance last season especially considering the fact that torres was absolute shit.