That’s saying I have got to do a job for the team.
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Daniel Sturridge clarified his dissent on being played in wide positions by his manager Jurgen Klopp during Liverpool’s opening set of season fixtures.
“Burnley and Burton weren’t games where I needed an offensive winger”. Of course he can play there, but in the decisive moments, he needs to be involved in all the finishing situations. The way you move, the way you play – it is all different.
“There is absolutely no problem”, Klopp told reporters on Thursday when asked about the forward’s apparent complaint.
Speaking after the win at Burton, Sturridge told The Guardian: “Of course it is more hard for me to play wide”.
Sturridge’s admission that he was “not happy” at being deployed as a wide attacker against Burnley and Burton Albion did not prompt censure from his manager but Klopp maintains that all of his players need to be able to play “flexible football” regardless of their starting position. Like I said, we still have to work on a lot of things. That’s flexible football, but you need to find a formation for players to start in.
“When he’s not involved anymore in defending, you need a smart striker that takes the centre-back out of the protection position for the opposition into a place where he doesn’t feel comfortable. I know him and when we have talks there is no issue”, Klopp said.
“Ask all my offensive midfielders what’s your favourite position and they’d say a “10”, but no one knows what a 10 is”.
With regard to potential outgoings before the summer transfer window closes next week, the manager also revealed that he now has no plans in the event that the likes of Lazar Markovic and Mario Balotelli do not depart Anfield.
The club have been trying to offload the pair but with less than a week remaining of the transfer window options are becoming limited. “You have to make decisions about the squad and of course until 31 August everything is possible”.
“Building an ideal squad is where everyone has the perspective to play”.
“We don’t have 60-something games and to have a good atmosphere all players need to see their perspective and that is what we are working for”. That’s not saying I am happy to do it.
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