Liverpool Transfer Rumors: Signing Daniel Sturridge Won't Solve Reds' Problems

Liverpool is expected to finally sign Daniel Sturridge after the two parties have been linked for a number of months. BBC Sport reports that Liverpool and Chelsea have a deal in place that would send Sturridge to Anfield for a transfer fee of £12m.

Signing Sturridge would appear to be a nice addition for the Reds and manager Brendan Rodgers, but the move won't solve the club's goal-scoring problems.

They currently sit 12th in the Premier League table having scored just 23 goals in 17 matches played. They are 10th in goals scored, which certainly isn't good enough for a club who expects to be near the top of the table. 

Sturridge hasn't been in the lineup recently for Chelsea with a hamstring injury, but even before that, wasn't seeing much action under Roberto Di Matteo. The former Manchester City man has scored two goals in his limited action. 

A move away from Chelsea would surely be for the purpose of ensuring more games for the England international, but it's unclear how much time he would see for Liverpool. Luiz Suarez has been the man up front, playing 1,437 minutes over 16 games for an average of 89.8 minutes per game. 

While Sturridge would add some firepower in attack, he's rarely been relied on to be a consistent scorer. His limited amount of playing time has caused Sturridge to push too hard at times, looking to force opportunities rather than letting opportunities come. 

Liverpool have been pretty average defensively, giving up 23 goals, which ranks ninth for least allowed in the Premier League. One of the knocks on Sturridge is his unwillingness to track back and help out on defense. He's shown that he's more interested in staying forward and making runs than getting back defensively.

Liverpool could use Sturridge in some ways, but their real problems are in their lack of playmaking ability and spirit. Rodgers has criticized his squad at various times this season, calling for more commitment to the club.

Sturridge hasn't shown he has that type of commitment. There have been too many instances where Sturridge has not acted like a team player. In his appearances for Chelsea this season, Sturridge relieved Fernando Torres as a sub and looked like he forgot he had 10 teammates on the pitch. Too often he got the ball, failed to locate his teammates and just fired away at goal, regardless of the shot's difficulty or who else may have been open. 

Other times, he has sulked when opportunities have not come his way. When on the pitch, for example, he has failed to celebrate his teammates' goals with the rest of the squad. 

That's not exactly the club-first mentality that Rodgers is trying to instill while turning things around at Anfield. If a move is made, Sturridge would need to mature quickly to ensure that he will fit in with the club's culture. Perhaps a change of scenery is exactly what Sturridge needs. 

Regardless of his maturation, Sturridge is not a strong enough player to solve the Reds' problems. They need more playmakers, and that is not exactly what Sturridge offers.

He will help them get a few more goals, but he's not the type of player that will drastically change matches or results for the club.