Liverpool's 5-man January attack: Torres, Ba, Walcott, Fellaini, Sturridge?

The die is cast. At least as far as buying a player in January. Brendan Rodgers faces a tough choice,  Which player will Rodgers buy for Liverpool in January?

It will probably be the difference between Rodgers staying and continuing his revolution or leaving Liverpool in a worse place than where they were when he came. If that is possible.

This is the short-list then: 

Daniel Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge of Great Britain looks dejected after his kick was saved in the penalty shoot out during the Men's Football quarter-final against South Korea on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Millennium Stadium on Saturday in Cardiff, Wales. (GETTY)

Daniel Sturridge is finally on the block. At least according to The Daily Mail .

The fact that the Sturridge saga is reaching its natural conclusion may not raise any eyebrows at Stamford Bridge what will be of concern is where Sturridge goes.

Sturridge comes as a player on a platter for Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool – sorely in need of a second striker.

Sturridge needs first team action for his England career and Liverpool need a striker with action in their first team.

The Mail claims Stamford Bridge chiefs will start the bidding for the forward at £15million in January.

Theo Walcott

Theo Walcott of Arsenal celebrates scoring his side's equalising goal during the Barclays Premier League match against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on March 31, 2012 in London, England. (GETTY)

Instead, Arsene Wenger seems to be happy to let him come off the bench as an impact sub, as he did against West Ham in the 3-1 win.

So, where will Walcott go?

Liverpool are the club most in dire need of a proven goal-scorer.

The over-reliance on Luis Suarez is not only robbing Liverpool of wins in games they dominate, it is, perhaps, driving Suarez to the ground in search of fouls and penalties far more than other strikers.

Raheem Sterling, Samed Yesil, Ousama Assaidi are all part of the future, yes.

Liverpool need a here and now. Fabio Borini is not it. Not yet.

But, Brendan Rodgers is adamant. It’s tiki-taka or nothing.

This is why, Theo Walcott might be the answer to Liverpool’s goal-scoring and second striker problems. 

Demba Ba

Newcastle United's Senegalese forward Demba Ba shoots during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Newcastle United at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north-west England, on September 17, 2012. (AFP)

Demba Ba and Newcastle are on a collision course over payment issues, and Ba, who is currently on fire in the Premier League may be ready to move in January.

The Andy Carroll saga suddenly seems history at Liverpool, though it will take more than one win to get the Kop to believe that letting Carroll go was ok.

Demba Ba could certainly put that memory to rest.

Liverpool have to weigh a £7.5million release fee clause in Ba’s contract against the 17 goals he scored in his first season for Newcastle and the six already in the bag this season.

Or Rodgers could truly deliver the kind of move everyone was expecting on the last day of the transfer season – land both, Ba and Theo. 

Marouanne Fellaini

Marouane Fellaini of Everton holds off a challenge from Craig Gardner of Sunderland during the FA Cup sixth round match at Goodison Park in this March 17, 2012 file photo. (GETTY)

Liverpool still have hopes of swooping on wantaway Everton star Marouane Fellaini.

The Belgium midfielder stunned the Toffees when he was quoted as saying he will quit Goodison Park within a year but since tweeted a denial. 

The Belgium star also took to Facebook in a bid to set the record straight. 

He wrote: “With Everton, I’m ready to play all this season to reach our goals. I am happy in Liverpool.” 

But boss Moyes will want to get to the bottom of it all, having made the 24-year-old the club’s best-paid player on around £75,000 a week after handing him a new deal to 2016, the report added. 

This gives Kop boss Brendan Rodgers hope because he is desperately seeking a replacement for Andy Carroll. 

Especially since, though Fellaini is an attacking midfielder, he is an attacking one who plays just off the striker. 

So he can fill the boots of Carroll. 

Fellaini joined Everton in a £15 million move from Standard Liege in 2008. 

He has scored 22 goals in 130 appearances for the Merseyside club.

His start to this season has been sensational with a killer showing against Manchester United to win Everton's opener. 

Fernando Torres

Chelsea's Fernando Torres celebrates scoring against Aston Villa during their English Premier League match at Villa Park in Birmingham, England in this March 31, 2012 file photo. (REUTERS)

The Liverpool situation is best described by a comment left on this website by a Reds fan: “We are one Torres goal away from a winning streak.”

The wisdom in that quote of course stems from the reality that Liverpool fans have been down the ‘strikers not scoring’ road before - when Fernando Torres wound down his Liverpool stint with a goal-less run.

Only certain factors in other clubs may allow him to really make a big play – bring Fernando Torres back to Anfield. 

Reports that Chelsea are ready to sign Marseille’s Loic Remy will once again out Torres’ spot in the Chelsea ‘dream team’ in danger.

Torres is currently looking like a striker one goal away from a scoring run.

Which means in January, Torres could be ready for a move and to be moved.

Torres is currently showing the work rate and appetite for a Rodgers-type tiki-taka revolution.

He and Suarez upfront could seriously amp Liverpool’s attacking threat to a top four level.

The question is, is Fabio Borini one goal away from saving Liverpool’s season?

If not, Torres could be the comeback king.