Liverpool FC News: Reds Striker Reveals Why He Didn't Blossom at Chelsea

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge endured a tough time in his stint at Premier League rivals Chelsea, finding himself underappreciated for the majority of his three-and-a-half year tenure at Stamford Bridge.

"When I was at Chelsea I wasn't myself," Sturridge told The Anfield Wrap.

"I wasn't me as a person in terms of how open I am - I was in my shell a lot. It's hard to explain, but I was never myself in interviews. I always felt like I wasn't relaxed there - I always felt that I couldn't be myself and was always on edge."

The 24-year-old took the chance to move away from west London when he had the chance in January 2013. This time, he made sure that no stone will be left unturned as far as his personality is concerned.

"When I came here I made the point to myself, 'You know what, Daniel, just be yourself' and if people take it well, then good," he intimated.

"In interviews when I'm bantering - that's just me, I like to laugh and joke, I don't like to be serious."

Deploying him in unfamiliar territories did not help in realizing his true potential at Chelsea, and revealed that playing upfront is where he is most deadly because the game comes to him naturally.

"I was often asked to play in a different position and to do a job for the team but having been a striker and then being asked to just flick a switch and play on the wing was always going to be difficult because mentally you're going to play the way you always have and I play on instinct," he disclosed.

"It's about that split second when you have to decide whether you do this or do that whereas now I'm just playing on instinct."

"I'm just doing the natural thing, playing my natural game and doing things off the cuff."

Sturridge has proven that he has what it takes to be a world-class attacker at Liverpool, scoring 17 goals in all competition - 14 of which in the highly competitive Premier League.

Chelsea must be scratching their heads for letting go of a player of such quality for a bargain price of £12million.

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