The Curious Case of Raheem Sterling

[Mase]

So I guess he’ll be gone in the summer, but what has happened to him?

He was brilliant in our Centurions season and saved us with a few last minute goals. 18/19 he was class again and helped us beat Liverpool to the title on the last day.

Is it that he’s now played on the left instead of right?
Is it because Arteta has left and he did a lot of psychological work with Raza?
Is it because he doesn’t have a proper striker in the middle that he can use?
He just wants a change?

All of the above?

He looks a complete shell of his former self. Most of our attacks stop with him because he gives the ball away constantly. Compare that with when he plays for England and it’s completely the opposite. Maybe Southgate can spend more 1-2-1 time with him and Pep doesn’t have that luxury?

I’ll be sad to see him go as I really liked him when we signed him and I think if we look at the bigger picture he’s been good for us. But I definitely think his time is up and it will be good for both parties to move on and hopefully he can find some form again playing abroad.

[london blue 2]

I’m done with watching him like a deer in the headlights. His lack of bottle on the big stage is too much for me any longer.

[salford city]

I’m done with watching him like a deer in the headlights. His lack of bottle on the big stage is too much for me any longer.

I think Pep feels the same hence why he does not start the really big games. I suspect he knows this but thinks himself too good to be a bit-part player. News for you mate, you don't have the bottle. You werent alone yesterday, but I won't be sorry to see you go. Get Palmer fit and we also have McAtee to come through

[s1ty m]

His first touch speaks volumes about his basic skills. Very poor for an international footballer.

[sheblue]

Once very good, sadly the past is gone. Now the honest assessment is that he is a passenger
And this team should have no room for passengers.
He should not be constantly picked in important games.
And it's time for him to move on.

[Mase]

But he is good for England still. So why is that? Lower class players around him for England making him look better? A proper striker for him to work off? There must be a reason.

[zuricity]

^^^^^

you can't compare the standard of international football to the level in the PL.

[sheblue]

But he is good for England still. So why is that? Lower class players around him for England making him look better? A proper striker for him to work off? There must be a reason.

Some players do very well at international level and play poorly for their clubs, and vice versa.
Different team, management, style, set up, opposition, philosophy, dynamics etc. There is a lot that's different. It can't really be compared.
Maybe the England way of playing just suits him more.

[Hazy2]

But he is good for England still. So why is that? Lower class players around him for England making him look better? A proper striker for him to work off? There must be a reason.

Not AAA and for me plays like an academy player still, nothing natural about him still which pisses me off.

[zuricity]

he scored a great goal the other week , but it seems like one in ten, whereas with Kun it seemed like nine in ten.

[Mase]

^^^^^

you can't compare the standard of international football to the level in the PL.

True. Standard of opposition might help at international level.

[carl_feedthegoat]

^^^^^

you can't compare the standard of international football to the level in the PL.

True. Standard of opposition might help at international level.

England play teams like San Marino , impossible not to shine against some of the dross England play against .

If we do not sell him this summer it will be a travesty .

[brite blu sky]

Glad you started this thread Mase - was thinking the same.

The club have to bite the bullet and move him on. - That Argentinian kid can replace the threat value that roughly represents what Sterling is.

two things
1. Sterling was only ever capable of one thing - running fast at defenders and when on form getting past them. That is a real asset, no doubt about it.
2. He got away with it while not asked to do much more. But as he has been asked to pad out his role in the Pep system his shortcomings have surfaced in all too obvious fashion. They now outweigh the threat value.

Shortcomings
Can't receive the ball properly - often not ready, as in on the back foot or even surprised ffs.
First touch - no comment req.
Can't for the life of him make a first time pass on to even an obvious player near him. - As a lynchpin in the fwd mid position in attacks this is a critical failing as he stops the flow constantly and wastes golden opportunities to catch oppo on the back foot.
Seems to be unaware of his team mates around him half the time.
Constantly stops and again loses us momentum.
50% at least of through passes or attempted assists are way off the mark.
Poor decision making in general.
Can't take a 1 on 1 to save his career.

For me these are all based in a mental issue that he is thinking of something else and not what he needs to be thinking of. There is nothing wrong with his feet, but also he isn't going to correct these things and as we have all seen he becomes more of a liability than an asset in this team.

[Mase]

Glad you started this thread Mase - was thinking the same.

The club have to bite the bullet and move him on. - That Argentinian kid can replace the threat value that roughly represents what Sterling is.

two things
1. Sterling was only ever capable of one thing - running fast at defenders and when on form getting past them. That is a real asset, no doubt about it.
2. He got away with it while not asked to do much more. But as he has been asked to pad out his role in the Pep system his shortcomings have surfaced in all too obvious fashion. They now outweigh the threat value.

Shortcomings
Can't receive the ball properly - often not ready, as in on the back foot or even surprised ffs.
First touch - no comment req.
Can't for the life of him make a first time pass on to even an obvious player near him. - As a lynchpin in the fwd mid position in attacks this is a critical failing as he stops the flow constantly and wastes golden opportunities to catch oppo on the back foot.
Seems to be unaware of his team mates around him half the time.
Constantly stops and again loses us momentum.
50% at least of through passes or attempted assists are way off the mark.
Poor decision making in general.
Can't take a 1 on 1 to save his career.

For me these are all based in a mental issue that he is thinking of something else and not what he needs to be thinking of. There is nothing wrong with his feet, but also he isn't going to correct these things and as we have all seen he becomes more of a liability than an asset in this team.

The running fast at defenders is a good point. In our centurion season we pelted teams - Sanè one side and Sterling on the other both running at teams 100 miles an hour. Pep seemed to change the way we played after that.

[PeterParker]

He is going to stay, 100%.

I think we need to accept he is bang average, even with his record.
He is going into his 7th year here and he failed to score vs the rags and step up in key critical games.

I think we've lost a European final because of him and the benefits from the favoritism Pep shows towards him.

And I also think his decline was caused because he was played wrong on the left side.

[brite blu sky]

Glad you started this thread Mase - was thinking the same.

The club have to bite the bullet and move him on. - That Argentinian kid can replace the threat value that roughly represents what Sterling is.

two things
1. Sterling was only ever capable of one thing - running fast at defenders and when on form getting past them. That is a real asset, no doubt about it.
2. He got away with it while not asked to do much more. But as he has been asked to pad out his role in the Pep system his shortcomings have surfaced in all too obvious fashion. They now outweigh the threat value.

Shortcomings
Can't receive the ball properly - often not ready, as in on the back foot or even surprised ffs.
First touch - no comment req.
Can't for the life of him make a first time pass on to even an obvious player near him. - As a lynchpin in the fwd mid position in attacks this is a critical failing as he stops the flow constantly and wastes golden opportunities to catch oppo on the back foot.
Seems to be unaware of his team mates around him half the time.
Constantly stops and again loses us momentum.
50% at least of through passes or attempted assists are way off the mark.
Poor decision making in general.
Can't take a 1 on 1 to save his career.

For me these are all based in a mental issue that he is thinking of something else and not what he needs to be thinking of. There is nothing wrong with his feet, but also he isn't going to correct these things and as we have all seen he becomes more of a liability than an asset in this team.

The running fast at defenders is a good point. In our centurion season we pelted teams - Sanè one side and Sterling on the other both running at teams 100 miles an hour. Pep seemed to change the way we played after that.

Well that gets into a different debate - Pep chasing some kind of perfection over risk taking.
Sane was also a threat but didn't get played enough ( cos he lost the ball too much? ) and so made the excuse to go back home.
Pep wants the threat but not the getting turned over. Fine line and not obviously compatable in a single player.

[PeterParker]

Glad you started this thread Mase - was thinking the same.

The club have to bite the bullet and move him on. - That Argentinian kid can replace the threat value that roughly represents what Sterling is.

two things
1. Sterling was only ever capable of one thing - running fast at defenders and when on form getting past them. That is a real asset, no doubt about it.
2. He got away with it while not asked to do much more. But as he has been asked to pad out his role in the Pep system his shortcomings have surfaced in all too obvious fashion. They now outweigh the threat value.

Shortcomings
Can't receive the ball properly - often not ready, as in on the back foot or even surprised ffs.
First touch - no comment req.
Can't for the life of him make a first time pass on to even an obvious player near him. - As a lynchpin in the fwd mid position in attacks this is a critical failing as he stops the flow constantly and wastes golden opportunities to catch oppo on the back foot.
Seems to be unaware of his team mates around him half the time.
Constantly stops and again loses us momentum.
50% at least of through passes or attempted assists are way off the mark.
Poor decision making in general.
Can't take a 1 on 1 to save his career.

For me these are all based in a mental issue that he is thinking of something else and not what he needs to be thinking of. There is nothing wrong with his feet, but also he isn't going to correct these things and as we have all seen he becomes more of a liability than an asset in this team.

The running fast at defenders is a good point. In our centurion season we pelted teams - Sanè one side and Sterling on the other both running at teams 100 miles an hour. Pep seemed to change the way we played after that.

Sane was also a threat but didn't get played enough ( cos he lost the ball too much? ) and so made the excuse to go back home.

Not saying this is true, but this week I was looking at the pre-match vs Madrid on the local broadcaster and the moderator said that he went to Manchester for the Leicester game, 2019, in the business lounge and he was talking with people close to the club, or who are working here (he did not give names), but he said that they spoke about Sane and everyone knew he was going because "Pep did not like him".

The journo is in a small list of romanian sports people that I think are decent so I don't think he was lying.
Make what you want of it, but for me it changed a bit how Sane left.

[brite blu sky]

Not saying this is true, but this week I was looking at the pre-match vs Madrid on the local broadcaster and the moderator said that he went to Manchester for the Leicester game, 2019, in the business lounge and he was talking with people close to the club, or who are working here (he did not give names), but he said that they spoke about Sane and everyone knew he was going because "Pep did not like him".

The journo is in a small list of romanian sports people that I think are decent so I don't think he was lying.
Make what you want of it, but for me it changed a bit how Sane left.

That would figure for me. Why would Pep not like him ? If he delivered as player and did what he was asked then any manager would learn to live with the personality of the player, im pretty sure of that.
He probs didn't like him because he refused to learn what Pep wanted and was petulant in response. Pep probably wrote him off, as attitude stops everything else.

[brite blu sky]

Not saying this is true, but this week I was looking at the pre-match vs Madrid on the local broadcaster and the moderator said that he went to Manchester for the Leicester game, 2019, in the business lounge and he was talking with people close to the club, or who are working here (he did not give names), but he said that they spoke about Sane and everyone knew he was going because "Pep did not like him".

The journo is in a small list of romanian sports people that I think are decent so I don't think he was lying.
Make what you want of it, but for me it changed a bit how Sane left.

That would figure for me. Why would Pep not like him ? If he delivered as player and did what he was asked then any manager would learn to live with the personality of the player, im pretty sure of that.
He probs didn't like him because he refused to learn what Pep wanted and was petulant in response. Pep probably wrote him off, as attitude stops everything else.

In contrast Sterling probably has the right attitude completely for Pep - just can't actually turn that into practical improvement.

[PeterParker]

Not saying this is true, but this week I was looking at the pre-match vs Madrid on the local broadcaster and the moderator said that he went to Manchester for the Leicester game, 2019, in the business lounge and he was talking with people close to the club, or who are working here (he did not give names), but he said that they spoke about Sane and everyone knew he was going because "Pep did not like him".

The journo is in a small list of romanian sports people that I think are decent so I don't think he was lying.
Make what you want of it, but for me it changed a bit how Sane left.

That would figure for me. Why would Pep not like him ? If he delivered as player and did what he was asked then any manager would learn to live with the personality of the player, im pretty sure of that.
He probs didn't like him because he refused to learn what Pep wanted and was petulant in response. Pep probably wrote him off, as attitude stops everything else.

In contrast Sterling probably has the right attitude completely for Pep - just can't actually turn that into practical improvement.

Sane was a lazy cunt, he still is to be honest.
But maybe he wanted to stay, they didn't actually turn him. Who knows?

At the moment it doesn't matter anymore. He did not progress at all, but still there are moments when he can produce something in a big game, out of nothing. Can't see the same from Sterling.