Callum Ramsey
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 15 Feb 2016
- Messages
- 405
The very best players have that extra something about them. They can turn matches on its head. They can win you a game out of no where, against the tide of momentum, with a piece of brilliance. Regularly. They pull off moves that leave you stunned and in awe of their skill. They put fear in the opposition, who feel relieved when they're not playing.
As good as Sterling and Bernardo are, how many fans can honestly say they have the above?. It's not a criticism, and it's not a flaw. They just don't have the talent Sane does. Nothing to get angry about or be ashamed of.
Unless you only view a game changer as someone who can bang one into the top corner from outside the box out of nowhere then I honestly don't get the point you're making. What if I told you de bruyne is a game changer because he can play a pass or a cross that opens up a team sitting deep and defending with men behind the ball and completely changes and wins a game. That is equally as much of a game changer as I believe you think sane has which is the ability to score wonder goals out of nothing due to his shooting ability.
That then brings me to sterling and I will only focus on him for now as I don't think a case needs to even be made for bernardo. Yes he might not have the ability to score the type of wonder strikes outside the box that sane can but that doesn't make him any less of a game changer. His Southampton late goal notwithstanding. sterling often changes games through his intelligent movement and awareness of space. It might not be as eye-catching but finding space and openings in those tight games where the team has struggled to create is equally as important as the ability to just hit one in from nowhere. That is what sterling specialises and is arguably better than anyone in the squad at. He's done that regularly in many tight games where the team has struggled and has got the winner often in such games.
That goal above which was the winner in the dying stages of the game is not any less of a game changer than if he had got the ball at the halfway line and dribbled past 6 players to score or curled one into the top corner from outside the box. Yes the return pass was nicely executed but that goal was mainly a result of his awareness of space and intelligent movement. That is just one but there are plenty others like newcastle away last season which also ended up being the winner in a tight game. It's as much a piece of brilliance in play as anything you can think of and sterling has been doing those kind of things consistently for the best part of 2 seasons that have changed and won the team games so this idea that he isn't a game changer is not only silly but has little to no basis. If you think a players ability to score a wonder strike out of nowhere is the reason as to why they are game changers or a judge of their talent then you need to broaden your understanding of the game.
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