#7 | Raheem Sterling - 2020/21 Performances

[mccity]

I never mentioned Jack Harrison, so not sure why you quoted him. Why cannot a more technically gifted player be as prolific individually or making the team more prolific?

To answer the bolded, because to have both Sterling's off the ball movement and pace is an extraordinarily rare combination.

Sterling has sensational movement; I'd rate him as the only player we've had that comes close to what Silva had in that capacity. His timing and ability to be in the right place at the right time is standout. Add in his pace to get to where he needs to be a yard faster than everyone and it adds up. It's like Muller at Bayern Munich.

Unfortunately, you can't coach that movement so easily. Silva had it from a very young age, as did Sterling.

The only way a more technically proficient player could match Sterling's output from the wings in our team without that elite movement is if they have absolutely elite technique. Maybe Foden could get there, but it's been a bridge too far for the likes of Sané, Mahrez, and Bernardo so far.

 

[mosssideblue]

To answer the bolded, because to have both Sterling's off the ball movement and pace is an extraordinarily rare combination.

Sterling has sensational movement; I'd rate him as the only player we've had that comes close to what Silva had in that capacity. His timing and ability to be in the right place at the right time is standout. Add in his pace to get to where he needs to be a yard faster than everyone and it adds up. It's like Muller at Bayern Munich.

Unfortunately, you can't coach that movement so easily. Silva had it from a very young age, as did Sterling.

The only way a more technically proficient player could match Sterling's output from the wings in our team without that elite movement is if they have absolutely elite technique. Maybe Foden could get there, but it's been a bridge too far for the likes of Sané, Mahrez, and Bernardo so far.

Im afraid we will have to agree to disagree.

Sterling was quite raw when he arrived. He had pace but his positional awareness wasn't great. He has been coached extensively since arriving, so I dont buy into it him having it naturally at a young age.

A more rounded (or technically better) player, may or may nor score and assist as many as Sterling has in his pomp, but I genuinely believe the improvement to the team would be evident

 

[domalino]

Im afraid we will have to agree to disagree.

Sterling was quite raw when he arrived. He had pace but his positional awareness wasn't great. He has been coached extensively since arriving, so I dont buy into it him having it naturally at a young age.

A more rounded (or technically better) player, may or may nor score and assist as many as Sterling has in his pomp, but I genuinely believe the improvement to the team would be evident

Sané couldn't, Jesus can't, Bernardo can't, Mahrez can't, Foden can't, KDB can't, Torres can't.

For England Sancho can't, Rashford can't, Greenwood can't, even Kane can't keep up with him since he broke his drought in 2018.

The "anyone can score the goals Sterling scores" is the most tired, boring, disproven argument on the forum.

 

[mosssideblue]

Sané couldn't, Jesus can't, Bernardo can't, Mahrez can't, Foden can't, KDB can't, Torres can't.

For England Sancho can't, Rashford can't, Greenwood can't, even Kane can't keep up with him since he broke his drought in 2018.

The "anyone can score the goals Sterling scores" is the most tired, boring, disproven argument on the forum.

Nice of you to jump in again without reading the post your replying to first, you have a knack of it

 

[mccity]

Im afraid we will have to agree to disagree.

Sterling was quite raw when he arrived. He had pace but his positional awareness wasn't great. He has been coached extensively since arriving, so I dont buy into it him having it naturally at a young age.

A more rounded (or technically better) player, may or may nor score and assist as many as Sterling has in his pomp, but I genuinely believe the improvement to the team would be evident

Sterling has had world class movement since his youth. He caused us all manners of problems in 13/14 for Liverpool because of it. He had top class movement as a kid at QPR.

Pep didn't just look at Sterling and say, 'Hey this kid we'll teach to move, nobody else'. Everyone's been trained, it's just Sterling's always been the best at it.

For the same reason Bernardo Silva won't ever be able to replicate David Silva's movement through coaching, you can't take some skilled winger to replicate Sterling's.

 

[mosssideblue]

Sterling has had world class movement since his youth. He caused us all manners of problems in 13/14 for Liverpool because of it. He had top class movement as a kid at QPR.

Pep didn't just look at Sterling and say, 'Hey this kid we'll teach to move, nobody else'. Everyone's been trained, it's just Sterling's always been the best at it.

For the same reason Bernardo Silva won't ever be able to replicate David Silva's movement through coaching, you can't take some skilled winger to replicate Sterling's.

As I said, we will have to simply agree to disagree

 

[DAGW]

To answer the bolded, because to have both Sterling's off the ball movement and pace is an extraordinarily rare combination.

Sterling has sensational movement; I'd rate him as the only player we've had that comes close to what Silva had in that capacity. His timing and ability to be in the right place at the right time is standout. Add in his pace to get to where he needs to be a yard faster than everyone and it adds up. It's like Muller at Bayern Munich.

Unfortunately, you can't coach that movement so easily. Silva had it from a very young age, as did Sterling.

The only way a more technically proficient player could match Sterling's output from the wings in our team without that elite movement is if they have absolutely elite technique. Maybe Foden could get there, but it's been a bridge too far for the likes of Sané, Mahrez, and Bernardo so far.

Although I’d agree that his movement is extremely good (probably the best facet of his game), I think a huge part of that is Pep’s coaching. For about 3 seasons it seemed like Pep was pulling him aside after every game and explaining where Sterling should be going in any given situation.

He has vital pace but I’d caveat that with “off the ball” - with the ball, his close control isn’t there - he’ll often let an attack down with a heavy touch that allows the opposition to get a block in.

With that in mind, I think a young winger with pace, and better touch, could be moulded by Pep in a similar way - and possibly could offer better production in this set up.

That said, I strongly believe a quality striker coming in would occupy the defence enough to allow Raheem to do the things he excels at - arriving at the right time (without the ball) and getting those tap ins and assists. The pressure off would probably allow him the luxury of not over thinking the things he doesn’t currently do as well.

 

[mccity]

Although I’d agree that his movement is extremely good (probably the best facet of his game), I think a huge part of that is Pep’s coaching. For about 3 seasons it seemed like Pep was pulling him aside after every game and explaining where Sterling should be going in any given situation.

He has vital pace but I’d caveat that with “off the ball” - with the ball, his close control isn’t there - he’ll often let an attack down with a heavy touch that allows the opposition to get a block in.

With that in mind, I think a young winger with pace, and better touch, could be moulded by Pep in a similar way - and possibly could offer better production in this set up. That said, I strongly believe a quality striker coming in would occupy the defence enough to allow Raheem to do the things he excels at - arriving at the right time (without the ball) and getting those tap ins and assists. The pressure off would probably allow him the luxury of not over thinking the things he doesn’t currently do as well.

As I wrote earlier in multiple posts, no they couldn't. If it were the case that it was possible, then Sterling wouldn't have been the only player like that so far.

 

[HypnoticBlue]

For what it’s worth, I think we lose more than we gain with Sterling, his first touch, decision making, distribution(unless played backwards), ball retention and dribbling are all pretty poor, and for me that outweighs any pluses in a Pep team.
Foden offers so much more in the same position.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

I never mentioned Jack Harrison, so not sure why you quoted him

The discussion you joined was a comparison between him and Sterling.