#7 | Raheem Sterling - 2020/21 Performances

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Exeter Blue I am here said:
That may well be the case, but it’s not something I would necessarily regard as a cause for celebration. He may make the kind of frequent and well timed runs Pep wants, he may still have decent stats (albeit diminishing), but we no longer play the way that brought out the best of Raheem 2 or 3 years ago in my opinion, and even allowing for the undeniable confirmation bias inherent in many of his detractors’ assessments of his capabilities, the lack of control running with the ball, the badly weighted passes, the ceded possession and the scuffed shots have to be considered too and they are not something I think it reasonable to spend £250k (or however much it is) a week on.
The club clearly disagrees and that’s all that ultimately matters, but whether that is born out of unswerving and enduring appreciation of Raheem’s attributes, or fear of the modern day reality of players running down their contracts, I’m less sure. Personally I think City are trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea, but a long term commitment to a player who’s likely to cost us a fortune in wages, is not something I’d relish on someone so demonstrably out of form for so long, and if I’m being honest then if I thought there was an interested party offering a realistic fee and a deal Raheem were happy to accept, I’d let him go without too much soul searching. If, going forward, we’re not going to play in a way that brings out the best in the lad, and Foden and Mahrez continue in their recent veins of form in the longer term, then what’s the point?
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Sterling is our only player with pace whi can carry the ball, that’s why he plays. He may sign a new contract, as the club can’t realistically sell this summer and he is English. But let’s not kid ourselves, he is totally replaceable. If he gets 300k a week then it is a damning indictment of the footballing landscape.

A lot of Sterling’s stats are tap ins when when used the pace of Walker or Sanè to get in behind on the opposite side. We’ve got no pace or striker and he has to create more and take harder chances as a result. He isn’t up to it.

Even if it means having our tail between our legs, I take Sancho back.
 
Can’t understand why people are getting on Sterling’s case specifically for the CL final. God knows I’ve been critical of him — and there’s a case to be made for not offering him a new contract — but he was no better or worse than anyone on that pitch, with the arguable exceptions of Walker and Gabi for his cameo. If anything, he created a bit more than Mahrez over on the other wing, who did absolutely nothing.
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Can’t understand why people are getting on Sterling’s case specifically for the CL final. God knows I’ve been critical of him — and there’s a case to be made for not offering him a new contract — but he was no better or worse than anyone on that pitch, with the arguable exceptions of Walker and Gabi for his cameo. If anything, he created a bit more than Mahrez over on the other wing, who did absolutely nothing.
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I think many, including me were more pissed off at his name being on the team sheet in the first place, particularly as it totally unbalanced the team to accommodate him.

There then was an expectation that he had been selected for a genuine reason and he would deliver an unexpected performance.

The rest, we all saw.
 
KennyG said:
Sterling is our only player with pace whi can carry the ball, that’s why he plays. He may sign a new contract, as the club can’t realistically sell this summer and he is English. But let’s not kid ourselves, he is totally replaceable. If he gets 300k a week then it is a damning indictment of the footballing landscape.

A lot of Sterling’s stats are tap ins when when used the pace of Walker or Sanè to get in behind on the opposite side. We’ve got no pace or striker and he has to create more and take harder chances as a result. He isn’t up to it.

Even if it means having our tail between our legs, I take Sancho back.
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I wouldn’t deem any of his goals less ‘worthy’, cos they’re scored from closer in than those with real power in their boots (Kun, Kev, Foden etc). We didn’t use that caveat when the Goat was tapping them in from 5 years off his ankles, knees and belly, instead we lauded him for it. The timing and positioning of the runs that frequently make Sterling our ‘Johnny on the spot’ are an overlooked skill that he maybe isn’t given enough credit for. It’s the lack of basic touch and control that drive me to distraction (along with the hesitation), the dribbles that frequently end up with him bumbling the ball into the nearest defender’s shins or the simple overlap passes clouted out over the dead all line. Like you say, I think a lot more has been asked of him this season and I just don’t think he has what is now needed. We shall see though
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
That may well be the case, but it’s not something I would necessarily regard as a cause for celebration. He may make the kind of frequent and well timed runs Pep wants, he may still have decent stats (albeit diminishing), but we no longer play the way that brought out the best of Raheem 2 or 3 years ago in my opinion, and even allowing for the undeniable confirmation bias inherent in many of his detractors’ assessments of his capabilities, the lack of control running with the ball, the badly weighted passes, the ceded possession and the scuffed shots have to be considered too and they are not something I think it reasonable to spend £250k (or however much it is) a week on.
The club clearly disagrees and that’s all that ultimately matters, but whether that is born out of unswerving and enduring appreciation of Raheem’s attributes, or fear of the modern day reality of players running down their contracts, I’m less sure. Personally I think City are trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea, but a long term commitment to a player who’s likely to cost us a fortune in wages, is not something I’d relish on someone so demonstrably out of form for so long, and if I’m being honest then if I thought there was an interested party offering a realistic fee and a deal Raheem were happy to accept, I’d let him go without too much soul searching. If, going forward, we’re not going to play in a way that brings out the best in the lad, and Foden and Mahrez continue in their recent veins of form in the longer term, then what’s the point?
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If you don't rate Sterling, I don't have to discuss anything with you as our opinions are so wildly opposed that there's no meeting in the middle. Quite frankly that post is a series of half truths, cliches, and nonsense stitched together to paint one of our best players ever in the worst possible light IMO. Bit like this thread.
 
BillyShears said:
If you don't rate Sterling, I don't have to discuss anything with you as our opinions are so wildly opposed that there's no meeting in the middle. Quite frankly that post is a series of half truths, cliches, and nonsense stitched together to paint one of our best players ever in the worst possible light IMO. Bit like this thread.
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You don't rate Jack Grealish who is so comfortable on the ball but you are backing a sadly out of form player in Raz. I'd never criticise any player at the match as the vibe becomes counter productive but he's not doing it anymore. You know almost every time the ball gets to him, he'll try and beat however many opposition players there are and lose the ball, his passes are not accurate, he's clumsy on the ball and his first touch is very poor, he makes bad decisions and he rarely gets a run on defenders as he used to. I'm sorry for the lad, he seems a good character but I think he's below what we need and it's time to let him go.
 
It's not about the performance in the final, the fact is that Sterling - DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE IN THE FINAL..

And if we look how his involvement effected our whole system - then he is definitely the one to blame.

1) Because of him - Foden (our best LW) had to play LCM and that's not his best position.
2) And therefore Gundogan (our best LCM) had to play CDM and that's not his best position either. Especially this season, when due to Rodri & Fernandinho - Gundo didn't get much experience playing as a CDM and also, he was one of our best / most improved players as a LCM - practically irreplaceable And due to reason that no one can play LCM as good as he does, that's why club is so desperate to buy Jack Grealish.
3) And therefore there was no place for Fernandinho or Rodri.. (Our best CDMs.)

So to sum up, due to Sterling - our two best and what's more important irreplaceable attackers and maybe players (this season) had to play different positions and that's how you loose the finals

But I'm not even angry at Sterling - the one to blame here is PEP..

If there was a player, who you would be 100% sure that won't be playing in the final was Sterling and somehow he plays LW and our two best attackers have to adjust to it.

WTF - how is that even possible, I mean this level of stupidity is unimaginable and that's the question management should be asking right now to Pep. When you must be doing everything to help you best players and instead of that, you do everything to make them uncomfortable - you are destined to loose the final from the beginning.
 
Whats everyone's thoughts on next season for him, if he stays I think next season is going to be a pivotal moment in his career

We know his faults, finishing is hit and miss, and his in-ability to skillfully go past a player

His ability to go past a player mostly relies on his pace, but the strategy we are coming up against in 90% of our games is now this low block which nullifies Sterling's main ability (pace) and leaves him pretty much next to useless on the flank - leaving him looking like a frustrated player

I will just mention Sane briefly because he was also on the same flank as Sterling, but he had the ability to not just beat one player but 2 when it was called for - this is what we are now missing in terms of the attacking threat

We already have 2 players who have a higher technical ability than Sterling - Phil and Torres.

Next season is going to be very interesting in terms of how we set up. We will no doubt bring in a much needed world class CF, I think we will see more of Torres but not sure if Pep will play him just off a CF or in his natural position out wide.

And Phil who has a higher ability already than Sterling is going to kick-on and get even better. So he could actually play out wide himself as well as the AM position

Personally I think because of what we now come up against from other teams, he may actually find himself down the pecking order more often than not

Been a supporter of Sterling so i am not having a pop at him, just asking the question to other Blues if because of the tactics we face each week, moving forward does Sterling now offer what is needed to get past defensive block

It may be that we need to change tact and move the ball out to him a hell of a lot quicker so that he can exploit the space and then we may see the sterling of old getting in behind
 
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Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
Can’t understand why people are getting on Sterling’s case specifically for the CL final. God knows I’ve been critical of him — and there’s a case to be made for not offering him a new contract — but he was no better or worse than anyone on that pitch, with the arguable exceptions of Walker and Gabi for his cameo. If anything, he created a bit more than Mahrez over on the other wing, who did absolutely nothing.
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Yup, and not just Sterling unfairly getting it in the neck either. Saturday night was a failure of system more than anything else, due to us meeting an opponent with the precise skills to exploit its weaknesses. Pep didn’t help matters, and it’s at his door that the bulk of any blame should be lain, but even if we’d had the right players in the right places it would have still have been a titanic scrap to overcome Chelsea
 
BlueMoonz1977 said:
Whats everyone's thoughts on next season for him, if he stays I think next season is going to be a pivotal moment in his career

We know his faults, finishing is hit and miss, and his in-ability to skillfully go past a player

His ability to go past a player mostly relies on his pace, but the strategy we are coming up against in 90% of our games is now this low block which nullifies Sterling's main ability (pace) and leaves him pretty much next to useless on the flank - leaving him looking like a frustrated player

I will just mention Sane briefly because he was also on the same flank as Sterling, but he had the ability to not just beat one player but 2 when it was called for - this is what we are now missing in terms of the attacking threat

We already have 2 players who have a higher technical ability than Sterling - Phil and Torres.

Next season is going to be very interesting in terms of how we set up. We will no doubt bring in a much needed world class CF, I think we will see more of Torres but not sure if Pep will play him just off a CF or in his natural position out wide.

And Phil who has a higher ability already than Sterling is going to kick-on and get even better. So he could actually play out wide himself as well as the AM position

Personally I think because of what we now come up against from other teams, he may actually find himself down the pecking order more often than not
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He’s had his pivotal moment
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
Yup, and not just Sterling unfairly getting it in the neck either. Saturday night was a failure of system more than anything else, due to us meeting an opponent with the precise skills to exploit its weaknesses. Pep didn’t help matters, and it’s at his door that the bulk of any blame should be lain, but even if we’d had the right players in the right places it would have still have been a titanic scrap to overcome Chelsea
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No guarantees our best 11 would have overcome,but i would have been shocked had they not.There was evidence in the second half when we introduced a different,and the expected,approach that backs up that thinking.

Sterling is only one player,but his inclusion,at the expense of Dinho or Rodri,destroyed our advantage along with all the hardwork the team had put in to achieve the occasion.
 
BlueMoonz1977 said:
What do you think then, does he stay or go and we move either Phil or Torres out wide, or do we sign someone to replace him
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What we certainly shouldn't do is offer an enhanced contract.

Personally, with Phil being so much better and with Grealish likely to come in, Sterling isn't likely to get much playing time, particularly in the bigger games.

I think he will look for a move this summer.
 
BillyShears said:
If you don't rate Sterling, I don't have to discuss anything with you as our opinions are so wildly opposed that there's no meeting in the middle. Quite frankly that post is a series of half truths, cliches, and nonsense stitched together to paint one of our best players ever in the worst possible light IMO. Bit like this thread.
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He’s been way off it all season, not just stats wise but also performances, particularly at the time the club are at a crossroads as to what to do.

I don’t think signing him up to a new contract should be the only option the club is considering but I take your point that Pep obviously still sees him as one of his key personnel despite not getting a look in in any of our other big CL matches prior to Saturday.

I’d love to say the form is temporary class is permanent line, but I’ve been saying that to myself for months and months now.
 
mosssideblue said:
What we certainly shouldn't do is offer an enhanced contract.

Personally, with Phil being so much better and with Grealish likely to come in, Sterling isn't likely to get much playing time, particularly in the bigger games.

I think he will look for a move this summer.
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I agree, I just think that with what we now face each week that what he offers is not viable any longer in order to beat it

I would be happy if we moved him on and got like you say Grealish in who has that ability we now require out wide

If he does end up staying I believe he will be on the bench more often than not
 
BlueMoonz1977 said:
I agree, I just think that with what we now face each week that what he offers is not viable any longer in order to beat it

I would be happy if we moved him on and got like you say Grealish in who has that ability we now require out wide

If he does end up staying I believe he will be on the bench more often than not
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And he will surely know he has competition much more technically gifted than he will ever be.

His call, stay and take the money, go on a free albeit with likely long spells on the bench, or look for pastures new.
 
mosssideblue said:
And he will surely know he has competition much more technically gifted than he will ever be.

His call, stay and take the money, go on a free albeit with likely long spells on the bench, or look for pastures new.
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Kippax has just posted a tweet from sam lee in the media thread - Sterling, Gabby and Laporte reported to be unhappy

All 3 can go in my view
 
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