#7 | Raheem Sterling - 2020/21 Performances

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Didsbury Dave said:
Opened up FAcebook last night to see loads of posts saying "Sterling is shite/get him off" etc from people who have literally never mentioned football before.

Why does this lad go down so badly with non-football fans? I've never known a player more unfairly criticised. He must have balls of fucking steel to keep going out there and trying things.
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Exeter Blue I am here said:
The power of the media mate. They set the narrative of a greedy little chiseller and cultural vulgarian from the start, and fuelled the flames of hatred for 3 years just to get clicks out of embittered Liverpool fans. And had it not been for the television cameras capturing those 3 spittle-flecked Chelsea fans hurling abuse at him, and the national revulsion felt as a consequence, they would still be doing it now. The tabloids would have positioned themselves in Fred West’s corner had the majority opinion been that the rape, torture and murder of young girls was considered perfectly acceptable. They have no moral code or sense of personal responsibility whatsoever. If they can find a hobby horse capable of generating clicks from their thick bigoted readerships, then they’ll flog it to death without a care in the world (the abuse the Mail has heaped on Meghan Markle for years now for example, has been astonishing).
Whatever, I remember going to Turf Moor about 3 or 4 years ago and Raz got subbed off on the far side of the pitch and had to walk around half of the pitch to get back to the dugout, all the while with 6 fingered fucktards (and even little kids) hurling abuse at him from the stands. It’s ingrained.
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KDB's Players Tribune article.

I will let you in on a little secret. Before I came to Manchester City, I didn’t really know what to make of this Raheem Sterling guy. I had never met him, and from what I’d read about him in the English press, I thought he was going to be a very different character.

I thought.…

Well.…

I didn’t think he’d be a bad guy, really. But the tabloids were always claiming that he was arrogant. So I guess I thought he’d be … what do the English call it?

A bit of a dickhead, maybe?​
​
Raheem and I have this strong connection, because we arrived at City around the same time, and there was a lot of negativity about us in the press. They said I was “the Chelsea reject.” They said Raheem was this flashy guy who left Liverpool for money. They said we were difficult characters.

Of course, when you read this stuff about yourself, you think, Me? I’m not difficult. This is ridiculous. These people don’t even know me! But honestly, when you read about other players, it influences the way you think. You can’t help it.

Then I got to City and I actually met Raheem, and we’d talk a bit after training, and I thought, Wait, this guy seems really cool? What’s the story here?​
​
Truthfully, I don’t have many close friends — inside or outside of football. It takes me a really long time to open up to people. But over time, I got closer to Raheem, because our sons were born around the same time, so they would always play together. I really got to know Raheem, and I recognized what a smart and genuine person he is. He couldn’t be more different from what the tabloids were saying.

This is the real truth: Raheem is one of the nicest, most humble guys I’ve met in football.​
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
I personally think he didn't like Phil taking his position and Pep dropping him.
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The logic of the Sterling hater.

He is in bad form because he lost his place for having bad form. You do see how that's nonsense right?

Maybe instead of inventing character issues like you're a daily mail subeditor, look at the football and recognise he's just a winger who gets his bread and butter playing off a striker and a year of us playing without a striker was the reason he didn't play so well.

Now he's in an England team playing off a striker and he's playing well.

It's not rocket science, it's not down to some fantasy character issue with Foden or Pep.
 
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The main thing that all those posters who bemoan his touch, passing, technique etc seem to fail to understand is that if they see all these flaws to his game then why can't those at the top of the game?
It's a pretty simple answer. They do. What they also do is put it into context and ask themselves if the overall package Sterling provides makes up for his shortcomings and its a resounding yes.
So whilst he will always have his flaws, he will also always be one of the most important players in whichever shirt he Wears.
 
Pablo1 said:
The main thing that all those posters who bemoan his touch, passing, technique etc seem to fail to understand is that if they see all these flaws to his game then why can't those at the top of the game?
It's a pretty simple answer. They do. What they also do is put it into context and ask themselves if the overall package Sterling provides makes up for his shortcomings and its a resounding yes.
So whilst he will always have his flaws, he will also always be one of the most important players in whichever shirt he Wears.
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Yeah I tried to say the same thing above. The same erratic nature of his game is what provides the game winning moments as well as a misplaced pass or open net miss. He's worth it.
 
Bluesince88 said:
best player on the pitch? How many times did he get tackled? How many times
Did he get in the final third and fluff it? Scored a goal on a plate for him, Kane done the same but no one will want to give him credit. Shaw was the best player hands down, big part in both goals, no one will admit it though, Sterling scoring an open net is bigger than anything. Tossers
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You didn't need to use your IQ, as part of your username.
 
domalino said:
The logic of the Sterling hater.

He is in bad form because he lost his place for having bad form. You do see how that's nonsense right?

Maybe instead of inventing character issues like you're a daily mail subeditor, look at the football and recognise he's just a winger who gets his bread and butter playing off a striker and a year of us playing without a striker was the reason he didn't play so well.

Now he's in an England team playing off a striker and he's playing well.

It's not rocket science, it's not down to some fantasy character issue with Foden or Pep.
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It's all about opinions - or is this not a forum?
To call me a hater is nonsense, I like the bloke and he didn't do well for us last season sadly. It happens players go in and out of form. I hope he gets back to good form for us next season.
People can point out what they think is wrong mate (doesn't make me or them correct) but is doesn't mean they hate the bloke.
I think he's a fantastic player and role model.
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
Pleased he has found his form and I hope this carries on when he starts the new season with us.
It's unfair to label people on here "Sterling haters" who criticise him - people can only call what they see & for most of the latter part of last season his form was bobbins for us, why i've no idea.
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Yet statistically speaking, Sterling’s output for us last season was very similar to Foden’s, who was one of our better players last season.

I also think a lot of the criticism Sterling gets is by those who don’t understand the type of player he is.

He’s not a Grealish, Sancho, Foden type player who are creative forwards. He’s a finishing forward who is more likely to finish a chance than create one.

People also assume that because many of Sterling’s goals are tap ins, that any player could score them. Therefore, why playing a player who offers little in the creative department and only scores tap ins when someone like Grealish could play and do the same job and more.

This ignores the key skill Sterling has which is his movement and being in the right place. Yes, any player could have put the ball in the net like Raz did yesterday. But not every player would have been in the right position at the right time to do so. Which is why Raz remains a top class player.
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
The power of the media mate. They set the narrative of a greedy little chiseller and cultural vulgarian from the start, and fuelled the flames of hatred for 3 years just to get clicks out of embittered Liverpool fans. And had it not been for the television cameras capturing those 3 spittle-flecked Chelsea fans hurling abuse at him, and the national revulsion felt as a consequence, they would still be doing it now. The tabloids would have positioned themselves in Fred West’s corner had the majority opinion been that the rape, torture and murder of young girls was considered perfectly acceptable. They have no moral code or sense of personal responsibility whatsoever. If they can find a hobby horse capable of generating clicks from their thick bigoted readerships, then they’ll flog it to death without a care in the world (the abuse the Mail has heaped on Meghan Markle for years now for example, has been astonishing).
Whatever, I remember going to Turf Moor about 3 or 4 years ago and Raz got subbed off on the far side of the pitch and had to walk around half of the pitch to get back to the dugout, all the while with 6 fingered fucktards (and even little kids) hurling abuse at him from the stands. It’s ingrained.
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Agree with that. The whole thing was started by Liverpool FC and their media mouthpieces because they couldn't believe that he had the temerity to want to join a better club.
 
Cobra said:
It felt like a typical Sterling performance to me, no better or worse than anything he’s done for City recently. World class movement and some great pressing, mixed with some dodgy decision making, awful dribbling and poor weight of passing. Fascinating to see what happens with him next season at City
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Spot on,despite the hyperbolic narrative/nonsense written on here.

He is doing well,i love his energy and i love the way he ensures he is on the end of anything in the box....and without that pace and movement its possible we would not have progressed to the quarters.
England is great for him as he'll always shine in a system that doesn't dominate possession,or rely solely on intricacy and precision.

His confidence will not have been this high for a long time,and hopefully it helps push us towards the final and maybe the Golden Boot for himself.

I agree about next season.....despite what happens in this tournament,he is coming back to a club side that doesn't really suit his strengths and so,as i said previously,the same problems (as you describe) will still exist - Fascinating is definitely the word.
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
I personally think he didn't like Phil taking his position and Pep dropping him.
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I'd be pissed off too if I lost my place to a guy who Pep doesn't even trust enough to start for half the season.

You can see why some of the forwards were getting frustrated last season. Both Sterling and Foden were being benched for extended periods while we were struggling to score.
 
BLUEMATT23 said:
Pleased he has found his form and I hope this carries on when he starts the new season with us.
It's unfair to label people on here "Sterling haters" who criticise him - people can only call what they see & for most of the latter part of last season his form was bobbins for us, why i've no idea.
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Because he is human.

He has the same worries and concerns that every single one of us has, it just happens he has more money because he has made the most of his talents. Money though does not solve everything, it helps with some things, but it does not buy you confidence, it does not buy you good health and mental wellbeing.

Humans are never 100% everyday, they have good days and they have bad days, they have good years and they have bad years, sentience comes at a price. That price is emotional and physical instability.

Human's also make mistakes, it is how we learn. If we do not learn to fall, we do not learn to walk, it is by using our experience and our mental faculties that we improve as human beings, none of us though are perfect and in my opinion it is highly unlikely the perfect human being will ever exist.

Raheem had a poor end to the season by his standards, but his standards are higher than most, he is not and never will be a poor footballer, he will be like everyone who has ever lived, he will have good days and he will have bad days. As City fans we should support him through his bad days and celebrate his good days, because by supporting him through his bad days we become part of the reason why he has the days we celebrate.
 
domalino said:
KDB's Players Tribune article.

I will let you in on a little secret. Before I came to Manchester City, I didn’t really know what to make of this Raheem Sterling guy. I had never met him, and from what I’d read about him in the English press, I thought he was going to be a very different character.​
​
I thought.…​
​
Well.…​
​
I didn’t think he’d be a bad guy, really. But the tabloids were always claiming that he was arrogant. So I guess I thought he’d be … what do the English call it?​
​
A bit of a dickhead, maybe?​
​
Raheem and I have this strong connection, because we arrived at City around the same time, and there was a lot of negativity about us in the press. They said I was “the Chelsea reject.” They said Raheem was this flashy guy who left Liverpool for money. They said we were difficult characters.​
​
Of course, when you read this stuff about yourself, you think, Me? I’m not difficult. This is ridiculous. These people don’t even know me! But honestly, when you read about other players, it influences the way you think. You can’t help it.​
​
Then I got to City and I actually met Raheem, and we’d talk a bit after training, and I thought, Wait, this guy seems really cool? What’s the story here?​
​
Truthfully, I don’t have many close friends — inside or outside of football. It takes me a really long time to open up to people. But over time, I got closer to Raheem, because our sons were born around the same time, so they would always play together. I really got to know Raheem, and I recognized what a smart and genuine person he is. He couldn’t be more different from what the tabloids were saying.​
​
This is the real truth: Raheem is one of the nicest, most humble guys I’ve met in football.​
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Should lash that in the Grealish thread, plenty in there seem to know him well!
 
Rascal said:
Out of interest i have looked at John Barnes, Leroy Sane and Denis Tueart's stats compared to Raheem's. John Barnes played in possibly the best Liverpool team ever and was as good a wide player as I have ever seen. Tueart was loved at City and was one of the greats of the 70s and Leroy is mourned by many Blues for leaving

John Barnes
586 Career Apps 155 goals (314 for Liverpool, 84 goals)
79 England caps 11 goals

Denis Tueart
467 career apps 163 goals (224 for City 86 goals)
6 England caps , 2 goals

Raheem Sterling
290 career apps 96 goals (195 for City 78 goals)
66 England caps 18 goals

Leroy Sane
169 career apps 42 goals ( 90 for City 25 goals)
34 German caps 7 goals.

Stats of course do not tell the whole story, so make of that what you will.
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Raheem has 486 career appearances and 154 goals at the professional level. He’s scored 114 for City alone.

In addition, he also has made 112 assists (87 for City).
 
Sibierskii said:
Should lash that in the Grealish thread, plenty in there seem to know him well!
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Bit different as Sterling's never been caught speeding while drunk, an action that most people would agree makes you a certified dickhead at the very least. Meanwhile we don't have any good reason to think Sterling is even semi-professional dickhead levels. Don't think it's a fair comparison.
 
MarsLlama said:
Bit different as Sterling's never been caught speeding while drunk, an action that most people would agree makes you a certified dickhead at the very least.
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I'm no card carrying Grealish fanboy but this is a bit over the top.

My mate almost killed the pair of us ten years ago when he thought it would be a neat idea to apply his handbrake and drift onto the motorway. No alcohol involved but another in an endless list of young idiots thinking they're invincible behind the wheel. The guy is now by far the most competent and safe driver I know.

Rambling aside, if it's a one off, doesn't cost anyone their life or long term health and the person actually learns from their mistake then I don't think it's enough to hold against someone forever.
 
FantasyIreland said:
Was he convicted of such?
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He was convicted of careless driving, which he plead guilty to.
He was never breathalyzed.



I'm willing to go out on a limb and say he was drunk.
Either that or he literally doesn't know how to drive, which would be equally cuntish to get behind the wheel.
 
kun said:
He was convicted of careless driving, which he plead guilty to.
He was never breathalyzed.



I'm willing to go out on a limb and say he was drunk.
Either that or he literally doesn't know how to drive, which would be equally cuntish to get behind the wheel.
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FI has an obsession with the jackmeiester which obviously rules out ever having a bad word said against him... :-)
 
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