I find that comment bizarre. He doesn't get many assists, but he does create chances by harrassing defenders, running at them and creating panic. But clinical finisher? For fucks sake no. I would not bet on him scoring if the keeper was on a loo break.He’s a finishing forward who is more likely to finish a chance than create one.
120 odd career assists and almost 90 for City suggests he does get a lot of assists.I find that comment bizarre. He doesn't get many assists, but he does create chances by harrassing defenders, running at them and creating panic. But clinical finisher? For fucks sake no. I would not bet on him scoring if the keeper was on a loo break.
I find that comment bizarre. He doesn't get many assists, but he does create chances by harrassing defenders, running at them and creating panic. But clinical finisher? For fucks sake no. I would not bet on him scoring if the keeper was on a loo break.
If you re-watch the thrashing of the Scousers, he was running at the defence and creating opportunities throughout the game. He made TAA look like a schoolboy.The thing is, excellent movement IS creativity. Fans just don’t have a metric for it that they can lazily point to in the way they can for assists. Add to that his superior ability to progress the ball than anybody else in the squad and you have a very potent mix of a player.
Sterling has not only scored 3 but has been Englands most creative player this tournament.
I saw John Cooper Clarke on stage in Mcr once and he said, with reference to Burnley, "My agent said to me, 'What you doing a show in Burnley for John? You've go no business doing shows in Burnley - or anywhere else where they still point at aeroplanes.' "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.
I saw John Cooper Clarke on stage in Mcr once and he said, with reference to Burnley, "My agent said to me, 'What you doing a show in Burnley for John? You've go no business doing shows in Burnley - or anywhere else where they still point at aeroplanes.' "
This is why Sterling gets abuse from those who don't understand football. He tries to open defences up time after time with similar thrusts. If he does it 10 times a game it will typically only come off once or twice. But when it does it opens the opposition like a kipper.One thing I don't think he's getting enough credit for is that little run he made before the goal.
It looks extremely basic. He takes the ball about 10 or so yards and lays it off to Kane. But it's so effortlessly brilliant.
Over that short distance, he not only breaks a vertical line, but he takes out 3 defenders with a few short touches, before a 4th with the pass.
I don't think people realise how difficult that was. There's an extremely limited number of players in the world who have the close control, acceleration, agility, and intelligence to do all that. I can't even think of 5 other players who could've done that. None of the other English players could, and I include Foden, Grealish, Sancho, Mount, and Saka in that.
That move was so important, because that's the reason Germany were backpedalling so much, because Sterling changed the whole attack.
It was why at the 2018 World Cup every team double marked him, because that ability to drive through the middle is lethal. Literally outside of having a David Silva style genius who can position himself perfectly between the lines for receiving passes, the next most dangerous thing is having a guy that just run through. Those areas are always the most promising for an attacker to have possession.
I do feel a bit OTT typing this out though, as Sterling at the time probably didn't think much of it. He just saw a gap and went. But it's like Aguero smashing it in the near post; it looks simple enough but only he seemed to be able to do it, which is the measure of his quality.
Even mossideblue would be happy to pay a million plus for him... :-)World Class our Raheem, if he didn’t play for one of the big teams in England and instead played for a midtable one and was available for transfer, he’d be the hottest transfer property after those 3 games with prices of a million plus.
It’s why I hope we sign him up!!
Only a fiver more though else we would be getting fleeced :)Even mossideblue would be happy to pay a million plus for him... :-)
Best example of it working would be the Sané goal in 2-1 v Liverpool.This is why Sterling gets abuse from those who don't understand football. He tries to open defences up time after time with similar thrusts. If he does it 10 times a game it will typically only come off once or twice. But when it does it opens the opposition like a kipper.
Hate to say it but this is why Pep shoehorned him into the CL final team. I haven't watched it back even once but I was there and from memory it actually did come off once or twice early in the game but we didn't capitalise. And yet again he was scapegoaated.
I think this is the only criticism that I've mostly agreed with.Naahhhh. I think its safe to say the vast majoiry of sterling critics see what he CAN do(but has hardly this season and some of the last)... Sterling gets so much stick because of what he hasnt got in his locker.
For me personally it irks me to have someone so clearly not suited to the way we are CURRENTLY playing(like he's looked utterly lost on the pitch most of the season) taking such a big wedge of our wage budget. If we adjust to a far more attacking(risky) style, as per the previous seasons, then i've no doubt he'll be back to playing to his strengths.
But it doesnt look like pep will do that...so where does that leave us?
Thanks for your post. I disagree though with much of what you've stated.I think this is the only criticism that I've mostly agreed with.
Foden and Mahrez are more suited last season, to City's 1v1 dribbling required from the wingers, whereas the Sane-Sterling combination from many years ago was all about speed behind played through by David or Kevin. There is also no guarantee that thr way we play last season is how we play this season.
That being said, it's on Pep to find a way to play to Sterling's strengths in our setup considering his strengths are too good to ignore. A tweak to the formation, play him as a striker etc, I'm sure Pep will find a solution to maximise Sterling's strengths while still playing in a way he likes.
I'm a big Sterling fan... but if you were to list his strengths, 1v1 dribbling from the wings isn't high on the list.Thanks for your post. I disagree though with much of what you've stated.
First off, Sterling is very good one on one - he is able to beat his man on the dribble. I value him as attacking left wing. He has had a downturn in form for us - yes - but attacking LW is, I think his best position.
As far as playing Sterling as striker - I don't at all value him there. Yes, Sterling can fill in. But a fit Aguero. Or Kane. Or Haalind? No way on earth that Sterling is even close to a top, top striker, and no way I'd want him played there because of this - Sterling isn't a top striker - he is, however, a fantastic winger.
Cheers mate.I'm a big Sterling fan... but if you were to list his strengths, 1v1 dribbling from the wings isn't high on the list.
I think 1v1s in general for Sterling are a weakness, even in finishing, the more he acts on "instinct" the better he is.
We can just disagree here.
On the striker thing, it's a stretch that I think most wouldn't agree with me on. He would play the role differently than others, any maybe it won't work because he himself might need to play off a striker, but the speed and positioning he has makes it something I think could work for us.
Assist vs. Ukraine