#7 | Raheem Sterling - 2020/21 Performances

[FantasyIreland]

Nobody said he can't be criticised. I don't know how many times you need to be told this.

Fuck off telling me anything you condescending fool.

Your opinion is no better than anyone else's despite the pedestal you have placed yourself on.

 

[ninjamonkey]

I think sterling's probably hit his ceiling. There's only so much Pep can do, he's worked wonders with him so far but sterling's speed of thought, decision making and control are all piss poor, that's pretty much undeniable now and they're what's stopping him improving further and are things that are likely never to improve now, at least not enough.

Our moves break down with him so often now and not because he's trying something risky where you accept it might break down like if say kdb tried a through ball, they're breaking down with him failing to do the basics.

I think we're at the stage now where replacing sterling is high up on the list of ways to constantly improve our side. Imagine you're txiki evaluating the squad, you look at replacing mendy and finding a successor for aguero/fernandinho as the priorities in this squad and then after that if you look at our squad and say where can we improve the most, there's more scope for that in replacing sterling than anywhere else in the side.

 

[BlueBanger]

I think sterling's probably hit his ceiling. There's only so much Pep can do, he's worked wonders with him so far but sterling's speed of thought, decision making and control are all piss poor, that's pretty much undeniable now and they're what's stopping him improving further and are things that are likely never to improve now, at least not enough.

Our moves break down with him so often now and not because he's trying something risky where you accept it might break down like if say kdb tried a through ball, they're breaking down with him failing to do the basics.

I think we're at the stage now where replacing sterling is high up on the list of ways to constantly improve our side. Imagine you're txiki evaluating the squad, you look at replacing mendy and finding a successor for aguero/fernandinho as the priorities in this squad and then after that if you look at our squad and say where can we improve the most, there's more scope for that in replacing sterling than anywhere else in the side.

I honestly couldn't have said it any better myself. The guy does 1 MAYBE 2 OK things each game to gloss over utter technical ability deficiencies which result in him wasting chance after chance. Thats without going into the confidence/mental/decision making weakness side of things.

I appreciate him for his past efforts and he had a couple of excellent seasons. But lets not kid ourselves that it was because of his own brilliance(other than a few occasions)....he was literally fed sitter after sitter in previous seasons(thanks to peps positional coaching) while now in this newer setup his weaknesses are on full display all too often and there are better young wingers on the market. I actually dont know how he gets in ahead of torres right now given torres can also play both sides comfortably and we know he can link with phil very well on the left.

I hate sounding so harsh on raz but he's been completely underwhelming for a long time now. You could argue these same difficiencies cost us last year against lyon too. For a top class winger to regularly just run into legs and miss sitters is unforgivable imo...at least make the defender/keeper work, even if it doesnt end up coming off. The odd miss is understandable but when you scuff more than you finish from the kind of chances he gets...its really not a good look.

The most telling thing would be the consideration of who would buy him and for what money. When he was thriving off tap ins(and missing more than he put away) real were touted...but now? hmmm?

 

[kaz7]

He is going nowhere

 

[mosssideblue]

He is going nowhere

As a min, he should be going to the bench

 

[FromPollockToSilva]

I don’t buy that Sterling is a complete donkey with no technical ability. I just can’t see Pep suffering that for five years with Sterling one of the first names on the team sheet.

I think he has the ability. Not to Bernardo’s level or Mahrez’s but certainly enough to be in this team. We’ve seen it enough times to know it’s in there.

What he absolutely lacks is consistency. Not just consistency of performance, but consistency of touch, focus, decision-making. It’s all mental. If it was genuinely a lack of basic ability he wouldn’t be at City

 

[Kippax77]

I think Pep will be ruthless in the coming months/summer.
i honestly believe he is closing in on making us the best team on the planet.
But to get to that stage you can't be carrying players for long periods of time.
The better we get with this team the worse Raz as looked.
I agree with other posts on here that we probably have seen Raz,s best, but this team
seems to be going to another level and unfortunately Raz is standing out like a sore thumb for the wrong reasons.
Decision making, no confidence to take a player on, losing possession etc etc.

 

[moomba]

Any refresh or rebuild at the end if the season will have Sterling still in the squad, still playing week in weeknout, and still getting goals and assists for us.

 

[moomba]

FWIW he's not in great form, much like Bernardo wasnt in great form last season. Still contributing though, and will be given every chance to find his best form again.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I think sterling's probably hit his ceiling. There's only so much Pep can do, he's worked wonders with him so far but sterling's speed of thought, decision making and control are all piss poor, that's pretty much undeniable now and they're what's stopping him improving further and are things that are likely never to improve now, at least not enough.

Our moves break down with him so often now and not because he's trying something risky where you accept it might break down like if say kdb tried a through ball, they're breaking down with him failing to do the basics.

I think we're at the stage now where replacing sterling is high up on the list of ways to constantly improve our side. Imagine you're txiki evaluating the squad, you look at replacing mendy and finding a successor for aguero/fernandinho as the priorities in this squad and then after that if you look at our squad and say where can we improve the most, there's more scope for that in replacing sterling than anywhere else in the side.

Saka is the kid,everything and more that Sterling was.