jesus has never really been good enough in the middle to our main number 9 and is much better on out wide. Sterling just hasn't been playing well for a while now hes had opportunities last season to play well and it never really happened. ill always prefer him on the right just like you do but in this new system im not even sure he does well there any more. I have no clue what we should do with him now if hes third choice on both wings and looks pretty bad in the middle.
Why are you making sense here? This is the "Bash Raheem Sterling" thread! You are supposed to pick a stick and smash him with it. You are ruining it for everyone.I wouldn't blame him for running his contract down at this point because he's being treated like shit. He hasn't started a game in his best position (wide right) for months. And before people come along to say that he's played brilliantly on the left before - yes, he has. But, bar the odd game, it only tended to be when he was in particularly great form and had real confidence in front of goal (18-19). Even then, some of his best performances came on the right wing, against Southampton and Liverpool at home that season. The following year, he was our only winger who could play on the left, due to Sane's injury, and while he scored a lot of goals, it wasn't without a long dry patch in the middle. Indeed, he scored several of his post lockdown goals playing from the right, with Phil on the left.
He's not being given a consistent run in the side to get his form back, and when he does start it's in a position which is completely alien to him, and only serves to make him the scapegoat for every game we don't win. Don't get me started on his treatment by our fans, online and in the ground.
A player of his stature and ability (see his performances in the Euros for proof he's still got it) deserves better. He's our best right winger for fucks sake, but he's forced to play elsewhere to accomodate Jesus and Mahrez? One of which was, until last season, considered a perfectly serviceable centre forward (but is now forbidden from playing there), and the other who has had about 6 good months in total in a City shirt.
I wrote on here a while ago that Pep's use of his forwards baffled me, and it's only gotten worse. Everything that people have praised Jesus for doing on the wing, Sterling has been doing for years. The only problem is, we only see it for England now. Meanwhile, instead of getting our only actual centre forward into goalscoring form, we're sticking him on the wing and playing Sterling up front.
Mind. Boggling.
I don't think he fits our style anymore. For England he's playing up front in an orthodox set up, with us he now seems lost and unable to adapt to our style. As others have said his ball control is lacking and he's trying to take every defender on in front of him before he inevitably loses the ball.
I'm gutted for the lad, he's come through a lot and although he's not on form I'll still support him. His smile was a mile wide when he was warming up at Chelsea on Saturday when we scored, he celebrated like he had netted. It's bad enough other fans slagging him off, I hope we don't do the same at the match.
He is a confidence player and is short on it.Yep I saw that and thought it was a good sign. So long as he satisfies Pep's "come to training with a smile" and "work your bollocks off" he will stay in Pep's good books. From what we can see his attitude still seems good to me.
He just needs to catch a break IMO. Southampton marginally offside for the winning goal tap-in, the great effort from 18 yards that hit the post against Wycombe and the header against the bar last night. In another world he gets all 3 goals there and the narrative changes direction and his confidence is inevitably boosted.
He's done well at Anfield the last couple of times he's played there but I'd be v surprised if he in the starting 11 at the weekend. I'd say Jesus and Foden are certs to start in the front 3 but with, for the first time, a question mark against Grealish so who knows...He is a confidence player and is short on it.
I think the best outcome is to keep him far from the starting lineup against Liverpool – has to be Jesus / Torres / Mahrez, even with Mahrez' shaky form. He'll get torn to shreds if we start him there.
But after that I think he has to go back to the right and has to get consistent starts there. He's easily #3 on the left, and he doesn't seem to provide much up top (but who does.)
Keep the faith PabloHe doesn’t fit this current side regardless of his position. That’s the long and short of it for me and it’s taken well over a year for me to accept that.
The fundamentals of playing in a Pep side, ie first class control, sharp passing and quick decision making are probably three of his biggest flaws and we are now seeing it week in week out.
I’ve made all the excuses I can for him. I won’t ever slag him off and treat him with the disrespect many on here do because he’s been a tremendous signing. His time here is up though unless we completely change the way we play. Which we won’t.
I'm trying mate, I really am.Keep the faith Pablo
Trust me on this but he will bounce back :)