#7 | Raheem Sterling - 2021/22 Performances

[Constantine]

Seen more criticism for sterling miss placing a pass in a 5-1 win against Wolves than Mahrez did for doing exactly that twice, in more dangerous situations in a 4-3 win against RM which ultimately cost us the tie. How he can be blamed for a goal because he lost the ball in the opponents box is beyond me.

Absolutely not true. He never misplaced a pass vs Madrid that led directly to a goal. Go watch it again.

To defend Sterling, you try to falsely pile up dirt on Mahrez... not fair play that ... Heve you seen his emphatic potential winner vs Courtois by any chance? Have you seen that cross to Kev for the first goal? Have you seen that pass to Fern for the third goal? Have you seen his ball recoveries vs Vinicius Jr? Have you seen his defending along his flank? etc., etc., ...

 

[McfcK]

Absolutely not true. He never misplaced a pass vs Madrid that led directly to a goal. Go watch it again.

To defend Sterling, you try to falsely pile up dirt on Mahrez... not fair play that ... Heve you seen his emphatic potential winner vs Courtois by any chance? Have you seen that cross to Kev for the first goal? Have you seen that pass to Fern for the third goal? Have you seen his ball recoveries vs Vinicius Jr? Have you seen his defending along his flank? etc., etc., ...

I would show screenshots but it won’t let me so I suggest you go on City+, rewatch the match and go to 32:32 and 78:56 to see first of all Mahrez pussy out of a challenge and put in a half arsed block which directly leads to benzema scoring and then secondly see him extremely carelessly give up possession in the middle of the pitch which leads to the counter and free kick that Madrid win their penalty from

 

[Constantine]

I would show screenshots but it won’t let me so I suggest you go on City+, rewatch the match and go to 32:32 and 78:56 to see first of all Mahrez pussy out of a challenge and put in a half arsed block which directly leads to benzema scoring and then secondly see him extremely carelessly give up possession in the middle of the pitch which leads to the counter and free kick that Madrid win their penalty from

The first case was not a misplaced pass, as you have suggested initially. The second case did not happen, that's because City defense has already recovered the ball and Foden (not blaming him) had the ball but had to concede the free kick that led to the penalty kick that led to the goal. So, in both cases you mentioned above, no goal was conceded because of a misplaced Mahrez pass.

 

[Dax777]

I would show screenshots but it won’t let me so I suggest you go on City+, rewatch the match and go to 32:32 and 78:56 to see first of all Mahrez pussy out of a challenge and put in a half arsed block which directly leads to benzema scoring and then secondly see him extremely carelessly give up possession in the middle of the pitch which leads to the counter and free kick that Madrid win their penalty from

This was annoying when it happened :(

 

[Constantine]

Mahrez left the pitch in Madrid on the 85th minute. City were then leading by two goals. After that, Hell broke loose :(

 

[Isaac the Forgemaster]

I would show screenshots but it won’t let me so I suggest you go on City+, rewatch the match and go to 32:32 and 78:56 to see first of all Mahrez pussy out of a challenge and put in a half arsed block which directly leads to benzema scoring and then secondly see him extremely carelessly give up possession in the middle of the pitch which leads to the counter and free kick that Madrid win their penalty from

Scapegoating Mahrez won't make Sterling look any better. And don't forget this is Sterling's thread. If you want to criticise Mahrez then go to his thread.

 

[Pedestrian]

He taking up a position in the team where we have much better options. Been very important in the progression of the club in recent years but both parties suit a different path. Thanks and good luck.

 

[ctwrd]

Seen more criticism for sterling miss placing a pass in a 5-1 win against Wolves than Mahrez did for doing exactly that twice, in more dangerous situations in a 4-3 win against RM which ultimately cost us the tie. How he can be blamed for a goal because he lost the ball in the opponents box is beyond me.

It’s not a mistake as such. Whenever we have a similar situation/counter attack at 3 on 3 and he has the ball you know it’s not going to result in a goal most of the time.

if he is the final man of that 3 to touch it it could well be a goal.

it’s never been his skill.

off the top of my head I feel like he had a very good start to the game against Chelsea at home but then as soon as alonso got booked early on he stopped taking him on which I couldn’t understand (maybe he is told to play safe).

we’ve been less effective/slow on both wings compared to 17-8 & 18-19 this season and last which can be frustrating as a spectator.

Sterling really doesn’t suit playing up front better moving into those positions.

some say he must play on the right but he has scored good goals from the left, Southampton at home, Leeds away…

it’s the number of tap ins he has missed which I think is the reason most of all that some of us think we could do better. Burnley away, Lyon. Maybe it isn’t possible to be clinical in those situations and we’re wrong?

if haaland is to change the setup and we have less need for midfielders to flood the box to score (how many times do we cross to nobody though?) perhaps sterling won’t be asked to go into the box as much and won’t get as many goals. In which case he becomes the playmaker which takes us back to the wolves misplaced pass and countless others and perhaps he doesn’t suit the team anymore?

 

[hero_blue]

I think you also forget the part which states he has the highest shot conversion rate in our squad this season.

And? Look at the positions he has to score from to even have a chance. He pretty much 90% scores only from inside the goal box our close to it. Don’t need to be a rocket scientist, to understand that the positions he scores from are more likely to go in. Look at the contrast between Mahrez goals and Sterlings. And even then Sterlings misses more than he scores. Sterlings stats are overshadowing his performances.

 

[hero_blue]

It’s not a mistake as such. Whenever we have a similar situation/counter attack at 3 on 3 and he has the ball you know it’s not going to result in a goal most of the time.

if he is the final man of that 3 to touch it it could well be a goal.

it’s never been his skill.

off the top of my head I feel like he had a very good start to the game against Chelsea at home but then as soon as alonso got booked early on he stopped taking him on which I couldn’t understand (maybe he is told to play safe).

we’ve been less effective/slow on both wings compared to 17-8 & 18-19 this season and last which can be frustrating as a spectator.

Sterling really doesn’t suit playing up front better moving into those positions.

some say he must play on the right but he has scored good goals from the left, Southampton at home, Leeds away…

it’s the number of tap ins he has missed which I think is the reason most of all that some of us think we could do better. Burnley away, Lyon. Maybe it isn’t possible to be clinical in those situations and we’re wrong?

if haaland is to change the setup and we have less need for midfielders to flood the box to score (how many times do we cross to nobody though?) perhaps sterling won’t be asked to go into the box as much and won’t get as many goals. In which case he becomes the playmaker which takes us back to the wolves misplaced pass and countless others and perhaps he doesn’t suit the team anymore

Spot on mate. Basically he does not fit us. In transition he is too slow to think of passes to other people or even for that matter well placed passes. Grealish and De Bruyne manage to get past players using their bodies + excellent ball control - hence they get fouled everywhere. So u can get by with average pace. Sterlings position may be a winger but aside from that he lacks pretty much every ability a winger should have i.e vision, technique, ball control, creativity and passing ability. ALL our other players have those abilities i.e Bernie, Grealish, KDB, Mahrez even Jesus when he played at RW at the beginning of the season.