It's Quiet Thread 15 - Txiki Blinders

[willipp]

There is no doubt that when he is on it he is a huge asset. The difficulty with that is that in 12 months time he would have us over a barrel in terms of his contract. Do we stick or twist

Who would take him now do you think? Dread to think what wages he is on and can’t see him really wanting to take a significant pay cut. Could already have us over a barrel.

 

[Roachy]

There is definitely a mental thing with Sterling and his confidence is absolutely shredded at the moment. Unless he gets that back then its hard to see him getting back to form. I'd just like City to persist with him one more season bacause if he can, he'll be a brilliant player for us again.

It's strange with Sterling. Positional play still top notch, but then receives the ball and then dithers or just loses concentration with what should come next.

 

[willipp]

There were at least 4 players worse that Sterling. I know he isn't great at the moment but I don't think the club will write him off. Unless it carries on into next season.

It does feel like city players are open season for criticism. Mount for example I thought as really average last night. Foden on the other hand was England’s only real threat when he did get on the ball. However it’s Foden who is hooked first and mount plays the whole game. Even on the BBC highlights they talked about how Mount was the one English shining light. Might be my blue tinted glasses but I’m just not having it.

 

[OB1]

The elephant in the room for me continues to be Sterling, because I think we need to contemplate a sale at the earliest opportunity.

Just my opinion, I have celebrated his goals and achievements with City just like everybody else, so not a statement to knock him, respectful of his time with us.

I have been watching him closely for the last 18 months or so since an obvious downturn in form.

I had put it down to fatigue and being overplayed, resulting in a lack of confidence.

However, I am seeing worrying signs it might be because he has actually peaked?

He was knocking on the first team door at the age of 15 and is more like 30 in playing years.

Raheem always had that spark which took him beyond his marker inside the first three or four yards, but he has lost his raw pace in my opinion.

It has made him indecisive and impacted his decision making.

The contract situation is a dilemma, but there is a point when it needs to be asked if he justifies being retained for another four or five years, never mind a regular starting place in the City team?

Raheem wouldn't be the first wonderkid to find his powers waning a little earlier than his age would suggest?

I always felt Michael Owen peaked at 22, he was absolutely electric beforehand, but his pace deserted him due to injuries.

Rooney hit 27 and the writing was obvious he wasn't the same player.

Perhaps we might even be seeing it with Kane?

All these guys have played a lot of football before their mid-20s.

As I say, merely for the topic of debate, I personally fear we may have already had the best of Raheem and was interested what other Blues felt, without it becoming a vilification of a player who has served us very well?

Can't know if he has peaked but he is a different physical specimen to others that you have mentioned.

What does not seem to be in doubt is that his confidence has taken a knock and part of that reason is losing his starting place at City to Foden. There have to be other factors too and something has gone on with Pep but not entirely sure what (maybe, and this bit is speculation on my part, Raz needed more of an arm round the shoulder whilst Pep has been tough on him) but Pep did pick him for the UCL final so that looks like a vote of confidence.

I think the issue of whether Sterling stays or goes lies with the player and wether he can cope with being rotated much more than he used to.

What I do firmly believe is that people focus far more, too much, on Raz's failings rather than his attributes. We know that he fluffs his lines more than we'd like but through superb movement, he gets into excellent positions far more than most players. Also, only the other day, Rio F commented on how when he speaks to defenders in the Premier League, they hate playing against Raz because he is a real handful. I think Sterling is under-appreciated by a vast body of supporters but far less by those in the game.

I suspect that it's the mental side of the game that Raz needs more help with and not a case of waning physical powers.

Certainly, I'd move several other players on before Raz but I don't envisage many changes at all this summer.

 

[BlueBrain]

He scored 31 goals in 19/20 so I’m not having he’s had 18 months of bad form. He had a big dip this year and that coincides with City not play a cf for most of it.

Go check when his form dropped it was January 2020 till now. Thats 18 months.

Yeh he had 31 goals I think 20 of them came in the first 3-4 months of the season then his do dropped and continued to get worse where it peaked in the Lyon game

 

[Didsbury Dave]

The elephant in the room for me continues to be Sterling, because I think we need to contemplate a sale at the earliest opportunity.

Just my opinion, I have celebrated his goals and achievements with City just like everybody else, so not a statement to knock him, respectful of his time with us.

I have been watching him closely for the last 18 months or so since an obvious downturn in form.

I had put it down to fatigue and being overplayed, resulting in a lack of confidence.

However, I am seeing worrying signs it might be because he has actually peaked?

He was knocking on the first team door at the age of 15 and is more like 30 in playing years.

Raheem always had that spark which took him beyond his marker inside the first three or four yards, but he has lost his raw pace in my opinion.

It has made him indecisive and impacted his decision making.

The contract situation is a dilemma, but there is a point when it needs to be asked if he justifies being retained for another four or five years, never mind a regular starting place in the City team?

Raheem wouldn't be the first wonderkid to find his powers waning a little earlier than his age would suggest?

I always felt Michael Owen peaked at 22, he was absolutely electric beforehand, but his pace deserted him due to injuries.

Rooney hit 27 and the writing was obvious he wasn't the same player.

Perhaps we might even be seeing it with Kane?

All these guys have played a lot of football before their mid-20s.

As I say, merely for the topic of debate, I personally fear we may have already had the best of Raheem and was interested what other Blues felt, without it becoming a vilification of a player who has served us very well?

Whilst I agree with a lot of your points, the big difference is that Sterling has never been injured. I think it's purely a mental thing - we've seen it all his career, boom and bust. This is a long "bust" though. I thought he was excellent in the first England game and dangerous last night until shoved out on the right.

overall I'm easy if he stays or goes.

 

[bluenova]

It's strange with Sterling. Positional play still top notch, but then receives the ball and then dithers or just loses concentration with what should come next.

He had an odd game, lots of it not great, but his recovery of the ball, then pass for Mount were England's best moments of the match. He also almost set up Foden with a great nutmegged pass later on.

 

[Sir peace frog]

Just googled top strikers in football surprised there’s not many

Lewandowski
kane
Lukaku
Haaland
CR7
Benzema
Immobile
Cavani
Andre Silva
Vlahovic
Calvert Lewin

your google is fucked , mbappe

 

[willipp]

Go check when his form dropped it was January 2020 till now. Thats 18 months.

Yeh he had 31 goals I think 20 of them came in the first 3-4 months of the season then his do dropped and continued to get worse where it peaked in the Lyon game

He scored 11 goals in 13 games after the restart in June.

 

[Sir peace frog]

Just googled top strikers in football surprised there’s not many

Lewandowski
kane
Lukaku
Haaland
CR7
Benzema
Immobile
Cavani
Andre Silva
Vlahovic
Calvert Lewin

ive also just googled top strikers in football, mbappe was third, your google is broke, unless all you looked at was 442 , as for calvert lewin at no 10, top strikers in world football ?