Player Topic: Raheem Sterling (2015/16)

[PragueBlue]

He's a good player when he has space to run into (e.g. Seville away, Bournemouth). Unfortunately, we usually play teams that defend deeply which doesn't allow him the space he needs to be effective. He really has to improve his control, passing and finishing ability if he's to be an integral part of our first team.

 

[moomba]

Sure, but the thing is, they are the same things we were saying about him at liverpool in terms of his weaknesses. Presumably the strengths you see is that he has good balance, he looks good on the ball, i.e it sticks to his feet. If so, its the same as what we said about him during his time with us.

Pace, balance, strength, ability to beat a man, movement off the ball. One of the top creative players in the league last year and for a good five months carried Liverpool playing out of position for most of it. I think he's got a mental toughness that many on here arent able to see, you need it to do what he did in the summer.

I reckon he's a top signing and we're lucky to have him. His performance against Seville will in the near future become his norm.

Couple of down games shouldnt change that, we just need a bit more patience than we're showing at the moment.

 

[ZZmaestro]

He is very young, he turns 21 next month.
But in Sterling's case age is irrelevant.
I mean, at this moment i can definitely acknowledge that he will become a player ala Walcott.
He has pace and is committed to run himself to the ground but terribly lacks football brains and overall technique is average.
If people expect him to become a world beater winger in the mold of Ribery, Roben, Bale or DiMaria, they are in for a big disappointment.
He will never reach those heights because of his profile.

 

[Kinkladze 1]

Excellent debate on this thread all day long.

 

[moomba]

He is very young, he turns 21 next month.
But in Sterling's case age is irrelevant.
I mean, at this moment i can definitely acknowledge that he will become a player ala Walcott.
He has pace and is committed to run himself to the ground but terribly lacks football brains and overall technique is average.
If people expect him to become a world beater winger in the mold of Ribery, Roben, Bale or DiMaria, they are in for a big disappointment.
He will never reach those heights because of his profile.

I think his football brain is a strength, we've seen him play all over the pitch and adapt to different positions and styles of play. I think execution is where he will improve in time. FWIW I don't think he will end up a winger in the mould of the ones you've mentioned, I think he'll spend plenty of time moving between wide and central positions.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Which players who are 20 yo or younger, do you believe is better than him?

Why is that important? There are dozens of players better than him who play this sport whatever age they are. It also might well be a bad bunch of 20 year olds at present and in five years time there might be a huge crop come through around the world who make Sterling's age group look like mugs.

 

[Deleted member 58678]

I think his football brain is a strength, we've seen him play all over the pitch and adapt to different positions and styles of play. I think execution is where he will improve in time. FWIW I don't think he will end up a winger in the mould of the ones you've mentioned, I think he'll spend plenty of time moving between wide and central positions.

HE can't pass the ball well enough to play centrally.

 

[BlueTG]

He will struggle in these kind of matches where some players fail to make space and our build up is stifled. It's not just him off-song; it's the whole team.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

The coup of signing him far outweighs the return on the pitch unfortunately. Still confident he'll come good though.

 

[Thenumber1blue]

He was a fast player , I have the sense he lost some speed. At England vs France , Sterling was 20 yards infront of Kingsley Coman, but the latter outspeed him so easily. At liverpool I thought he was a rocket



Here is the video, anyone agree that he lost speed?

Pointless example,one is straight on in full flow and the other is running round.