Raheem Sterling - 2018/19 Performances

[RandomJ]

He's gone up another level this season. What has impressed me is how he is now backing himself to take on his defender when last season he would have passed it back to Silva or Kev. He has the swagger of someone who knows he is better than the other player and is not afraid to show them. If he keeps developing like this under Pep he is gonna be special by the time he is 26.

 

[Deleted member 81382]

What has impressed me is how he is now backing himself to take on his defender when last season he would have passed it back to Silva or Kev.

I've noticed that, maybe I'm wrong and the stats say otherwise but he does seem to be doing it more.

 

[lasereyes]

Sorry Dax but I think this is bollocks.

He's our best winger. It's a must win game. You play him. It's that simple, he needs to get over his Anfield problem, and he's due a big performance in a big game.

Every time you bench him for Anfield you're just reinforcing some myth that he can't play there until it becomes reality.

He's 23 now, he's in the form of his life, time to put this to bed.

It's absolutely not a must-win. A draw is a perfectly acceptable result and a loss is not disastrous since we can get them back at the Etihad (and most likely would).

 

[Rolee]

I've noticed that, maybe I'm wrong and the stats say otherwise but he does seem to be doing it more.

The stats back it up, according to Whoscored he had 1.9 successful dribbles per game in the league last season, so far this season he has 2.5 per game.

 

[SWP's back]

It's absolutely not a must-win. A draw is a perfectly acceptable result and a loss is not disastrous since we can get them back at the Etihad (and most likely would).

Yep, it's a silly to thing to say.

If this game is a must win then absolutely every league game in a season would have to be classed as a must win.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Been saying it for the last three years now but I couldn't think of anything better than a last minute Sterling winner in front of the Kop.

He beats VD and puts him on his arse. Rounds Allyson with ease. Runs the ball into the empty net whilst singin RS he’s top of the league to the kop. I can almost see it.

 

[Mon Autre]

He's been our best player so far this season and to drop/rest him on Sunday hands Liverpool a psychological victory in my opinion and at the same time weakens our team. Sterling is as mentally tough as they come and whilst he hasn't played his best football away at Anfield, a lot of our fans have put too much focus on him and not acknowledged how badly the entire team has played in those games (compounded by the fact some of Pep's more questionable tactical decisions have also come in these games).

He plays with the kind of tenacity that is absolutely vital against a team like Liverpool and we'd be needlessly hurting ourselves by not playing him whilst also galvanising the whole myth that Liverpool's fans and their "famous atmosphere" are a significant source of competitive advantage. Letting the perception that their fans can intimidate our players and influence our team selection plays right into their hands and won't serve us well in the long term.

 

[Dipsis_LTU_MC]

In terms of the league table, of course, it's not a must win. However, because we'll play Liverpool at Anfield these circumstances make it a must win game. Imagine reading the headlines "Klopp has outclassed Pep once again bla bla". We need to shut them up with a world class performance, simply demolish them. 5-1 City.

 

[Henkeman]

In terms of the league table, of course, it's not a must win. However, because we'll play Liverpool at Anfield these circumstances make it a must win game. Imagine reading the headlines "Klopp has outclassed Pep once again bla bla". We need to shut them up with a world class performance, simply demolish them. 5-1 City.

If City win the league they can write about their We Beat Man City Cup as much as they like.

 

[domalino]

Interesting game today, he started brilliantly, had 3 or 4 great runs, had sime big chances but Nagelsman changed the formation and put an extra man inform of him and he really struggled after that.

I think it's the first time I've seen a manager make a tactical change specifically to stop Sterling, and if he keeps up his form this season he might have to get used to it and learn to deal with it better because he got subdued by it today.