Raheem Sterling | Arsenal Player (on loan)

[Silva 83]

Ahh I see, i did have a feeling it may be them. but as a fan who goes upto Rangers a few times a season I thought surely not.

But anyways fair enough.

No your allowed an opinion, we are not a communist country stopping free speech just yet ;-)

I hate Rangers. All my family love the club and are in the Orange Order. It's so difficult to reconcile loving my family with some of the stuff they believe. I just see my immediate family now and ignore my extended. Like the cousin I was closest to as a kid, who idolises Tommy Robinson, the EDL etc, and is passing all that on to his son. It's saddening.

And yes, that was my point. It's not just me who was never a fan of Sterling. It seems like a ban on free speech to force people to submit to the views of people like 'kaz'. Lots of City fans here agree with me, and I would suggest so would a lot of non-City fans.

I have just never thought he's a top player, and he's proving that outside of City. Even at his best he wasn't my type of player - lauded for his stats rather than his all-round game in general play. His technique is too scrappy for me. I like natural technically gifted footballers.

 

[Phil1]

True, they contradict themselves from the pasts. But I am talking about them now. Also, like Barcelona, they're a left leaning club that wants to lord it over the rest of the league. So essentially also right-leaning with their wanting to dominate everyone.

No, I might as well just tell you. It's Rangers. I have been posting in the Scottish football threads enough.

Anyway not sure how this came to my allegiances. I gave some fair opinions on Sterling and was jumped on by a few people. Doesn't seem right.

Should people be afraid to voice genuine opinions here?

Sterling was overall a success but deteriorated quite quickly over his last 18 months or so.
His assist in his final game ensured he left on a high and getting 50m was great business.
Somebody else’s problem now. We’ve not been too shabby since he went.

 

[Silva 83]

Not if you can ignore the fuckwit responses you will get.

You must have read a matchday thread ?

Nah I haven't actually lol.

It is honestly not my intention to antagonise anyone here. I have been very complimentary of most of your players, and any I am not a fan of I don't comment on. Sterling has left City and there was a debate about him so I thought I would give some honest views on what I think about him.

Not saying I am right and his defenders are wrong. It's just what I and some other think.

But I don't take comments from kaz implying I am a kid for not worshipping at the altar of Raheem.

That is her modus operandi though - to insult and belittle while offering very little in the way of football analysis.

I knew before I came back on I would likely get some of that and it's that sort of animosity that generally keeps me off forums. It ruins my mood getting into arguments as I am a very gentle person.

 

[Silva 83]

Sterling was overall a success but deteriorated quite quickly over his last 18 months or so.
His assist in his final game ensured he left on a high and getting 50m was great business.
Somebody else’s problem now. We’ve not been too shabby since he went.

Fair enough.

Like I say, unlike kaz, I respect people's opinions and am grown up enough to understand that people won't agree with me all the time.

 

[Silva 83]

Anyway, I am sorry if I offended anyone with my views (including you kaz). It wasn't my intention and I regret that now the thread about this player has become centred on me. I didn't mean it to.

Apologies.

 

[Vienna_70]

Played more than 300 games for City, scored more than 100 goals, and won a bucket load of trophies.

One of the greatest players in our history. If he'd played for us in the 60s and 70s you'd have older heads (rightly) getting misty eyed over him and saying they don't make players like him anymore.

Represented the club with dignity and pride, was integral to the attacking flair of the highest-scoring and most dominant team in Premier League history, and won back-to-back PL titles on two occasions.

Along with Fred Tilson, Gabriel Jesus, and Ilkay Gundogan, he's one of only four players in Manchester City's entire history to score two goals in an FA Cup final, and one of only 51 players to represent City in a European final.

And let's not forget the day he was attacked outside of the training ground - in an assault that was later revealed to be a racist hate crime - but brushed it off and scored two big goals against Spurs for our club in an important game.

Deserves more respect from our fans than he gets. One of the very few players in our recent history who people seem to think was good in spite of his ability rather than because of it. Delighted we had him, £44m was a bargain.

Well said, Bob.

That was a brilliant post.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Shit move getting your management team to make a statement like that but unsurprising as he’s at a stage of his career where he’s stoped giving a fuck.

I don't mean this as a negative or criticism of him but I strongly suspect football is just a job to him and he has no emotional attachment to any of the clubs he's played at.

You could never fault his commitment or work ethic and he clearly wants to be one of the main men wherever he is. My issue with him is his apparent lack of self-awareness of the quality of his contribution. His positioning was usually great but his ability to strike a ball cleanly and accurately was not what you'd expect from a forward at his level. If you have a weakness, you recognise that and try to correct it. I'm not sure he ever really tried to do that or, if he did, there was no meaningful sign of improvement.

 

[Vienna_70]

Fair enough.

Like I say, unlike kaz, I respect people's opinions and am grown up enough to understand that people won't agree with me all the time.

You’re like too many in this country, concentrating too much on players' negatives, rather than focusing on what they do well.

 

[Silva 83]

I don't mean this as a negative or criticism of him but I strongly suspect football is just a job to him and he has no emotional attachment to any of the clubs he's played at.

You could never fault his commitment or work ethic and he clearly wants to be one of the main men wherever he is. My issue with him is his apparent lack of self-awareness of the quality of his contribution. His positioning was usually great but his ability to strike a ball cleanly and accurately was not what you'd expect from a forward at his level. If you have a weakness, you recognise that and try to correct it. I'm not sure he ever really tried to do that or, if he did, there was no meaningful sign of improvement.

That's my only issue with the guy.

He was a model pro in the sense of always giving his all. He had amazing workrate and off ball movement. The racist abuse he faced from scumbags in the tabloids and idiots in the stands was repulsive. Good on him for shutting them up.

But my issue with him, is that I am a guy who loves technical wizards. He was never that, let's be honest about it. Mahrez is 3 times more talented than him.

Obviously not disputing his contribution, and like I said earlier, application of talent is much more important than having talent and doing nothing with it. He squeezed every last drop out of his ability, because honestly, I think far more talented footballers have did much less in the game thab him.

So I guess in the end - he was a success. Because he got every drop out of himself at City. But away from the guidance of Guardiola, and in a mess like Chelsea, he needs his talent to make up for the chaos surrounding him. And it isn't, because he isn't a football genius or anywhere close.

 

[SWPISHOME]

Anyway, I am sorry if I offended anyone with my views (including you kaz). It wasn't my intention and I regret that now the thread about this player has become centred on me. I didn't mean it to.

Apologies.

 

[Silva 83]

You’re like too many in this country, concentrating too much on players' negatives, rather than focusing on what they do well.

One player I did it with, this guy. But now I am concentrating on players' negatives.

Believe me, there's a couple of your present players I don't like. But I am not gonna go into their threads and start criticising them, as that's asking for a ban given the tribal nature of some on here.

 

[Silva 83]

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Lol criticise an ex player and out comes the insecurity.

Some of you are so thin-skinned for fuck sake. It's one player, who doesn't even play for you anymore.

 

[Silva 83]

You’re like too many in this country, concentrating too much on players' negatives, rather than focusing on what they do well.

Also, does this extend to opposition players?

Pretty sure I could find you slagging off loads of oppo players. But when it comes to ex-City players it's all 'you're being too negative'.

Might as well leave due to this sheer tribalism from some. Fucking joke.

 

[SWPISHOME]

Lol criticise an ex player and out comes the insecurity.

Some of you are so thin-skinned for fuck sake. It's one player, who doesn't even play for you anymore.

No your being a sarcastic ****...I wish I was thin skinned fella, I'm a fat bastard.

 

[Silva 83]

No your being a sarcastic ****...I wish I was thin skinned fella, I'm a fat bastard.

I'm the one who was jumped on originally.

All for not being a fan of Raheem Sterling, like he's Pele or Johan Cruyff.

He's really not that good in terms of pure talent, and never has been, for me. And loads of people agree with me, both City fans and non-City fans.

He's certainly not so good that he's beyond the (very moderate) criticism I have given of him.

 

[SWPISHOME]

I'm the one who was jumped on originally.

All for not being a fan of Raheem Sterling, like he's Pele or Johan Cruyff.

He's really not that good in terms of pure talent, and never has been, for me. And loads of people agree with me, both City fans and non-City fans.

I haven't even read the posts to be honest so I've no idea what was said.

Me personally about Raheem, I always backed him when he was here, He played a huge part of our success.

Once he left he done an interview giving the club what for, He can go fuck himself, Hope he ends up at Sunderland.

 

[Silva 83]

I haven't even read the posts to be honest so I've no idea what was said.

Me personally about Raheem, I always backed him when he was here, He played a huge part of our success.

Once he left he done an interview giving the club what for, He can go fuck himself, Hope he ends up at Sunderland.

Fair enough. LIke I say, I don't have an issue with people disagreeing with me.

My issue is with the City versions of United Top Reds, who jump on me - as well as their own fellow City fans - for daring not to rate a player as highly as they do. Like they couldn't possibly be wrong. They're fans just like we are. It's the height of arrogance to think your opinion is 100 percent right.

Something else I have saw lurking the player threads is that 'Pep picks him so he must be brilliant' - as if Guardiola is infallible. Total appeal to authority and such a weak argument. Now I think Guardiola is the best coach ever but he has no issue picking mediocre (by top level standards) players. Look at some of the poor players he selected at Barca even when they were the best team ever. He played the likes of Chygrynsky at times for example.

 

[SWPISHOME]

Fair enough. LIke I say, I don't have an issue with people disagreeing with me.

My issue is with the City versions of United Top Reds, who jump on me - as well as their own fellow City fans - for daring not to rate a player as highly as they do. Like they couldn't possibly be wrong. They're fans just like we are. It's the height of arrogance to think your opinion is 100 percent right.

Something else I have saw lurking the player threads is that 'Pep picks him so he must be brilliant' - as if Guardiola is infallible. Total appeal to authority and such a weak argument. Now I think Guardiola is the best coach ever but he has no issue picking mediocre (by top level standards) players. Look at some of the poor players he selected at Barca even when they were the best team ever. He played the likes of Chygrynsky at times for example.

As I said I don't know what was said between yourself and other posters.

If you were having an opinion, I certainly wouldn't be apologising for it. If you've called someone out name calling ect that's a different story.

Forums are all about other people's opinions. It would be boring as fuck if we all thought the same.

 

[Silva 83]

As I said I don't know what was said between yourself and other posters.

If you were having an opinion, I certainly wouldn't be apologising for it. If you've called someone out name calling ect that's a different story.

Forums are all about other people's opinions. It would be boring as fuck if we all thought the same.

Exactly my point.

I haven't called anyone an ad hom. The original thing that annoyed me a bit was kaz implying I am a kid who should be at school because I don't think Sterling is or was a great player. What sort of weak comment is that? But expected from her to be honest.

Ironic as I have probably watched and played significantly more football than her in the last 35 years. Which is a bit of a dickhead thing to say, but what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

There were a few other comments too but they were just snarky ones and those posters are hypocrites as they don't follow their own advice generally.

 

[HelloCity]

I don't mean this as a negative or criticism of him but I strongly suspect football is just a job to him and he has no emotional attachment to any of the clubs he's played at.

You could never fault his commitment or work ethic and he clearly wants to be one of the main men wherever he is. My issue with him is his apparent lack of self-awareness of the quality of his contribution. His positioning was usually great but his ability to strike a ball cleanly and accurately was not what you'd expect from a forward at his level. If you have a weakness, you recognise that and try to correct it. I'm not sure he ever really tried to do that or, if he did, there was no meaningful sign of improvement.

I think it was Sterling's awkward style of play which always made his misses look worse.

At the end of the day he was the best goal scoring wide player we've ever had and levels above anyone we have right now with only Foden starting to show he can get to that level. Even Foden isn't yet at the 31 goal season peak that Sterling had.

I look at someone like Grealish and he fluffs just as many chances and also doesn't get into anywhere near the amount of goal scoring positions either but no one talks about him not being about to finish because it's not a 'thing'.

Sometimes you have to look at what else they bring to the table and that can be more than enough to outweigh the weaknesses and Sterling's goal contribution for City far outweighed the fact he wasn't finishing all his chances like a seasoned center forward.