Raheem Sterling | Joins Chelsea for £50m

[leo_city]

He owes us nothing. He's come here, gotten tonnes of abuse because of it and has been integral to our success. It's a shame he won't be getting a send off. The lad is one of the best players to wear the shirt.

But... He is past his peak and has been regressing for a while. Add to the mix he wants to sign to a direct rival. It's a shame to see it end like this but we'll make our money back on his fee and likely replace him with a hungrier player.
I always felt that he was never lauded as the great English poster boy because he left the dippers for us and suffered from the media abuse. Maybe he felt way this too.

Good post mate, I don't feel great about him going to Chelsea of all clubs. One thing about our fans, regardless of lows he's had, majority of us have backed him. I fear he won't receive the same treatment from Chelsea fans, they will boo him out the club if he misses a chance or two.

I agree on his ceiling as well, I think Pep got the best out of him, I sense his hunger in trying a new avenue but I doubt it will be to the same level as it was under Pep. Right time to end the journey I guess. But absolutely one of the best to wear the shirt.

 

[leo_city]

For the last two seasons Raheem was not on his best level. Selling him to our rival is not the best option though.

Are Chelsea really a threat to us like that? I mean, Europe is different, but domestically, and given the circumstances at their club, they are in a rebuild phase. I doubt they'd challenge for anything for a couple years at least.

 

[asahartford1]

You are spreading misinformation by saying a player has not done something when he clearly has. Yes you have a right to your opinion and no one's going to force you to like Raheem Sterling, but to make him out as if he is anyone who's been at the club is embarrassing. Especially when you are bringing up Gabriel Jesus in comparison, that's being intellectually dishonest. This isn't point scoring, you're not a rival fan, we're all blues here, if someone from the rags was to disrespect or view our player as useless or pathetic, then I'd be point scoring by telling them how shit theirs are to begin with. But it's very disappointing to see it from our own fans, you are reducing his career down to a mere waste of time, when he is up there as one of our most important players highlighting this successful era.

I get it, he's not pleasing on the eye, he has bad moments, and you are choosing to focus on that and make it known. Fair enough. Some of us choose to view him positively because he's leaving at the right time but has done a lot of good at our club. Been a good servant. Just don't make it out like he's some scrub.

Excellent.

 

[bluenova]

Putting aside whether Palmer is ready or not, and he is not, Palmer is already here. He was here last year when Torres was here. Grealish is already here. Foden too. Saying players that leave will be replaced by players that are here is just a way of saying those players won't be replaced.

It is like saying if we sell walker, cancelo will replace him or if we sell bernardo gundogan will replace him. We'd still 2 big players down.

Alvarez by the way is a big risk in itself, coming to this level and continent for the first time, straight off the back of a tournament without a rest. I expect Pep to take it easy with him, so another attacker if Sterling leaves and Gabi effectively gone is a must for me.

Sure - but I was responding to a post which focused on Palmer as the replacement for Stirling and Jesus, when it's clear he's the smallest part of that solution.

It's also nothing like saying Cancelo would replace Walker - Cancelo was our most used player last year, so he can't replace anyone. It's closer to Pep saying that Foden is replacing David Silva. Clearly Foden was already here, but he was playing a lot less, and now he's a full part of the squad.

I realise Alvarez and Palmer aren't proven (and even Haaland might find the PL a challenge), but surely that's the case with all changes? Pep was happy to let Torres go because he was sure Palmer was ready to step up if needed. Reports are that they are more confident Alvarez will be able to step up more quickly than when they bought him. (Bear in mind that Alvarez has an almost identical record to Darwin Nunez over the past 12 months, is the same age, and is coming from a league that is statistically tougher for strikers than the Portuguese one).

We'll have Foden, Mahrez, Grealish, Silva, Haaland, Alvaraz and Palmer available for three spots up front. With that talent, there's no need to focus on Palmer at all, and adding someone else who is proven doesn't look to be a priority to me.

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

TBF - I was not stating that there are 'issues' other than his playing capability - although I can see why me making the statement I did about Jesus might suggest I was implying that

My statement about Jesus just reflects my admiration for him.

That said - I also think Jesus's playing capability is far superior to Sterling's. I do not count that in terms of stats re goals etc - I cn see it with my own eyes...

For example - Jesus's work rate when tracking back - it is full on and often leads to regaining possession - for me, Sterling basically undertakes some 'shadowing' of the opposition player without really pressing or putting a tackle in

Simply put - I do not rate him.

Because he doesn't tackle as much as you like? Seems a very one dimensional outlook, to completely ignore all the positives he brings to the side.

 

[mrtwiceaseason]

Yes, very much so, as I've tried to tell people that are expecting a change in style and crosses flung in like we have Andy Caroll. He scores more from passes played across the 6 yard box from and underlap than wide crosses.

He's much more like a competent sterling than I imagined,the other thing that stood out on one to ones he didn't seem to flap and finds the net ,also I thought he would be more prolific with his head .ever day a school day for me

 

[CC1]

TBF - I was not stating that there are 'issues' other than his playing capability - although I can see why me making the statement I did about Jesus might suggest I was implying that

My statement about Jesus just reflects my admiration for him.

That said - I also think Jesus's playing capability is far superior to Sterling's. I do not count that in terms of stats re goals etc - I cn see it with my own eyes...

For example - Jesus's work rate when tracking back - it is full on and often leads to regaining possession - for me, Sterling basically undertakes some 'shadowing' of the opposition player without really pressing or putting a tackle in

Simply put - I do not rate him.

You are perfectly entitled to your opinion about players but whether you like it or not - you can’t ignore the facts & stats. Sterling’s stats are extremely good & the impact ge has had on our success is indisputable. He may miss some one on ones but that’s because he’s always there for the opportunity. I’ll miss his pace & the fear he caused our opponents.

Both he & Jesus are v good players but Sterling is more than that

 

[Oldham Exile]

You are spreading misinformation by saying a player has not done something when he clearly has. Yes you have a right to your opinion and no one's going to force you to like Raheem Sterling, but to make him out as if he is anyone who's been at the club is embarrassing. Especially when you are bringing up Gabriel Jesus in comparison, that's being intellectually dishonest. This isn't point scoring, you're not a rival fan, we're all blues here, if someone from the rags was to disrespect or view our player as useless or pathetic, then I'd be point scoring by telling them how shit theirs are to begin with. But it's very disappointing to see it from our own fans, you are reducing his career down to a mere waste of time, when he is up there as one of our most important players highlighting this successful era.

I get it, he's not pleasing on the eye, he has bad moments, and you are choosing to focus on that and make it known. Fair enough. Some of us choose to view him positively because he's leaving at the right time but has done a lot of good at our club. Been a good servant. Just don't make it out like he's some scrub.

Sorry - when you make comments like:

"You are spreading misinformation..." and

".......you are bringing up Gabriel Jesus in comparison, that's being intellectually dishonest."

You only prove to me:

a) you do not read posts sufficiently before going off on one and seeking to shout down the views of others - my 2nd post made it absolutely clear that I was most certainly not comparing Jesus and Sterling with regards to being a 'model professional'- it would have been obvious if you had bothered to read rather than react, indeed I have been also clear that I was making no negative comments about Sterling's professionalism - and

b) You indeed do not accept that people have the right to express their own views if they differ from yours.

I now have my own views about who is being more honest in this exchange - but I am not spending time in some further tit for tat posts - I will leave you going off on rants to close down the views of other posters that hold different views to you.

 

[Big Joe Corrigan]

I firmly believe it was Brendan Rodgers who created the hatred for Raz.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Where I think that you go wrong is to dismiss the views of others as "intellectually dishonest and waffle" and "simply not true"

I think there is a point to be made about how certain people (note: not all) come across as completely disingenuous when they say "I simply don't rate him and that's all there is to it."

There have been plenty of players we've had who haven't been particularly rated and, if we're being honest, we've been glad to see the back of. Even so, we've wished them well when they have gone.

What we've got with Raheem Sterling is a considerable number of people who can't resist throwing in a few parting shots and even having digs at him because the club he's going to has some racists amongst their supporters, like he's never suffered racist abuse from ours.

Like I said earlier, not rating him is one thing but that doesn't really stack up with how some of us give him absolutely no credit, even when they get what they want; his departure.

The problem is that you can't address those particular supporters without others thinking you're tarring them with the same brush.

It's never been about one side rating Sterling Vs one side not rating him. There's a whole spectrum of viewpoints but it's just gradually devolved into a tribal thing where many who don't value his footballing ability feel the constantly need to justify their opinions.

The cost of that is often the respect he deserves and the regular trivialisation of serious societal issues. And that's a shame to see.