Raheem Sterling

comment by TOORSpursFan (U1721)
posted 7 minutes ago
Sterling has got better every season since he burst onto the scene at 17. I knew he would reach the top as he had something that others with his pace didn't have, tactical intelligence. He was accused of being just like them, like Lennon, Walcott etc but anybody who watched him every week knew that wasn't true.

I've never seen a winger who tracks back so well also. He's become more lethal with his finishing and is now the complete winger.
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I used to use it as a barometer of if people really knew about football - whether they rated Sterling or not! (it works for some other players too)

There's a very good book about scouting called ""The Nowhere Men" (I think it's that, I read it a while ago) that has a lot about Sterling at an early age and what scouts look for on top of of the natural pace.

Think Rodgers having him play in multiple positions and Pellegrini using him as a defensive winger for a couple of seasons both really helped his development in that regard too - at the time Pellegrinis use of him in particular felt like a missed opportunity, but he's reaping the rewards without the ball now.

comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 13 minutes ago
comment by TOORSpursFan (U1721)
posted 7 minutes ago
Sterling has got better every season since he burst onto the scene at 17. I knew he would reach the top as he had something that others with his pace didn't have, tactical intelligence. He was accused of being just like them, like Lennon, Walcott etc but anybody who watched him every week knew that wasn't true.

I've never seen a winger who tracks back so well also. He's become more lethal with his finishing and is now the complete winger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I used to use it as a barometer of if people really knew about football - whether they rated Sterling or not! (it works for some other players too)

There's a very good book about scouting called ""The Nowhere Men" (I think it's that, I read it a while ago) that has a lot about Sterling at an early age and what scouts look for on top of of the natural pace.

Think Rodgers having him play in multiple positions and Pellegrini using him as a defensive winger for a couple of seasons both really helped his development in that regard too - at the time Pellegrinis use of him in particular felt like a missed opportunity, but he's reaping the rewards without the ball now.


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Yeah Rodgers moved him around a lot and even played him at wing back a few times, on both sides. He was always best playing off the left but when he played centrally he was very difficult for defenders to pick up. He's also deceptively strong and has now learned when to use that strength and when to cut his losses and go down.

The season we found out he was leaving, he was by then our main player we looked to for goals, with Suarez gone and Sturridge injured and Balotelli being useless and strolling around the pitch looking for a fight, it was like he always needed to have somebody against him. Sterling was used as a lone striker and did a really good job, considering his age, size and inexperience, at 19. He ended up with 11 goals and 10 assists if I remember right. Unfortunately we weren't in a good place that season and he took the opportunity that most in his position would have. Oh well, I'm very happy with Mane anyhow.

The one area where I think Sterling could improve on is his shot selection. He often spoke about people telling him from a young age to side foot his shots and stop hitting with the laces. For me he side foots too many of his shots and doesnt get the required power to beat the keeper, which end up just bouncing into the keepers hands. He needs to lace some more shots, with power, like Salah today for example.

I agree with that, there was a good moment in the City documentary where Guardiola speaks about the difference with him when it's on his left foot rather than his right too - with the latter he goes with instinct, but with the former he overthinks it a lot as he's far less comfortable. He did have a good finish with his left (after a poor effort with it earlier in the game) today though

Crikey that article is an absolute corker. Where do you even start.

Forget sometimes how many duds they have bought in recent years.

That article is jokes. Should be famous. And a good example of media’s perpetuation of Sterling’s ‘bad boy’ / bad attitude persona

What is our duds-to-trophies ratio?

comment by Boris 'Inky' Gibson (U5901)
posted 8 hours, 46 minutes ago
What is our duds-to-trophies ratio?
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Javi Garcia
Wayne Bridge
Wilfred Bony

To

3 titles

I thought he was a top player for us. When he played with Suarez and Sturridge he was on fire

He’s had a great season so far

People that couldn't see the potential in Sterling should just give up watching football.

I think he'll end up as City's striker if Pep stays there long enough.