Phil Thompson should have been fired on the spot when he said that on Sky.
Is Sterling the best english player at the moment?
- Thread starter TsuWave
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He's the best winger in the world at this moment in time. He's so good.
John Aldridge
Jamie Redknapp
Ibe is utter shit
Do sky still employ Redknapp - he's useless
He used to be such an insecure player before Guardiola got ahold of him. Now he is oozing confidence and he is maximizing his talent
Messi plays on the wing.
He wads the best teenager in the world before he even knew who Guardiola was. I don't why people keep trying to push this narrative as if Raheem was already destined for greatness as a small 15 year old who Liverpool made the highest paid 15 year old in the country for a reason. As classical Mechanic said as well, at every juncture in his career he has stood out as a supreme talent, a couple hiccups along the way doesn't mean he wasn't always supposed to be a great player, credit to Guardiola for honing it, but Rodgers had already done great work with him years before he even moved to city, the credit should be with the Qpr and Liverpool coaches who got him at the most crucial part of his development, and then also most importantly Raheem himself and his mother who were strong willed and determined to make the best out of that talent.
Talent was never in doubt. Did you read what I typed ? I said his confidence levels have nothing to do with before.
Sorry nothing wrong with what you said, more a general comment if anything, i just don't like when people try to imply as if its mostly down to Guardiola, it isn't most of his game has been the same since he was 17.
Nobody is saying that. Guardiola won't make a Bebe put up Raheem Sterling level performances.
But he quite obviously has had a huge influence over Sterling since he's been there and helped him maximise his talent and ability. Same for David Silva and Kevin Dr Bruyne.
You either accept managers have an influence on the way players play and develop, or they're just there to buy players and let them go out there and play. Our fans more than most other clubs, seem to not be able to understand the influence of great coaches on players.
Messi has played less than 300 minutes in La Liga. He's obviously the best but my point still stands.
13 goals in the first 1/4 of the season. He won't score 50, but if he goes above 40 without taking pens and free kicks, that would be phenomenal. The scary thing is that he can improve on his shooting, especially from distance.
Wingers thrive at his age, so it's not clear whether he has it in him to reach another level. If he improves a little bit further, he becomes a Ballon d'Or contender.
Wingers thrive at his age, so it's not clear whether he has it in him to reach another level. If he improves a little bit further, he becomes a Ballon d'Or contender.
He needs to have his shooting boots in the game vs Liverpool
you give his mother more credit for his improvement in his game than Pep?
For his career, his mum was a single mum whos partner got killed who basically planned out his career in the way other sports peoples parents have, every move was calculated and she put a lot of work in to make sure he took advantage of his talent and didn't take other routes.
I get that, but my understanding is people are talking about his improvement as a player in the last 2-3 years right?
Talent was always there to see just like with many other players but apart from that season when he, Suarez and Sturridge tore the epl to shreds, his career took a nosedive. One could easily have assumed that his brilliance that season was due to playing alongside the second deadliest attacker in epl history imo after Henry.
I and many others thought Liverpool had scammed City because Sterling looked like a headless pacy chicken in the years that followed under Mancini till Pep came on board.
Guessing you mean Pellegrini as Sterling never played under Mancini.
Third best player in the world currently
Good to see the public at large finally cottoning on to how good this guy's been since Christmas 2016. Was our best player during the 16/17 season when Pep first arrived, has been absolutely clutch ever since, and he still hasn't reached his ceiling. This guy might honestly hit 50 a season once Aguero's out the way and he plays as an out-and-out #9.
A bit hyperbolic. Raheem is not a 9. Even if he was, to hit 50, he'd need to be a top class finisher, which he is not. And lastly, by my recollection, no player in England has scored 50 goals in nearly the last 30 years. Ruud, Cristiano, Torres, Titi Henry, Shearer, Aguero (a better finisher in the same tean), none of them came close to 50, is Sterling better than them?
30 goals i believe is within reach, and would be a fantastic achievement
This is what good coaching does. Sterling was one of those inconsistent players that pissed you off as a support because you know he has the talent but he made stupid decisions/not as good decisions at the critical time. That’s what the coaches job is, to remove those bad decisions. A coach can’t get a player naturally more skilled, but he can remove the wrong decisions a player makes.
fair play to Raheem
fair play to Raheem
Apologies I actually meant Pellegrini.
I think a lot of those 'stupid decisions' were down to his lack of experience. Yes, Pep has done well, but Raheem is older and wiser now and we're seeing that in his game.
Having said that, I'd say Sterling was amongst the more consistent players out there when he was younger. He won the Golden Boy award in 2014 and played a big part in Liverpool coming close to the title 13/14 season.
He's on to top 40 from the wing this season. See no reason why he wouldn't get 50 in all comps if he were played as as striker.
He could go to prison for that.
You think Raheem Sterling has the attributes of a 50 goal a season striker? What does he have over Kun that would enable Raheem to average more goals per game than Kun? What does he have have over Ruud, Titi Henry or United Cristiano that would enable him to score 50 when they didnt come close to? Are we watching the same player?
A bit over the top considering he isn't even the top scorer in the league at the moment.
I don't think it's fair to compare Sterling to Van Nistlerooy and Henry because much less was expected of strikers during their era. A goal every other game was a record good enough to be considered a legendary striker during that time, whereas ever since Ronaldo and Messi strikers have been expected to score 2 in 3 for top sides or face being sold or considered not good enough (see Lukaku at United). The game has, quite simply, moved on.
But I think Sterling has all the perfect attributes to score 50 in all comps as a striker in a Pep Guardiola system. Yes he's a winger first and foremost, but his best attributes have more to do with him being a poacher. The majority of his goals are scored right underneath the crossbar with his first touch because he always knows exactly when to gamble and where to be when the ball comes across. I think his ability to find space in packed penalty areas outshines that of Aguero and Jesus and, honestly, everyone else in the Premier League.
His current scoring record this season is 13 in 14 from the wing. If you think that's the record of someone who isn't a world class finisher then I don't know what to tell you.
Agree it’s all Hyperbole mate, No way he’d hit 50 as he might score less as a striker anyway as he is suited to the wing. Sterling at a push could get 40 in all competitions but 50 in any position is a bit far fetched
Much less expected from the guy who got 20 assists in a league season?
Aguero in his best Pep seasons at City has scored 33 and 32. Are you telling us that if you replace him with Raheem Sterling in the number 9 position Raheem hits 50? Please tell us how and what attributes Raheem Sterling has over Kun that would make him a more prolific number 9 in the same team.
His positioning off the ball in the penalty area is better, he's much faster across the ground, he doesn't pick up as many injuries and can play more often...
Do people actually think moving a winger up front will guarantee more goals ? As Rashford for example it doesn’t. Sterling wouldn’t be a top striker imo but he is one of the best wingers in the world
He's not a 50 goal a season player and never will be. He is though probably the best player in the league right now.
Feel free to quote me but he won't score 30 in all comps this season even with the start he's had.
He's developed into a wc player and grown up to be a brilliant human being/role model. He's benefiting from pep but the lads professionalism is what has really kicked him on. He might be a bdo contender in the future but hell never be a no. 9 nor a 50 goal a season player.
A combined 50 goals and assists player, maybe once off but hell never score that regular.
Feel free to quote me but he won't score 30 in all comps this season even with the start he's had.
He's developed into a wc player and grown up to be a brilliant human being/role model. He's benefiting from pep but the lads professionalism is what has really kicked him on. He might be a bdo contender in the future but hell never be a no. 9 nor a 50 goal a season player.
A combined 50 goals and assists player, maybe once off but hell never score that regular.
I’ll take that he’ll score 35. But I agree about the no 9 part don’t understand people’s thinking on that one
To be fair, Henry was one of the few attackers from that era who would slot easily into any elite side from the present day. Much like Pele in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s, Laudrup in the 90s, etc. Henry was the player in the 2000s who looked as though he'd been beamed back from football's future. Messi and Ronaldo have become those players for the 2010s.
This is hyperbole at its best. Youre saying that Raheem Sterling is a better number 9 than Kun Aguero. Damn, ive heard it all now.
That's not what I'm saying at all. But even then, having said that, Sterling's just 24. At the age of 24 Kun Aguero's best scoring season was 30 in 48. If you don't think Sterling can match (and beat) that record this season then that's your problem.
I can just give it to you in numbers. Sterling has scored 25 goals in his last 27 apps for club and country. In his last 76 appearances in all competitions for club and country he's scored 48 goals. If you don't think he could get those numbers closer together and score 50 goals in 55-60 games then, again, that's your problem.