Sterling as you say has the ability to beat his man but that's all he offers. He has absolutely no end product. Suarez made sterling look much better than he was/is in their near title season, when he's playing with Aguero and silva he might get that form back but based on last season he's not worth the price. I don't even think he's the best young english player either Kane takes that. Last season he played much better than sterling there's no doubt.
Raheem Sterling | Signs for Man City for £49,000,000
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Sterling as you say has the ability to beat his man but that's all he offers. He has absolutely no end product. Suarez made sterling look much better than he was/is in their near title season, when he's playing with Aguero and silva he might get that form back but based on last season he's not worth the price. I don't even think he's the best young english player either Kane takes that. Last season he played much better than sterling there's no doubt.
I think Sterling is worth about 40million gbp due to his age. He has at least 10 years of peak football ahead of him and that's why it makes sense to pay a lot for him. Ronaldo would probably cost 70million for 2 seasons of top football then it goes down hill. Rooney, Hazard, Neymar, Ferdinand etc all went for a lot at the time but the duration of their services to each club makes the fee seem like great value. De Gea would have been the same if we didn't get played by him and Mendes and I'm sure Depay will be here for a while and therefore become great value.
Young players who are playing at the top level will all be valued so much higher than older players who are better than them in the same league because the potential and duration is there. This is why Pogba will go for a large sum.
Young players who are playing at the top level will all be valued so much higher than older players who are better than them in the same league because the potential and duration is there. This is why Pogba will go for a large sum.
No it isn't. His link-up play is superb.
He's a really well-rounded attacking player. His performance against Chelsea, with his back to goal almost all game, was incredible. He barely ran with the ball that day and was still superb.
So it displayed his attributes beyond 'ability to beat a man'. His link-up is as good as his ability to beat a man.
He's closer to Aguero and Silva's wave-length than Henderson and Lallana's.
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a bit different that....
I think that was a Ronaldo situation - play for one more season and you can go.
agreement to let the player go done quietly - player agrees and gives it all for another year
I remember Fergie saying he wouldn't sell Madrid a virus - a deal was in place behind the scenes
I'd go the other way. It's easier to find one good number 9 than two good wingers in the transfer market.
Sterling is 1.5 years younger and his final ball is terrible right now, like it often is for young players. If he can improve even a bit there he should be a consistent double digit goalscorer from out wide and one who creates for others too.
Also, players who can beat a man are tough to find and he's one. And he's shown he can combine well with good players like Suarez and Sturridge because he's mobile and keeps the ball on the deck and so could presumably do so again with whatever stars play for the team he ends up with.
Considering the homegrown stuff and that Citeh need a wide attacker to go with Aguero and Silva in their attack, I think this would be worth it.
I look at Sterling and I see him in the same mould as players like Lennon, Pennant, and SWP, he is very tricky and fast, he can come up with a few goals, but will he progress to be a top level player that the £40 - £50 million fee would suggest he should, he may, but there is also a very strong chance he will reach a certain point , and then will stall and not progress any further.
I remember seeing Aaron Lennon when he first joined Spurs and he looked fantastic, so fast and tricky he just looked unplayable at times, I really wanted us to sign him but his progress faltered and he just became an alright player, it could be a physique thing with these sort of players I'm not sure.
If I was City and was desperate to get a young English player with real potential i'd go for Barkley, he might not be anything like the finished player, and could not progress, but with his physique and ability he has shown in flashes he might become a real player in a 2-3 years, secretly hope we go for him at some point.
I remember seeing Aaron Lennon when he first joined Spurs and he looked fantastic, so fast and tricky he just looked unplayable at times, I really wanted us to sign him but his progress faltered and he just became an alright player, it could be a physique thing with these sort of players I'm not sure.
If I was City and was desperate to get a young English player with real potential i'd go for Barkley, he might not be anything like the finished player, and could not progress, but with his physique and ability he has shown in flashes he might become a real player in a 2-3 years, secretly hope we go for him at some point.
If they've really offered 40m then that means one thing - this deal will get done this window. Pool probably holding out for more.... but with a few days left in the window they'll let him go for 40
Not to turn this into a comparison thread, but would anyone actually want Sterling more than Memphis? I think Memphis will be much better than Sterling in the PL.
And I have watched a lot of both in the last year or so.
And I have watched a lot of both in the last year or so.
if we bundled in with a £50m bid, would Liverpool really say, no we hate you, whereas City, no that's fine!
We could at least push the fee up for those bastads
We could at least push the fee up for those bastads
From what I'd heard Liverpool had told Sterling they were gonna make him see out his deal.
They'll no doubt buckle if the right amount of money comes their way, but with what they're having to pass on to his former club that might have to be a hell of a bid.
He's a good player, but the idea of him going for £50m is insane.
They'll no doubt buckle if the right amount of money comes their way, but with what they're having to pass on to his former club that might have to be a hell of a bid.
He's a good player, but the idea of him going for £50m is insane.
I really don't understand how you can see Sterling like that. Lennon and SWP are very direct players who like using their pace to their advantage by using quick movements and bash and run style dribbling to get past defenders and whip a ball into the box occasionally cutting inside to have a shot. Sterling is much more than that. Capable of taking the attacking line as his own, drifting between the lines and picking the ball up and dribbling in tight spaces. His close control is very good, he has cracking vision and decision making too in comparison to Barkley who is lacking in that department at the moment. He's the best attacking prospect in England at the moment. Barkley isn't far behind him but he needs a very big season after a disappointing 2014/15. Different players though. Barkley is better at picking the ball up deep and driving forward ala Toure.
Liverpool sell Sterling for say £45 million, they probably just spend it on Benteke, and Clyne, will that improve anything for them?
Pretty good position until you remember Sterling is your best player, and the great front 3 that gelled 2 years ago are in effect gone, bearing in mind Sturridge can't be counted upon.
And remembering your manager showed last season how little £20m can get you
Benteke surely can only be an incredible step up from Ballotelli, Borini, Lambert and a 20% attendance rate Sturridge?
And Clyne is a big mark up on Johnson.
so erm...yes?
As shite as Rodgers and the transfer committee are you would have to think they will get to spend the money from the Sterling deal. If not then why keep Rodgers at all. They need to buy players to get Top 4 next season even with Sterling, without him and no reinvestment from the deal they won't have a chance.
Oh come on, behave... You cleary haven't seen much of him if you really think that.
Difference is, Sterling did it in the PL whilst Memphis was shining in an at the moment very poor Eredivisie. And this is not to question Memphis' ability because I think he's a very good player and I'm pretty gutted he went to United, but he still has everything to prove in the PL. We'll have to wait and see how they both develop but right now I'd still give the advantage to Sterling.
Good lord!
Always gets me.
Yes maybe my comparison was bit off, and maybe it's his physical build that lead me there, but for me some of Sterling's decision making was pretty poor at times last season, and his finishing also, I watch him and think he could just do so much more with his talent, but as yet he hasn't done 'great things' often enough.
Again another poor analogy but Zaha gives me the same sort of feel, at times he looks like he could take on the whole team and stick in the top corner, but he just hasn't quite go that extra something to do it, Sterling may become an elite player but the jury's certainly out for me.
Barkely if his mind is on the job could be anything, some of the driving runs he makes, and goals he scored the season before last were just fantastic, I really hope he kicks on.
Yes but more so than keeping Sterling? Benteke was rank last season before Sherwood came in, also does he have the work rate, and passing ability Rodgers wants? Clyne is ok yes but he certainly dropped off towards the end of the season.
Who replaces Sterling?
Sterling of 2 seasons ago, huge ask.
Sterling of last season? Not so big an ask.
No. Memphis is cheaper and has a much more proven end product albeit in a weaker league. Memphis also appears to have that mentality to be the very best which I'm not sure Sterling has to the same extent.
I can't help feel Sterling suffers from the usual overrated due to English syndrome. Not to say he isn't a very good player but 40 million is crazy money for him in my opinion
I'd be happy if we got Sterling as well as Memphis but definitely wouldn't swap them
Memphis has been very good on the interational stage too remember. Really caught my eye in the World Cup.
But yes obviously we will have to see how he does in the PL. I do think Memphis will be better though.
City will be able to fit him into the side centrally or wide left if that's where he's going to play his best football. He won't have a problem getting games there provided he performs.
I beg to disagree. A young Lennon had many of the same attributes where he kept the ball really close to his feet and then made an insane acceleration to lose his defender; at his best he was also very good at dribbling in tight corners. What always let Lennon down was his end product. He could easily go past players, but his goal tally is remarkably poor. Lennon was faster than Sterling though, especially in terms of acceleration; he seemed to start at top speed. Sterling is more unpredictable in his play and is much stronger, as well as he looks to be a much better passer of the ball.
In terms of being young talents, Lennon was a very good talent, he just didn't graduate.
Sterling's short passing, vision and link up play is miles beyond the likes of SWP. It genuinely makes me laugh when people stereotype him as purely a speed merchant who is capable of beating a player. It displays a shocking ignorance of what they're watching. The question mark over Raheem is whether he can develop more of an end product, but his all around game is already of a very high standard, that's why he is considered such a prospect.
P.S I don't even think Sterling is that fast, he's just agile and has a good burst of acceleration.
P.S I don't even think Sterling is that fast, he's just agile and has a good burst of acceleration.
I genuinely think we should just put in a 45 million bid in for him or something. We won't get him but continues to drive the price up and pisses off Sterling more, and if we do get him then Liverpool fans will be pissed no matter the money. It's win-win
That's probably what you're hoping for. The reality is with a few days to go City can come back with their 50m offer and we'll still say no. What can we do with 50m in the last few days? Andy Carroll and Torres aren't available anymore.
If we don't sell and let him run his contract down over two years we have a talented-ish player on 30k (for two years) then we get some money via tribunal. Seeing as his value is now set at 40m (thanks City) it will be used (we've checked the clauses) to judge his final tribunal value. So around 20m. That's not a bad 'second option'. And Raheem won't fck about on our bench as he's got the Euros coming next summer (just like Suarez had the world cup).
I can't possibly see where we're not in a strong position with this.
The fact that he spent the last six months looking around for a feck to give (and not finding one) should make you wonder whether this is true.
Suarez did the same. Then fcked about with threats in the summer. And following season, world cup season, carried us to second. Lest we forget it was all Suarez.
He's not shit, but his finishing leaves a lot to be desired, and he isn't consistent, as you'd expect at that age. His last England performance was good, but that is not the norm so far, he was fecking shockingly bad like most players at last year's world cup. £40m seems a bit of a gamble to me, but all big deals are to some degree.
Should flourish then. I'd guess more likely from the left, assuming Silva is more likely to take the central role.
It's pretty obvious he'll be sold this summer. Real life isn't Football Manager, the player wants to go and keeping him is not in any of the parties' best interests. Liverpool are just waiting for what they believe will be the best deal for them.
Stats are not the best indicator, but I’ve heard that argument before and I don’t think 13 goals and 9 assists is a bad outcome? Especially if you’re 20 year old playing for Liverpool. I believe he was also misused by Rodgers this season.
Definitely. I think Sterling is perfect winger for van Gaal system.
From what I’ve seen Memphis has a lot to learn and I doubt he will be an instant starter this season. He also is very direct so he might struggle a little bit, like Di Maria does.
Yeah, and he'd be able to interchange with Silva throughout the game, or Silva can play from the right and Sterling can start centrally as well.
I get what you're saying about the poor transfer policy in last few years, but I don't think clubs think like that, like 'oh we wasted money in the past lets never sign players again'. I think 40m is a good price for a player who doesn't want to play for you when that money can be reinvested. you may keep an unhappy player on 30k for two years but hes unlikely to form any partnerships that will get you back into top 4
He's not worth more than 40 million.
Absolutely daft by City - he did very little last season - more money than sense.
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