Raheem Sterling

Good game by Sterling today. Unforunately, people judge people by goals and assists.

For example, Sterling was much, much better than Alli today, but because he scored, people will say Alli was better.

Sterling was constantly running channels, holding it up, linking play. Sweden's back line could not live him.

All that was missing today was a goal.

Rashford is capable of doing everything Sterling did today.
 
Sterling and Rashford are very different players. It's not like Rashford would offer the same things but just better. Sterling's movement is excellent and he receives the ball in dangerous positions. His end product is very poor though. Rashford would offer different things and probably better productivity. But it seems that Southgate prefers a player with Sterling's qualities. And it is not going to change for the next game.
 
Rashford is capable of doing everything Sterling did today.

Rashford is a great talent but Sterling is more nimble in tight spaces and quicker over short distances. Rashford is faster over longer distances but he can't offer the same things as Sterling. Not saying he is worse than Sterling, just a different type of player.
 
Whether he played well or not (he didn’t) - Rashford can do the same job that Sterling is, but also may actually be able to finish some of the chances he gets on the end of.

Beggars belief that Rashford hasn’t been given a proper chance yet, that role and this system is perfectly suited to him.
 
So much hate and criticism for a 23 year old young English football player who scored 24 goals and contributed 13 assists in the two of the most competitive competitions in football. Mind you he also won 2 medals last season. You dont get 13 assists when the team is carrying you or when you lack end-product. One thing I've learnt about Sterling is he never hides and he will keep running and fighting till the final whistle as evidenced by the number of points he won the premier league champions on his own last season (11 points as of late February). No wonder Southgate picks him every time.
 
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Those are my exact words. Where did I say "scoring goals is offering more in an attacking sense."

Look its not rocket science.

I said "Name the player who offerend more than Sterling in an attack."
you said "the guy who scored the goal", you said McGuire offered more in an attacking sense than Sterling in the first half because he scored the goal.

That is exactly how it played out. Read back.
 
Whether he played well or not (he didn’t) - Rashford can do the same job that Sterling is, but also may actually be able to finish some of the chances he gets on the end of.

Beggars belief that Rashford hasn’t been given a proper chance yet, that role and this system is perfectly suited to him.
I think Sterling is there for consistency, like Alli. Sterling can’t finish at all, but he does help with the fluidity of the team- something I don’t think Rashford would do as well.
 
Whether he played well or not (he didn’t) - Rashford can do the same job that Sterling is, but also may actually be able to finish some of the chances he gets on the end of.

Beggars belief that Rashford hasn’t been given a proper chance yet, that role and this system is perfectly suited to him.

That's not true at all. Rashford as we've seen all season is poor at dribbling in tight spaces, he's just not technically gifted at it. He does have far better finishing, but Sterlings dribbling and hold up play is crucial to us, and Rashford imo is much better coming off the bench running at tired defences.
 
Look its not rocket science.

I said "Name the player who offerend more than Sterling in an attack."
you said "the guy who scored the goal", you said McGuire offered more in an attacking sense than Sterling in the first half because he scored the goal.

That is exactly how it played out. Read back.
So you concede that I didn't actually say that and you made it up. Thanks.

Now, you, on the other hand, said Sterling was literally the only danger England have offered. :lol: Despite the fact that someone else actually scored.

You also asked who offered more in an attacking sense than Sterling (0 goals, 0 assists). Both Maguire and Alli offered more because they actually scored. Which is the entire point of attacking.

You said something stupid, you got called on it. Suck it up and move on.



 
Not much to praise – but he does work after a fashion within the setup, I suppose. The runs he makes are important – they're a kind of substitute for genuine creativity, one could say: The fact that he makes himself available for whoever carries the ball is actually essential, even if said ball carrier isn't likely to produce anything beyond a bog standard pass – and he, himself, is highly likely to waste any direct chance resulting from such moves.

Not sure that Rashford would be able to replicate his movement. He would put away some of those chances, though – I'm fairly sure of that.
 
Yeah Southgate should gamble on Rashford for a WC semi and drop the guy who's been doing the job he needs consistently.
 
Everything with him doesn’t have to be so controversial. He was bright today but needs to start scoring to change perceptions.
 
He was good today. That touch when he was through only for a brilliant save by the keeper was sublime.

He is a class act. I think he could have a massive impact in the semi.
 
Yeah Southgate should gamble on Rashford for a WC semi and drop the guy who's been doing the job he needs consistently.
Yeah, it's too big of a risk. I love Rashford and it'd be great to see him play in a world cup semi, but Sterling is doing everything we need him to do for the team (bar, well, scoring) and deserves to keep his place. I just hope some of our big chances fall to Kane instead!
 
Yeah, it's too big of a risk. I love Rashford and it'd be great to see him play in a world cup semi, but Sterling is doing everything we need him to do for the team (bar, well, scoring) and deserves to keep his place. I just hope some of our big chances fall to Kane instead!

Let’s remember that Rashford can make a big impact from the bench if he’s needed, it’s good to have that up our sleeve. I don’t think Sterling can make the same instant impact.

Southgate has shown it’s a team game. Let’s hope Sterling manages to slot one in the semi.
 
Let’s remember that Rashford can make a big impact from the bench if he’s needed, it’s good to have that up our sleeve. I don’t think Sterling can make the same instant impact.

Southgate has shown it’s a team game. Let’s hope Sterling manages to slot one in the semi.
Very true. Whenever Rashford comes on from the bench, he plays with so much intensity with a point to prove. He helps a tiring team so much this way.

I think Sterling's missed a clear cut chance every game so far. On law of averages, he's bound to bury one soon! A semi-final winner would be nice :D
 
Wish he'd miss some of these chances for City. He is playing well and imo gives balance to the squad with his ability to take on players, don't think Rashford offers the same. Hope for England he does finish any chance he gets in the semis.
 
Wish he'd miss some of these chances for City. He is playing well and imo gives balance to the squad with his ability to take on players, don't think Rashford offers the same. Hope for England he does finish any chance he gets in the semis.
He misses tons of those chances for City. He is capable of getting into those positions so often though that he still produces amazing numbers for City despite all the misses.

There is no point in people saying stuff like Rashford could finish those chances because Rashford wouldn't get half those chances to begin with. Sterling is truly exceptional at creating and getting into scoring opportunities. If he had some finishing boots he'd be world class.
 
:lol:

Christ...

Maybe it's because you are 'staff' but for everyone else there is a phrase before you post which says 'criticise the post not the poster'. I'm afraid I have never seen you actually respond to a post that you don't like, your preferred option being personal abuse. I am, according to you, 'arrogant and unintelligent'. Meanwhile, you have not made a single response to any of the points I have made. So be it.

As an aside, you took great offence at a City fan describing posts as being of a Daily Mail standard, so much so that you keep repeating it. On another thread a United fan described anti-Sterling posts as being worthy of the Sun, I trust you took similar offence at that? Clearly not.

Finally, you accused BluemoonOutcast of making an accusation of racism. Your accusation was clearly erroneous and pretty shabby to be honest. Nowhere have I seen you have the balls to apologise.
 
He was one of our main threats for a start. Ran all game and put in a good performance.

His confidence could have done with getting that goal but he did well enough for me.

Some people will complain about anything. Some posters were saying Kane wasn’t good enough after scoring 5 in 2 games!

Sterling is an important cog in our team, he should really have scored, but that doesn’t take away from all the work he does. We are not a team of superstars (worked really well for Germany/ Spain/ Argentina).

Just reached the Semi Finals for the first time in 28 years, and yet people want to overly criticise our players. Quite pathetic.
 
Some people will complain about anything. Some posters were saying Kane wasn’t good enough after scoring 5 in 2 games!

Sterling is an important cog in our team, he should really have scored, but that doesn’t take away from all the work he does. We are not a team of superstars (worked really well for Germany/ Spain/ Argentina).

Just reached the Semi Finals for the first time in 28 years, and yet people want to overly criticise our players. Quite pathetic.
And we won’t why we never do well in major competitions...
 
Ok please tell me what you saw to back up that?

I thought England's attitude would determine the game's outcome. In the first half Sterling was absolutely integral to every England attack and his running and dribbling put Sweden firmly on the back foot. No other England player took the game to them like Sterling did, no disrespect to Kane but he barely got involved as he seemed to drop quite deep. Yes, Sterling could have scored but not many others influenced the game like him. Overall, I thought Trippier was also superb, and there were no real weak players. Your thoughts?
 
So you concede that I didn't actually say that and you made it up. Thanks.

Now, you, on the other hand, said Sterling was literally the only danger England have offered. :lol: Despite the fact that someone else actually scored.

You also asked who offered more in an attacking sense than Sterling (0 goals, 0 assists). Both Maguire and Alli offered more because they actually scored. Which is the entire point of attacking.

You said something stupid, you got called on it. Suck it up and move on.

Bullshit. Again you're changing, you said the player who scores the goals offers more. And Sterling was literally the only dangerous player, as I said earlier I should have offered from open play.
When I posted in Alli was anonymous as I posted at half time, when you started your argument. Would you say Lingard offered nothing? I'd say in the second half he was probably our best player at least of the front 5.
In fact many posters in this thread said the exact same thing I did about Sterling first half.

Again your back to talking about goals. As I said earlier, John Stones has more goals than Messi in this WC, also Rakitic, Willian etc... has he offered more in an attacking sense? No he hasn't.
Goals aren't the simple measure of who offers what, if they are we would have all kinds of rubbish views like the above about Stones and Messi. If they are Paul Scholes and Iniesta had shocking careers as attackers... you know its not that simple, its just another stick to beat Sterling with.

Sterling has had a terrible world cup, but first half today he was Englands only attacker who performed and the only threat (from open play if it makes you feel better). 2nd half he was very poor in comparison and others stepped up (mainly Lingard, Trippier and Alli. Kane was pretty anonymous)