Raheem Sterling

NotOffside

Active Member
Is he still a player that divides opinion somewhat? Some people seem to have a general dislike for him, largely because of how he left Liverpool I guess, even supporters of different clubs! Though I've never quite understood this as it's not like he was born there or was a lifelong fan of the club or anything. At the time Liverpool were very much nearly men and City were head and shoulders better than them.

Is he world-class now or just someone that's very good on a side full of top players? I have to admit I used to think he was a bit over-rated and relied too much on out and out pace. But to be fair to him he's clearly improved a lot and his stats suggest that as his goal output from out wide has increased year on year for the last few years at least.

He's generally been a mainstay in the side as much as anyone when fit under Guardiola so I suppose that suggests he really is a top class player.
 
The only blight on him in recent seasons was missing sitters regularly, but he's cut that out now. Top drawer player.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class
 
Very good player.

A lot of the goals are back posts tap ins with how City play, but can't really hold that against him.
 
Very good player but I have an irrational hatred of the guy. When I see him doing an interview or a Mach 3 advert I change the channel! Nothing to do with his move from Liverpool or anything I just cannot take to him albeit a decent player.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class

Absolute nonsense.

Harry Kane is in bad form but he's absolutely world-class. I have no doubt Alexander-Arnold, Foden and Sancho will become world-class too. In fact AA is already among the very best in his position, and will only get better.
 
Runs like a bird on a treadmill.

Cracking player though, can still improve certain aspects of his game but I think Guardiola’s worked wonders with him. Oddly enough there’s less hype over him than some of the many inferior England players who’ve been labelled as superstars through the years.
 
There’s no question that he has improved but he is still some way off being the best player at City. He still has some way to go to be in the De Bruyne class.

Not really a negative against Sterling though when De Bruyne is quite possibly the third best player in the world right now.
 
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His improvement in the last couple of years is immense. When he moved to city he never looked as if he was in complete control of the ball and he missed a lot of sitters. Pep has fixed all that. Not world class but a right good player.
 
His improvement in the last couple of years is immense. When he moved to city he never looked as if he was in complete control of the ball and he missed a lot of sitters. Pep has fixed all that. Not world class but a right good player.

In your opinion give a a few examples of what world-class is then in his position?
 
I think he's a brilliant player -
& that's because he's got a lot in his repertoire- not just pace - which only gets you so far

I'm also not convinced his success is down to others around him - sure having great players alongside helps - but I believe he's still got his own ability & talent & deserves that 1st team place on his own merit

However I'm unsure of his demeanor, attitude & personality
He talks & comes across as someone with a massive chip on his shoulder
He may well be - in private at least - a thoroughly decent chap - but it's difficult to believe that when he's interviewed - or even when he's on the pitch - where he can be a niggly wee bar steward at times

Still - even allowing for that - he's the sort of player you'd love to have on your side
 
In your opinion give a a few examples of what world-class is then in his position?

Ach your probably right. World class is just an opinion. There's no actual yardstick. So Sterling probably is world class. Reckon he needs to do it in a CL Euros or world cup though. That's where the greats do it.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class
Trent Alexander arnold I'd say is the only world class player they have
 
I think he's a quality player. Good technique, trickery when he needs it, pace, range of passing, strikes the ball well.
 
Ach your probably right. World class is just an opinion. There's no actual yardstick. So Sterling probably is world class. Reckon he needs to do it in a CL Euros or world cup though. That's where the greats do it.

Yeah, agree with that. Though he's only really performed for England in the last year or two. His record for them a couple of years back was shocking for a player of his ability and he was very much one of those players they have that couldn't produce for country like they did every week for club. But he seems to have knocked that on it's head now. He's only recently come back into form for City too as he was nowhere near his previous level just before the lockdown and immediately after.
 
Trent Alexander arnold I'd say is the only world class player they have

Not even gonna ask why you wouldn't consider Kane as world-class considering his record for both club and country. And it's not like Spurs are City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern or Juventus.

Alexander-Arnold, Sterling and Kane are among the best in their positions regardless of any lack of current form.
 
As recently as a year ago at the WC there were folk on here arguing he wasn’t all that.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class
He got them a despicable £50m.....
 
Brilliant player but not World Class

Probably will be in a couple of years if he keeps improving under Pep
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class
Harry kane is a world class striker..
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class

I don't think there's a better right back than Alexander-Arnold at the minute.

Henderson is clearly one of the best in the world in his position as well.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class

Who is better than him in his position?
 
I think he has improved massively since he went to City. He still goes hot and cold, but I think he is still maturing. He is no Robben, but he is very good.
 
He treated Liverpool despicably and engineered a move for himself.

Struggled big time after that move but Gaurdiola seems to have made him a player.

never world class.

there's not an English player who can be described as world class
is kane not world class?
 
Not really a negative against Sterling though when De Bruyne is quite possibly the third best player in the world right now.
No argument for me about De Bruyne Being the third best player right now but the point I was making is City cope much better when Sterling is out of the side than if they haven’t got for example De Bruyne (every team would), Fernandinho, Laporte and/or David Silva. To be clear when he plays City are a better side but he’s not quite as critical as others are.
 
Lots of people on here saying they don’t like him, has he been in The Wee Rangers Club on match day?
 
No argument for me about De Bruyne Being the third best player right now but the point I was making is City cope much better when Sterling is out of the side than if they haven’t got for example De Bruyne (every team would), Fernandinho, Laporte and/or David Silva. To be clear when he plays City are a better side but he’s not quite as critical as others are.

Not gonna argue with that, although I will say that City miss Laporte so much only because the rest of their defenders are so average!

But a lot pf people would say Sane is world-class and yet Sterling has out-lasted him there and has better stats than Sane.
 
Kane isn’t even the best striker in England never mind the world

His stats are among the best in the world for club and country. Right among the likes of Lewandowski and Aguero who are noted as being the best. At his best his all round games is brilliant too. So how isn’t he world-class?
 
Fantastic footballer but comes across as a bit of an arrogant tosser these days.
I have never had any respect for footballers who get involved in politics and pontificate on issues that are nothing to do with sport.
I did feel sorry for him when he was getting grief for his gun tattoo. And no one should suffer from the ignorance of racism.
However, he is nothing other than a very wealthy young man paid an awful lot for kicking a ball around for a very comfortable life.
 
He's developed into one of City's big players and shown a stronger mentality than I gave him credit for when he first broke through. Seems like he is always working to improve so its possible that he could still help win a CL for City. I still think he can look quite clumsy on the ball (relatively for that elite level) but he's got the numbers to back himself
 
[QUOTE="Coisty09, post: 6430110,
However, he is nothing other than a very wealthy young man paid an awful lot for kicking a ball around for a very comfortable life.
[/QUOTE]
That about covers every professional footballer.
 
He's developed into one of City's big players and shown a stronger mentality than I gave him credit for when he first broke through. Seems like he is always working to improve so its possible that he could still help win a CL for City. I still think he can look quite clumsy on the ball (relatively for that elite level) but he's got the numbers to back himself

Technique wise he's not and won't ever be among the best. But his movement is elite, and then there's his pace and finishing. His finishing can still be inconsistent at times depending on his form but he's far more capable of scoring from outside the box now than he was.
 
Technique wise he's not and won't ever be among the best. But his movement is elite, and then there's his pace and finishing. His finishing can still be inconsistent at times depending on his form but he's far more capable of scoring from outside the box now than he was.
He's definitely stepped up a level since Guardiola took over and looks / plays like one of their leaders. Guardiola obviously trusts him a lot as he's rarely out the starting XI
 
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