Sterling should be deployed as a defensive player.

[Badger]

It's great how versatile he is but can we please put an end to playing the boy as an attacker. He's great at reading the game and knows exactly how to use his stength to wrestle apponents of the ball, but we see him playing in a position where his strength are nullified.

It's time he either plays a pur holding mid or is used to cover positions in the defensive line. Sterling in the Lundstram roll should have been deployed weeks ago.

 

[Galstonian Oranje]

Where have you been?

 

[Jock Battle Fever Wallace]

It's great how versatile he is but can we please put an end to playing the boy as an attacker. He's great at reading the game and knows exactly how to use his stength to wrestle apponents of the ball, but we see him playing in a position where his strength are nullified.

It's time he either plays a pur holding mid or is used to cover positions in the defensive line. Sterling in the Lundstram roll should have been deployed weeks ago.

100%. Our midfield is a shambles and always fails to a get grip in the big games against the bheast. Lundstram is done, put Sterling in there as the holding/enforcer midfielder and while we're at it...give the lad (or Butland) the armband. Only Sterling and Butland looked anything like Rangers men today. The one consolation from the pain of today is the hope that many of these players now leave and allow us to bring in fresh blood and winners.

 

[barneythebear]

You are correct but how poor an option are Wright and MacCausland to have him played in front of them out wide? the issue he is there as we have no depth or quality in that position.

 

[JCDarcheville]

Agreed.

It doesn’t matter how poor other options at right midfield are, we’re missing out on the impact of a real player as a midfielder / defender.

Put your best players in their best positions, work everything else around that.

 

[LoyalAndBlue82]

Only Clement seems to disagree with this. Madness

 

[Toproadloyal]

I was saying after 30 minutes recently at StMirren that I would’ve taken Lundstram off and switched him into centre midfield.

His legs are wasted at full back and isn’t quite cut out on the wing either and that’s not criticism.

He performed well again at centre back as expected.

 

[wilso10]

We’ve lost the midfield battle in every game against them so far this season.

Clement hasn’t learned from that so far it seems which concerns me.

Sterling should have started in there today/

 

[Wavy Davy]

Unfortunately we need 4 Sterlings (at least)

 

[TerryMunro]

At the start of the season he was quite clear, he’s a right back that prefers the defensive side of the game. This Tavernier stranglehold he has on the team has smothered the %^*& out of it, we have a perfect player for that position.

 

[JMCK]

He was very impressive in central defence, and that has to be considered as possibly a vital position to play him in.

 

[HandsomeHead]

Defensive midfielder for me. Was a revelation in there, IMO.

 

[wsb&warmy]

Not a defender for me - unless in emergency situations. He's stood out like a sore thumb any time he's been played in centre midfield. He's potentially the best centre midfielder we have. I use the word potentially loosely, because he actually is the best centre midfielder we have.

 

[Clubdeckg]

He should have started in the middle of the park today, Clement has already picked Dowell there ahead of him

 

[Kirkhillbear]

It's great how versatile he is but can we please put an end to playing the boy as an attacker. He's great at reading the game and knows exactly how to use his stength to wrestle apponents of the ball, but we see him playing in a position where his strength are nullified.

It's time he either plays a pur holding mid or is used to cover positions in the defensive line. Sterling in the Lundstram roll should have been deployed weeks ago.

I'll post this for the umpteenth time...
Sterling and Diomande are the 2 players we have to build our team around, it simply leaves me so fucked off every time I see Clement play Sterling in every position other than the one every cnt can see is the best role for him.

 

[Badger]

You are correct but how poor an option are Wright and MacCausland to have him played in front of them out wide? the issue he is there as we have no depth or quality in that position.

See post #5

 

[chosen few]

Yeah, right back

 

[blueboab]

Centre half, pace power and being able to stride out from the back

 

[ronadamus_prime]

You are correct but how poor an option are Wright and MacCausland to have him played in front of them out wide? the issue he is there as we have no depth or quality in that position.

It's amazing how many people seem to be willingly blind to this rather straightforward and obvious observation. He's not being played there because the manager thinks it's his best position. He's being played there because he's better than the current options that are available for that position at present.

As absurd as that is, it's the truth.

 

[KarlSvenson]

You are correct but how poor an option are Wright and MacCausland to have him played in front of them out wide? the issue he is there as we have no depth or quality in that position.

This is the issue. Many pointing the finger at Clement for playing him there but he was very limited in what he could do.

 

[Bluetou]

It's great how versatile he is but can we please put an end to playing the boy as an attacker. He's great at reading the game and knows exactly how to use his stength to wrestle apponents of the ball, but we see him playing in a position where his strength are nullified.

It's time he either plays a pur holding mid or is used to cover positions in the defensive line. Sterling in the Lundstram roll should have been deployed weeks ago.

I thought the simple thing to do yesterday when Lundstram was sent off was to put Sterling in there but for some reason the manager didn't do this.

 

[Bryanmc]

He’s the destroyer we thought coullibally was going to be but unfortunately it highlights how poor our squad is that he’s filled in everywhere

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Not a defender for me - unless in emergency situations. He's stood out like a sore thumb any time he's been played in centre midfield. He's potentially the best centre midfielder we have. I use the word potentially loosely, because he actually is the best centre midfielder we have.

Sorry mate, disagree on this one.

The guy is a defender. He's played circa two thirds of games he's featured in as a defender. According to Transfermarkt, out of more than 200 appearances he has just 5 - that's right 5! - in the CM/DM role folk want him to feature for us in. He is nothing more than a stop-gap in there. He even acknowledged earlier in the season that he had to watch YouTube videos to see what playing in midfield was all about. He has a bit of the Calvin Bassey's about him and we wouldn't have dreamt of throwing him into that role.

We need to see Sterling in the team but, if we want to see the best of him, we need to see him in defence. Let's not hamper him because of deficiencies elsewhere in the team. If we want better midfielders then we need to source better midfielders.

 

[Snoopproddiedogg]

Sorry mate, disagree on this one.

The guy is a defender. He's played circa two thirds of games he's featured in as a defender. According to Transfermarkt, out of more than 200 appearances he has just 5 - that's right 5! - in the CM/DM role folk want him to feature for us in. He is nothing more than a stop-gap in there. He even acknowledged earlier in the season that he had to watch YouTube videos to see what playing in midfield was all about. He has a bit of the Calvin Bassey's about him and we wouldn't have dreamt of throwing him into that role.

We need to see Sterling in the team but, if we want to see the best of him, we need to see him in defence. Let's not hamper him because of deficiencies elsewhere in the team. If we want better midfielders then we need to source better midfielders.

Wouldn't be against sticking Tav out on the right wing and Sterling at RB (if not needed as CH) for the final.

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Wouldn't be against sticking Tav out on the right wing and Sterling at RB (if not needed as CH) for the final.

Big Phil will not be doing anything 'wild' for the Final. Its not his way. So Tav shifting position will not happen. If Lundstram doesn't come back into midfield for the Final it will likely be Raskin and Diomande, which isn't very inspiring. Sterling will probably be on the right again which, again, does him/us no favours.

My primary point is that Sterling isn't a CM/DM and, whilst we might choose to shoehorn him in there, I suspect it will do neither the player nor the team any long term good. He's a defender. The player considers himself a defender. Play him as a defender.

Then find better midfielders to fill midfield roles moving forwards into next season.

 

[longtallsally]

His recovery speed and strength is similar to Bassey. Seems to have been a great find.

 

[wsb&warmy]

Sorry mate, disagree on this one.

The guy is a defender. He's played circa two thirds of games he's featured in as a defender. According to Transfermarkt, out of more than 200 appearances he has just 5 - that's right 5! - in the CM/DM role folk want him to feature for us in. He is nothing more than a stop-gap in there. He even acknowledged earlier in the season that he had to watch YouTube videos to see what playing in midfield was all about. He has a bit of the Calvin Bassey's about him and we wouldn't have dreamt of throwing him into that role.

We need to see Sterling in the team but, if we want to see the best of him, we need to see him in defence. Let's not hamper him because of deficiencies elsewhere in the team. If we want better midfielders then we need to source better midfielders.

Yeah I'm not debating where his usual positions that he played were, prior to joining us. I'm purely going by where I've seen him play for us and where I feel he's looked most natural and effective for us. That for me is when he's played centre midfield. He's got all the attributes required to be the midfield 'enforcer' that seems to have been cried out for every season for God knows how long.

So, we'll need to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[Slide Away]

Fan media should be asking Clement about this.

Where does he see Duj best position.

 

[LarkfiedLoyalNS]

He’s our best defender arguably and the manager is failing to play him anywhere near his position unless the forced.

 

[Valley Bluenose]

Yeah I'm not debating where his usual positions that he played were, prior to joining us. I'm purely going by where I've seen him play for us and where I feel he's looked most natural and effective for us. That for me is when he's played centre midfield. He's got all the attributes required to be the midfield 'enforcer' that seems to have been cried out for every season for God knows how long.

So, we'll need to agree to disagree on this one.

We will mate. For me, he looks anything but 'natural' in midfield. It's alien to him. Might get away with it against lesser opposition but will get found out in the tougher games.

He gives lots of effort and his pace is good but there's more to it than that. He played that role in the 2-1 loss at their place at New Year did he not? Probably one of our better players on the day but changed not a lot.

 

[Recoba]

Sterling should be in midfield especially for old firm games, it's complete madness.

 

[Macky]

The midfield in old firm games is far more important than the RW position. We could easily have went with McCausland, Wright or Cantwell at RW and Sterling should 100% have been CM with Lawrence on the bench.

I get people saying Clement wanted Sterling to help Tav with Maeda but with 3 in midfield they can help cover both full back areas like we seen under Gerrard. Unfortunately we don't have the same kind of structure in place and it's all a bit of a mess.

 

[Trueblueal]

We could be doing with 3 Sterlings. One for right back, one for defensive mid and one striding out from the back.

 

[Phil'ieve]

If the team sheet comes out an hour before the cup final kicks off and he's not playing CM we're all aswell no watching it.

 

[Phil'ieve]

The midfield in old firm games is far more important than the RW position. We could easily have went with McCausland, Wright or Cantwell at RW and Sterling should 100% have been CM with Lawrence on the bench.

I get people saying Clement wanted Sterling to help Tav with Maeda but with 3 in midfield they can help cover both full back areas like we seen under Gerrard. Unfortunately we don't have the same kind of structure in place and it's all a bit of a mess.

Something Gerrard understood in old firm games that nobody else has since. Tin hat on but it's got to a point now I wouldn't be dissapointed to see him being our next manager when the time comes. But hopefully Phil sorts it out with his own players in the summer.

 

[sj2]

I was saying after 30 minutes recently at StMirren that I would’ve taken Lundstram off and switched him into centre midfield.

His legs are wasted at full back and isn’t quite cut out on the wing either and that’s not criticism.

He performed well again at centre back as expected.

I don't think he would be wasted at right back, the last two games v them, he would nore than likely have stopped both goals down that right hand side

 

[Mr Wilton]

I do find it odd given Tav is not the defender that Sterling is and Sterling is not the attacker that Tav is yet Sterling is playing in front of Tav!

 

[Coisty09]

I would like to see Sterling playing the role that Lundstram has been.
I think he would solidify that area of the pitch and allow more creative players to be more effective as we would win a lot more ball in front of the back four.