Raheem Sterling

[serghei]

Sterling, Rodri, KdB etc are stars for sure according to their ability. Just for some reason not recognised in pop culture and the media.

Sterling's City numbers : 123 goals and 91 assists in 323 games. Outside of Messi or prime Neymar it's difficult to find wingers who produce/produced more than that.

For me, the word star has some extra-football baggage attached to it. Meaning players with a big ego, that are hand to handle and are inclined to misbehave, usually because they are egocentric. At City Grealish probably has the most of that side.

So it's not really about the numbers, or only about football ability. You can have great numbers, and not be a star, but a world-class player who listens to the manager. Or you can be a star, and moan when you are subbed, criticize your manager publicly, and usually just stir shit up whenever you don't like a decision from above you.

They aren't acknowledged as stars simply because they play in a team that is about collective understanding over individual performances. This sort of stuff will bother egocentric players who want the world to see them as the difference makers and the faces of the team. At City the perceived star is Guardiola. The players are seen more like... to quote BBZ... schoolboys. I'm talking about perception mostly.

 

[Zidane82]

?Against Sporting, the intensity of his movements? they were magnificent. It is what Raheem has done over many, many years together.

?In terms of stats and the national team and becoming a key player for us - and for me personally - I am very glad he is back to his best because we need him.?

"He has been an incredibly important player in all these seasons, with all the goals and assists, and when he has confidence he's a really, really important player."

Guess who said this?

His dad ?

 

[JamDav1982]

Sterling is bigger name in football than Grealish.

It is then about behaviour of players whether they are stars or not and Pep chose to sign Grealish who has had a lot of baggage in the past anyway.

No top coach in the world wants trouble makers and wont tolerate it for long. Pep is not avoiding signing world stars for that reason. Like all clubs it is just near enough impossible to get them once established and pay a fortune to do it.

Foden had his fair share of issues and Pep loves him and will tolerate to point thinks Foden is still a positive in the squad.

 

[Zidane82]

Sterling is bigger name in football than Grealish.

It is then about behaviour of players whether they are stars or not and Pep chose to sign Grealish who has had a lot of baggage in the past anyway.

No top coach in the world wants trouble makers and wont tolerate it for long. Pep is not avoiding signing world stars for that reason. Like all clubs it is just near enough impossible to get them once established and pay a fortune to do it.

Foden had his fair share of issues and Pep loves him and will tolerate to point thinks Foden is still a positive in the squad.

You realise that Grealish was one of THE best players in the EPL for some time and it was that form that forced Southgate to pick him for England.

Greaslish was man of match in his debut and the next four England games ...

He has had a difficult transition into the City team as he had an off field incident plus a few injuries. He has a reoccurrence of a shin injury at the moment

Once he is settled in and fully fit he will get the left birth back leaving Sterling to fight for a starting place with Mahrez , Foden , Silva and Gundogan ...

Sterling has been a super sub for a good part of the season and only got his chance when Grealish and Foden were out for a time in Dec/Jan and was expected to leave in the Jan window

 

[Jenks]

Grealish was a star for Villa in large part because the entire team was built around getting the best out of him. I'm not saying he won't surpass Sterling but he's done nothing to prove that he's there yet. You can throw MOTM awards for England around all you want, but one goal (against Andorra) in eighteen games is not elite. The only reason England really need him at all is because the ball sticks to him like glue and he can calm everything down for the rest of the team. City don't need that, they have an entire squad of that. His movement is going to have to improve dramatically if he's ever going to justify his price tag.

 

[te amo barca]

Grealish is the definition of the PL/Englishman tax. An astoundingly limited player with tunnel vision who keeps his head down when he dribbles and is not aware of his surroundings. While his dribbling is mostly great, his technique is not that good. There are many players who stand out in midtable teams, and he was one of them for Villa. His England performances have likewise never impressed me

 

[Porque]

I think you are doing Grealish a disservice. A few of peps current best forwards did not start their City careers amazing either. I don't think Pep would agree to spend as much as he did if he wasnt an excellent player either.

Nice little debate about the star player definition above.

I think you got 2 categories.

A star: A player the team is built around. Messi for us, Grealish for Villa, Coutinho for Pool.

World Class player: one of the best In the world in their position. Salah for Liverpool. Also Messi.

A world class player can be a star, but a star player is not always world class.

Just my interpretation.

 

[Zidane82]

Grealish is the definition of the PL/Englishman tax. An astoundingly limited player with tunnel vision who keeps his head down when he dribbles and is not aware of his surroundings. While his dribbling is mostly great, his technique is not that good. There are many players who stand out in midtable teams, and he was one of them for Villa. His England performances have likewise never impressed me

He was man of match in his first 4 or 5 England games ...

Sounds like you have only seen him play a few times ... presumably for just City where he is still settling in and getting over a few niggling injuries

 

[Zidane82]

I think you are doing Grealish a disservice. A few of peps current best forwards did not start their City careers amazing either. I don't think Pep would agree to spend as much as he did if he wasnt an excellent player either.

Nice little debate about the star player definition above.

I think you got 2 categories.

A star: A player the team is built around. Messi for us, Grealish for Villa, Coutinho for Pool.

World Class player: one of the best In the world in their position. Salah for Liverpool. Also Messi.

A world class player can be a star, but a star player is not always world class.

Just my interpretation.

Agreed ..

Quite a few players took time to settle at City .. Mahrez for sure ..

 

[Zidane82]

Just seen the new Gillette ad where Sterling instantly controls the ball and hits a crisp , clean volley !

I would love to see the outtakes of that clip

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Sterling is the best English player atm

Grealish might be the worst

 

[Zidane82]

Sterling is the best English player atm

Grealish might be the worst

Guess you do not earn much at the Comedy Club

 

[iniestaGOAT]

Quit trolling

 

[Zidane82]

Quit trolling

It is you that is trolling with ridiculous comments like the one above she the one I responded to initially

 

[Zidane82]

Quit trolling

Another vital game for City today .. the Manchester derby game with Liverpool closing in on them in the league..

Sterling is back on the bench again now Grealish is fit

LOL