The media are protecting him both from his poor finishing and his theatrics. To think of the sponsored outcry against Kane and Dele for diving compared to the luke warm response to Sterlings dive yesterday (and previously) is all you need to know.
His pace and skill are fantastic but they mostly result in a terrible strike off target or a pass that's intercepted. He's looked great in teams that are or were pretty much all out attack, with sensational players around him - Aguero, Sane, Silva, De Bruyne and the like at Citeh. Suarez, a fit and firing Sturridge, Gerrard playing quarterback at Liverpool for that one season. Most attacking players would look really good in such set ups. It's a different thing to be really good or great in a team that's nothing special, and have a hole where their defence should be, which is where England are right now We don't have a lot of alternatives, so we'll just have to hope that he hits a lucky streak. However, I'm expecting to have a full swear box by the end of England's WC. I'm expecting 2 Citeh players to be the major cause of that - Sterling and John Stones. Maybe, Guardiola won't improve our best players because his pool of playing options is so strong that he can afford to carry the odd player who doesn't have the all round game needed in a less able group? If Sterling was at another Top 6 side, would he be getting such an easy ride?
At City Sterling's movement helps to create space for others by moving defenders out of position. He also benefits from the space created by others. But as Brian says his end product is often poor. Without an abundance of skilful, clever players around him, he's obviously less effective. His role for England is more traditional - beat his man and deliver a ball for Kane (or Alli or others supporting the attack). But this tends to expose his weaknesses.
I was at the game yesterday and Dele made a lot of good runs which were mostly ignored. When Sterling made runs he mostly got given the ball only to waste it in ever more ludicrous ways.
There are several England players who have been coasting in the fold of far superior club team-mates this season, but will be exposed in the cold light of day for what they are. The 2nd half against Nigeria has hardly convinced me otherwise. That goes for Alli too (he does not have the Spurs MF aroumd him so will have to front up big-time) .
I get the impression that Gareth Southgate sees Sterling as the most important player in this team, the one who can open up the opposition. He's probably right up to a point but only if we want to watch one of the world's best centre forwards play as a deep-lying midfielder whilst Sterling gives a masterclass in how not to finish. Whatever way that we use Sterling can't centre on him having the majority of our chances because the strong likelihood is that he'll miss the lot. He's like Andros Townsend but from much, much nearer to goal.
Are you joking? Have you seen the media coverage of him in the last few years, they don’t leave the man alone.
Sterling is always in the papers for alot of things that are quite frankly his own business. Journos deserve the plague
The M16 tattoo though is worthy of being called out, especially with his mealy-mouthed attempt at claiming it's a tribute and not some dumbass attempt at looking hard.
The Plague? too quick for them. That nerve agent in small doses that the Russians favour might be preferable.
He's said it's not finished. Whether you dislike it, think it's in poor taste, or think it doesn't give the message to you that he intended really is irrelevant. The important thing is that it doesn't encourage gun violence or anything else negative, which is what some of the rags tried to claim. At worst it's a dumb tattoo and he can join millions of others in that club, including me
He'd be just about our best player. France have left out half a dozen that would make our team , let alone the 23.
According to The Evening Standard.... Gary Cahill ‘there to help’ Harry Kane balance the pressures of goalscoring and captaining England at the World Cup No, he's there because, as a nation, all our centre halves are complete ****.
As no one else has done it I will show my country of residence. There are a few back stories to this squad, coached by Bert Van Marwyk. For some bizarre reason,in the initial 26 man squad, he selected a right back who plays and was born in Croatia and has never been to Australia, reason his dad was born in Melbourne! The other was Jamie McClaren who plays for Hibs in the SPL was in a red hot scoring form when the season ended 8 goals in 5 games - he was not selected in the 26 man squad. Following or fallen asleep yet! Last week one the squad players Tomi Juric was already injured when they went into training camp - on the eve of their warm up game against the Czech republic Van Marwyk decided to bring in McClaren as cover for Juric. After the game which the Aussies won 4-0, the 23 man WC squad was announced - McClaren stayed and the Croatian RB was given the boot.BTW Tim Cahill was selected in spite of hardly any playing time with Millwall. Confused we certainly are.
