I think it's the only one Southgate has got wrong, in all other areas he has dropped "star players" who didn't do it for the national team and given the others a go and by and large it's worked out well.
Sterling was the best player on the park in the first half yesterday. He had a far better game than Harry Kane. He speed & pressing high & close to their slow defenders before peeling off was instrumental in us breaking down Sweden’s impressive defence. He was our most creative player. I can see where he goes wrong though to gain the criticism. He once flew with Jet2 despite being a millionaire.
In this WC: His decision-making is poor. His finishing is poor. His passing is poor. At this level, he is conspicuously off the pace at the moment.
And yet our goals came from a set piece and the other had nowt to do with him, i think he was offside when the cross came in for the second. You could say he drew the defenders away leaving more space for Ali.
It’s trendy to bash him. Ignore all he does & concentrate on a chance he missed. He was one of our top three players yesterday. Stuey is an old racist, he’s got his reason for bashing him, I can’t understand why others would.
I thought Pep had honed his game: better clinical finishing and great through balls? No. Seems he's there for his off the ball work rate and his harrying of defenders.
No of course not. The school was for the kids to practice their religion based bigotry on each other before "growing up" and putting it to full effect. Interesting fact, was a year behind England's schools too. I was in the first year of a grammar school in civilisation, went to the Mull of Kintyre, back into primary school, went up to 1st year a year later. Ironic really, cos the adults were like 300 years behind.
He's an enigma for sure. He'd have scored 2 for Man C with 2 of his chances. Yes he does cause all sorts of problems for the enemy, and we genuinely look poorer in attack when hes not playing, so for me, you can't leave him out. He needs a goal for England.
I see both Sides of the Sterling Debate . He gets us up the pitch and has defenders on edge with his runs . But in a World Cup final or semi final you may only get one chance and he can't fluff it like he usually does . He's not going to change it now tho , so just have to hope it doesn't fall at his feet .
He’s a big team bully at citeh! He scores most of his goal against outside top six teams! Against top internationals he’ll get those couple of chances but as you say miss them!
A lot of people have said start rashford and cheek and drop dele and sterling, but then who do you bring on? Rashford and Loftus are probably better impact players to bring on than sterling and dele.
I saw ridiculous Sterling bashing on Facebook yesterday. Along the line of 'drop dead' 'get the **** out of my national shirt'.... Some from people who wouldn't know a football if it pelted them in the face, the rest soccer AM watchers.
I hope he does and it certainly within his capabilities, BUT I just can't see it happening, he seems to have picked up Rooney's baton. I'm of the same mind set as Dennis, it really helps.
Big difference in this World Cup. It’s a team game. **** the critics picking on individual players. Come on England, stick together boys and get the job done.