Correct me if im wrong but we're not even a month back into pre season and fans getting on the back of players already... Blimey... we hardly have an idea about how we'll line up and the tactics players will be asked to perform and yet everyone is critical about a player who was signed and played out of his best positions, ie, getting into the box late or getting across a defender. I just don't get the levels of criticism. I don't see anyone coming in for him so don't believe he'll go anywhere bar Saudi should they come in for him.

Give the guy a break as he'll deliver for us. 

46 minutes ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Correct me if im wrong but we're not even a month back into pre season and fans getting on the back of players already... Blimey... we hardly have an idea about how we'll line up and the tactics players will be asked to perform and yet everyone is critical about a player who was signed and played out of his best positions, ie, getting into the box late or getting across a defender. I just don't get the levels of criticism. I don't see anyone coming in for him so don't believe he'll go anywhere bar Saudi should they come in for him.

Give the guy a break as he'll deliver for us. 

It's not just pre season though, you can go back to his days at City and you will find a lot of people that didn't rate him highly. People would look at his stats and think he was a world class player, but he's not. He's good at ghosting in and scoring a tap in (even then he has missed more sitters than anybody) but outside of that, he's really not that great.

2 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

It's not just pre season though, you can go back to his days at City and you will find a lot of people that didn't rate him highly. People would look at his stats and think he was a world class player, but he's not. He's good at ghosting in and scoring a tap in (even then he has missed more sitters than anybody) but outside of that, he's really not that great.

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

28 minutes ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

Sterling more effective than Hazard? This is the most "I watch the stats, not the football" opinion I have ever seen. Swap Sterling for Hazard and we wouldn't have won even half of what we won during Hazard's time with us. City on the other hand would have won everything with or without Sterling, just like they did last season.

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Scott Harris

4 hours ago, Gol15 said:

He managed to fit in that Man City squad but they were fine letting him go, that alone tells you a whole lot. Usually you don't let what it seems to be on paper a dangerous goal-scorer to your rival unless he himself wants to leave and nobody in Man City got worried when they lost Sterling.

Haaland scored only one time from outside the box so he also took away whatever Sterling was trying to do in their system.

As i said Gundogan was adding goals at the back post, but also offering a lot more extra that Sterling just doesn't offer. Similarly Mahrez picked up a lot more of those back post goals, but also has a wand of a left foot. 

Some players, if you take away their USP, they just don't have a lot else. IMO of course.

I think the same about CHO. He absolutely tore it up througout the academy and youth set up due to his blistering pace. He would just put the burners on and outstrip everyone around him. In a "technical", "non competitive", academy environment he looked fantatic and scored bundles. Got himself into the first team,, mentioned in dispatches, German offers etc. He then got the injury which laid him off for a long time and upon his return never really rediscovered that blistering turn of pace, resulting in a loss ofconfidenace and a realisation to many of us spectators that actually, take away the pace, he's actually a bang average footballer.

I know its not a popular opinion and i may receive soem come back on it, but it is my opinion on both these guys really.

Back on to Sterling, he's too expensive to move on but i do think that Pochettino will rumble him and thereafter i think Sterlings minutes may diminish in Pochettino's system. Hey he might find a use for him after all, I am assumning (although i have not checked) that Pochettino would have had Andros Townsend or Aaron Lennon at some point. One trick ponies, one and all.

1 hour ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

So is football just about how many goals are scored. Hazard ten times the footballer that Sterling is.

1 hour ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

I hear where your coming from an respect your opinion, however peak Hazard was freakily good. I’d put him in the top 10, possibly top 5 attacking players in the World at one point.

2 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

Each to their own, but that is probably one of the most ridiculous things i've ever read on this site.

 

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Kev56

25 minutes ago, Fruit Bat said:

I hear where your coming from an respect your opinion, however peak Hazard was freakily good. I’d put him in the top 10, possibly top 5 attacking players in the World at one point.

Hazard was one of my favourites first name in my fantasy team, but for all his talent, he could have gone to much higher levels. that's my frustration with him. 

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Sterling more effective than Hazard? This is the most "I watch the stats, not the football" opinion I have ever seen. Swap Sterling for Hazard and we wouldn't have won even half of what we won during Hazard's time with us. City on the other hand would have won everything with or without Sterling, just like they did last season.

sorry chap, really don't need to be insulted by you. I have my opinion and you have yours. Will leave you this link and leave it here never to bother with you again, won't change your mind but I don't really follow your argument that without hazard we'd have won nothing. Silly thing to say given who else we had in the side. Sterling scores goals. like the fact or don't, that's what he does. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/manchester-city-all-time-top-goal-scorers-sergio-aguero/blt240b09520a843803

eights in the last decade.

48 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

So is football just about how many goals are scored. Hazard ten times the footballer that Sterling is.

If you don't score goals you don't win matches... if you don't win matches you can't attract the best players or more importantly win cups and competitions. So yeah, I want to see goals scored and the team win 3 points as often as possible.

I simply have stated Sterling scores more goals than Hazard and its true. Ive also said hazard was a personal favourite, shock horror, like he is yours.. 

 

MODS, 

 

Can we change the name of the thread to sell Sterling at all costs? Would be more apt given the shoeing he's getting from fans. 

7 minutes ago, olderschoolcfc said:

If you don't score goals you don't win matches... if you don't win matches you can't attract the best players or more importantly win cups and competitions. So yeah, I want to see goals scored and the team win 3 points as often as possible.

I simply have stated Sterling scores more goals than Hazard and its true. Ive also said hazard was a personal favourite, shock horror, like he is yours.. 

 

How do you know he is a personal favourite of mine. I have merely stated that he is ten times the player that Sterling is. I think Mohammed Salah is ten times the player that Sterling is, and- I think he's a prat.

6 minutes ago, olderschoolcfc said:

MODS, 

 

Can we change the name of the thread to sell Sterling at all costs?

I'd like to second that @Mod. 

 

2 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

Hazard was one of my favourites first name in my fantasy team, but for all his talent, he could have gone to much higher levels. that's my frustration with him. 

sorry chap, really don't need to be insulted by you. I have my opinion and you have yours. Will leave you this link and leave it here never to bother with you again, won't change your mind but I don't really follow your argument that without hazard we'd have won nothing. Silly thing to say given who else we had in the side. Sterling scores goals. like the fact or don't, that's what he does. https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/manchester-city-all-time-top-goal-scorers-sergio-aguero/blt240b09520a843803

eights in the last decade.

You're basing everything on goals. Lukaku must be one of the best of his generation then if we are going to go on that. Hazard dictated the way we played, everything went through him, and I don't think it is at all silly to say we wouldn't have won half as much without Hazard. The one season he struggled in, we finished 10th. Signing Hazard was the most important signing we made in that era, without him, we wouldn't have won 2 league titles or 2 Europa League titles.

2 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

MODS, 

 

Can we change the name of the thread to sell Sterling at all costs? Would be more apt given the shoeing he's getting from fans. 

Can we change the name of the thread to 'sell Sterling at all costs as soon as possible' due to the fact he's not very good.

Edited July 24, 20232 yr by Kev56

24 minutes ago, Kev56 said:

Can we change the name of the thread to 'sell Sterling at all costs as soon as possible' due to the fact he's not very good.

Seconded.

8 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

If you don't score goals you don't win matches... if you don't win matches you can't attract the best players or more importantly win cups and competitions. So yeah, I want to see goals scored and the team win 3 points as often as possible.

I simply have stated Sterling scores more goals than Hazard and its true. Ive also said hazard was a personal favourite, shock horror, like he is yours.. 

 

You say that like Hazard didn't almost single handedly drag us over the line in two title seasons.

I think Sterling might benefit from moving into the goalscoring number 10 role Pochettino employs. Apart from his movement off the ball and knack of being in the right place at the right time there isn't much else he can be used for and I say that as a Sterling fan.

On 24/07/2023 at 17:36, olderschoolcfc said:

Well lets hope he continues to ghost in and score for us then... Don't really care what dumb city fans think - I'll stand by my assessment that Sterling is a more effective player than Eden Hazard in the premier league, but, granted less attractive to watch and not as creative. in Hazards time in the premier league, 245 games 85 goals. Sterling over the same period as Hazard (3 years his junior) played 199 ad got 64 goals. 2013 to 2019. Since our prodigal son left, Sterling went on to become a scoring machine. 

Sterling league stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4316/Raheem-Sterling/overview#!

Hazard Stats. https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/overview

 

Wow. 

Quite the take. 

Not sure Sterlings mum would say he is more effective than prime Hazard. 

Better goalscorer, but in terms of effecting a game, Hazard consistently required opposition teams to put 2 or 3 players on him, otherwise he ran riot, and even that tactic rarely worked.

Hazard very rarely had a game where he didnt massively influence it. 

Sterling very rarely has games he is massively influential. 

 

Anyone with Hazard blasphemy needs a permanent ban. I will be very shocked if this big club sees a natural talented footballer like Hazard any time soon. The guy was that good. Absolutely special, a real generational talent. Without him, we do not win two premier leagues. We made a massive mistake by not adding players of his quality to the team enough. Drogba is the king of Chelsea but Hazard will deep down forever be my favourite.

On 24/07/2023 at 19:44, Kev56 said:

Each to their own, but that is probably one of the most ridiculous things i've ever read on this site.

 

That brought back wonderful memories..

 

Didn't do much when he came on...... again.

His highlight moment was clattering into Gordon and wiping him out.

30 minutes ago, just said:

Didn't do much when he came on...... again.

His highlight moment was clattering into Gordon and wiping him out.

So worth every penny 

Maybe Sterling would like to go to Saudi Arabia?  Lots of money and glory.

If you google 'sterling to Saudi Arabia' you get a currency convertor. 

Raheem Sterling is building a huge new home just outside London for his family, everything when he joined Chelsea was about being back near family in London for him & his kids growing up.  So, while it is being built, maybe, Saudi would be fun eh?

4 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

Maybe Sterling would like to go to Saudi Arabia?  Lots of money and glory.

If you google 'sterling to Saudi Arabia' you get a currency convertor. 

Raheem Sterling is building a huge new home just outside London for his family, everything when he joined Chelsea was about being back near family in London for him & his kids growing up.  So, while it is being built, maybe, Saudi would be fun eh?

I did, and apparently he's worth about 4.82 Saudi Riyal.