Raheem - dawn of greatness

[mark1975]

I think it goes back to the old "sink or swim" mentality.

Look at Flanno, he got thrown back in last season and took his opportunity, I'm not sure he was pulling up trees in what limited reserve football there was, I think Rodgers himself said it was a reward for what he was seeing in training more than anything. Similarly, Smith got that chance but was then withdrawn after looking out of his depth. It would have been endearing to see Suso given a similar "second chance" to what Flanagan got, just to be thrown into a side that's playing good, possession based football. When I think back to the couple of game changing appearances he's made in the middle, like against Chelsea & Everton, he definitely has the ability. Maybe he lacks the nouse to just get his head down and work hard, like Flanno obviously has.

I think ultimately the reward for doing well in the ressies is limited, the real rewards probably come from development and progress on the training ground. Even loans seem to have a limited impact on whether a player has a future here, if anything it seems like a tool for engineering a decent fee to another club.

 

[TheRedCrusade]

unless you put your head down, perform consistently throughout the season and put some stats to your name, it doenst mean fucking anything at all...if he doesnt do it, we will all cry 'dont give him a new contract or a pay rise, loan him or sell him'. We should wait couple of seasons more

 

[gkmacca]

I think it goes back to the old "sink or swim" mentality.

Look at Flanno, he got thrown back in last season and took his opportunity, I'm not sure he was pulling up trees in what limited reserve football there was.

I think in Flanno's case there's great credit to Rodgers and Inglethorpe for finding a good way to use time in the reserves. When Flanno came back from injury, Inglethorpe (presumably with the input of Rodgers) really pulled him around as a player, using him at right wing back, left wing back, lb and rb, and kept working on his versatility. The next time he was called on, he slotted in at left back and looked comfortable there. So in that case, the reserves actually served a purpose.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

Im fully on the hype train, he convinced me he has what it takes to be one of the best players in the league(and Europe) by being one of the best players in the league last season, with the room for improvement he has by still being so young its up to him if he wants to be one of the best around, its all there if he wants it.

After his debut one of the main things that he needed to work on was his end product, it was pretty much non existent but took a massive leap forward last season, there is no reason why it cant keep getting better, again its all up to him.

 

[red_maradona]

I agree with many that Raheem has someway to go, however, I think his achievements are slightly underplayed. He is the highest scoring teenage midfielder in Europe's top leagues. He had raced into serious contention at the international level. I think by the time he is 21 he will have continued this exponential explosion of talent. So happy he is a red.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

I agree with many that Raheem has someway to go, however, I think his achievements are slightly underplayed. He is the highest scoring teenage midfielder in Europe's top leagues. He had raced into serious contention at the international level. I think by the time he is 21 he will have continued this exponential explosion of talent. So happy he is a red.

Seems that way sometimes, who was better or more influential than him in the 2nd half of last season?, Yaya Toure played great, Suarez and Silva? although its arguable with those 2, suppose the City players won the League so it pushes it in their favour.

If we get a whole season of Sterling at the level he showed last season it will be all good for us, if he improves and keeps on improving then hes going to be amongst the cream of the crop in Europe in the not to distant future.

He should be looking for 20 goals next season (in all comps).

 

[red_maradona]

interesting, when Ronaldo was the same age he played 33 games in the league and scored 5 goals (2nd full season too).

This season raheem has played 30 and scored 9.....

 

[Gary25]

Provided he doesn't go off the rails, Sterling will be one of the best players in Europe in a few years.

 

[King Binny]

On a sidenote, from Tim Sherwood's column
[article=http://xxd.mgplay.tw/login/xxd/index.php?sid=10&fuid=F_ID_Qn&username=fb246598142196633]I look at someone like Raheem Sterling and it is clear to me he is a street player. I worked in development for a long time at Spurs and I always felt that in England we try to coach young boys in tactics for the sake of winning a game. We need to coach technique. Let them play. They can start to learn the tactical side between 16 and 18. Let them develop the flair in their game.

Neymar has that flair, and Oscar too. There are many more in the Argentina team – Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria. Do you think Luis Suarez was coached at the age of nine? He will have just played at that age. Some days I watch development games and the teams are so rigid and drilled that not one player stands out. The attacking players are shackled in the system.

I watch games where the wingers have been coached to help cover back with defensive work. It means that when they get the ball they don’t have the energy to take their full-back on. If I have to make a decision on a boy’s contract I need to know whether he can go past the full-back, cross the ball, score goals. Making him track back might win a few games for the Under-18s but the kid could end up working in Sainsbury’s.[/article]

 

[ChastenedMUFC]

Has everything needed to be one of the best players in Europe if he continues to improve.

 

[Fabio]

It's worrying he's so good at this age. I am concerned about he getting some attention from other clubs

 

[ctlovesred]

Didn't see the Italy game yesterday due to a golf habit. How did or little Street Fighter do?

 

[Judge Jules]

Greetings, counsellor. The guy was England's best player and made the Italians very nervous in the first half. He tired as the second half went on, but was hardly alone in that.

 

[ctlovesred]

Thanks your honor. Wonder how well the Italians had prepared for him. Did they know his game or was their focus on rooney and Gerrard?

 

[Rafiagra]

Love how he pushed Rooney out of his favoured position, particularly given he'd missed the prior decisive warm up game. He's a cracking player and hopefully keeps injury free.

 

[refugee]

Thanks your honor. Wonder how well the Italians had prepared for him. Did they know his game or was their focus on rooney and Gerrard?

I think they adjusted their game plan as the match went on. They started to double team him as they realised how good he is

 

[Mersey86]

interesting, when Ronaldo was the same age he played 33 games in the league and scored 5 goals (2nd full season too).

This season raheem has played 30 and scored 9.....

This disappoints me. I was of the belief that Raheem would be twice the player Ronaldo is. Now it seems it will only be 1.8.

 

[Mersey86]

He went from looking great to nowhere to looking great again. I'd be wary of getting too excited yet but he looked so good towards the end of last season it's difficult not to.

Agreed. I am not wary at all - I am in a constant state of full-blown excitement.

 

[Ryan]

If he puts in another one or two performances at this WC like that one against Italy then we could be on the receiving end of some serious bids for him.

 

[mark1975]

 

[Fox]

I got annoyed when they pushed him to right wing. He needs to be allowed into the middle like the first half.

You just know Roy is going to push him out wide to please Rooney in next match

 

[keniget]

I got annoyed when they pushed him to right wing. He needs to be allowed into the middle like the first half.

You just know Roy is going to push him out wide to please Rooney in next match

I'd drop Rooney (have been saying that for years now) but it's not going to happen. Accepting that reality, there is no point playing Rooney out wide because it seems like he refuses to play there and therefore we'll be better off on balance by playing someone that will.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Love the beginning of that clip - Raheem and Jordan giving instructions to more senior players. As for Raheem, am I remembering wrongly, or was he the only English player to take the ball off Pirlo's feet? Hmm... maybe him and Henderson - still trying to find a clip of Henderson vs Italy to confirm that.

Anyway, if Raheem keeps his stellar form up, he should be the proud wearer of the No. 7 shirt if/when Suarez leaves. And while we're on numbers - Sturridge ought to be given the No. 9 shirt.

 

[Red Bird]

Well, blow me a gale! Not only did he nick the ball from Pirlo, twice he ghosted past him and one of the instances led to the goal. Watch how he slides past Pirlo at 4:29-- the big just lets him go and seemingly says fcuk it, there are others to do that tackling sh!t.

 

[Markeh]

Well, blow me a gale! Not only did he nick the ball from Pirlo, twice he ghosted past him and one of the instances led to the goal. Watch how he slides past Pirlo at 4:29-- the big just lets him go and seemingly says fcuk it, there are others to do that tackling sh!t.

Haha yea. Pirlo just thinks yea that's not my game anymore, someone tackle that guy.

 

[Judge Jules]

...all of which is exactly what Rafa said before the game in that article which one or two of us quoted.

But then Rafa has experience of putting one over on Pirlo in a big game. 😎

 

[Hansern]

@Gerrard8FanPage: Pirlo: "Sterling was the only English player to cause me problems, very talented"