England v Sweden

[Knibbsworth]

After that rant, I think I'll leave the comments to those that know something about football...hypothetically speaking!

Not one of the pundits saw Sterling's game as you apparently did.

"Lacking confidence in front of goal but his effort and all round game was decent. How he needs a goal though."

He also happened to have the same rating as Young, Alli and Kane.

You could always try having your own opinion Andy rather than letting commentators make it for you. Why not try that instead the next match?

 

[Knibbsworth]

'Sterling created a lot'?

Did he? Any examples because I missed any chances he developed. A few times he ignored teammates and went alone only to squander the chance/lose possession in typical fashion, but how that transmits to having a good game lord knows.

The chance by Kane that went past the post in the first half springs to mind.

Hardly a chance, it was from about 25 yards, and Sterling over dribbled it to the point that Kane had to take it off him when a simple pass would have sufficed. It was Sterling all over, dribbling without purpose annd losing control of it, luckily it was Kane there to pick up the ball and not an opposition defender as has become standard. For a bloke who has apparently had a good game, that is not a top quality piece of creative play and sums up my point. The other pacy forwards still in this World Cup have far more attacking threat than running around like a hamster in an exercise ball. Hazard was dominant the other night because he dribbled towards defenders and made them commit before slipping it to a teammate in more space. Sterling tends to skip into traffic and tackles before getting dispossessed, his end product is completely lacking and his contribution ineffectual.

Hypothetically speaking, Rashford has pace to burn as well and would have given the slow Sweden defenders issues with his pace and aggression. He also has height, physicality and an ability to pass the ball rather than run like a headless chicken in possession. Against better teams we will need more than Kane winning clever free kicks and relying on set pieces. In my opinion all of England's attacking threat is play that happens around and in spite of Sterling rather than through him and he's been somewhat of a passenger throughout this World Cup.

After that rant, I think I'll leave the comments to those that know something about football...hypothetically speaking!

Not one of the pundits saw Sterling's game as you apparently did.

"Lacking confidence in front of goal but his effort and all round game was decent. How he needs a goal though."

He also happened to have the same rating as Young, Alli and Kane.

Exactly. Knibbsworth yet again shows his lack of knowledge of the game. Sterling terrified the Swedish defence with his pace and continually got us up the pitch. He's not the finished article but he's the best we have. But Knibs worth can never see another point of view even when the rest of the world disagrees with him.

That's where you're wrong. I can often see other points of view that aren't necessarily mine. However when some say Sterling is fantastic at getting us up the pitch, it's just plain wrong because 90% of the time he loses the ball running down blind alleys and refusing passes, then when we lose it the ball is coming back at us. So far far more often than not he hasn't got us up the pitch, he's got us nowhere. Pressuring, winning throw ins, inviting contact, winning clever free kicks like Kane wins, bringing set pieces, that's what gets us up the pitch.

Raheem Sterling got the lowest rating on the BBC Player Indicator, and that's with 30,000,000 hearing commentators tell them how wonderful Sterling was. Sounds like the 'rest of the world' disagrees with you more than me!

Sterling is far from the best option we've got, that's completely my point. He's not a striker, Rashford is. League One and Two forwards would have finished the two chances Sterling had, he isn't blessed with composure. He is used to Sane, Silva ad De Bruyne picking him out at the back post with no defender to beat or any thinking to do, whereas for England he is playing as a striker with responsibilities that do not suit his game at all.

My final point is that if Sterling really "terrified" the Swedish defence, what did we do with that? What chances did we have? His direct running causes mayhem and panic I keep reading, it makes spaces for teammates. Well, what came of that? The only chance Kane got to strike the ball was literally taking a shot off Sterling's toe because he too often refuses to use his teammates.

You read the rubbish I keep reading and you'd think we were all over Sweden attacking in droves. The reality is Sterling made an absolute hash of our only two good chances by refusing to pass the ball, and at the other end Pickford produced two or three world class saves to keep the result comfortable. Fingers crossed for Croatia because we really need more than set pieces and Raheem dribbling possession into opponents again and again.

 

[cheshiregreen]

Why not just enjoy the moment everyone?

Watched England disappoint in numerous World Cup since Gerd Muller eliminated us in 1970. England and semi finals don't come around that often.

 

[GreenThing]

Stirling does run into blind alleys and I can see why he’s getting some stick, but on the plus side, his pace while running into the blind alley is likely to draw a foul or two in a dangerous area. As we are most dangerous when playing set pieces, having someone who makes a defence panic is a very good option.

 

[Biggs]

Yep, I think it’s been well established now that Sterling has been unfairly criticised and is a crucial part of how England play.

The confidence in front of goal is the main issue though, other than that he was dangerous.

Fantastic day but my negative contribution is about the commentary... it almost, ALMOST spoiled it for me with Guy Mowbray’s constant over the top and scripted remarks. Yes Guy, I can believe we’re beating Sweden, no Guy I don’t need to pinch myself, and no Guy you’re not going to have a They Think It’s All Over moment no matter how hard you try or how many scripted phrases you have written down in front of you.

As for his ‘absolute scenes’ and ‘tonight’s gonna be a good night’.... bring back Barry Davies please :thumbup:

 

[GreenThing]

Yep, I think it’s been well established now that Sterling has been unfairly criticised and is a crucial part of how England play.

The confidence in front of goal is the main issue though, other than that he was dangerous.

Fantastic day but my negative contribution is about the commentary... it almost, ALMOST spoiled it for me with Guy Mowbray’s constant over the top and scripted remarks. Yes Guy, I can believe we’re beating Sweden, no Guy I don’t need to pinch myself, and no Guy you’re not going to have a They Think It’s All Over moment no matter how hard you try or how many scripted phrases you have written down in front of you.

As for his ‘absolute scenes’ and ‘tonight’s gonna be a good night’.... bring back Barry Davies please :thumbup:

I agree with this. It’s a shame as the ex-player commentary from Martin Keown, Danny Murphy, etc has been first class, Lawrenson exculded.

 

[rsp4]

Today was just a tremendous team effort with no real standouts except maybe Pickford then maybe I am a little bias.

Agree Lev but I thougjt Maguire was the stand out for me. In defense, distribution pushing forward and set pieces he was superb. I never watch premiership football so have never seen him play for Leicester but boy they have something special.

 

[lyndhurst green]

Yep, I think it’s been well established now that Sterling has been unfairly criticised and is a crucial part of how England play.

The confidence in front of goal is the main issue though, other than that he was dangerous.

Fantastic day but my negative contribution is about the commentary... it almost, ALMOST spoiled it for me with Guy Mowbray’s constant over the top and scripted remarks. Yes Guy, I can believe we’re beating Sweden, no Guy I don’t need to pinch myself, and no Guy you’re not going to have a They Think It’s All Over moment no matter how hard you try or how many scripted phrases you have written down in front of you.

As for his ‘absolute scenes’ and ‘tonight’s gonna be a good night’.... bring back Barry Davies please :thumbup:

I agree with this. It’s a shame as the ex-player commentary from Martin Keown, Danny Murphy, etc has been first class, Lawrenson exculded.

Got to disagree. Keown yesterday on Pickford; ‘well, his family know who he is and he’s doing them proud’. Yikes.

 

[Lesmin]

The 3 outstanding players for me have been Pickford, Trippier and Maguire not just in this game but through out the tournament have got better in each game they’ve played

 

[Dan Ellard]

Sterling was a 6/10 for me yesterday - he really should have put away at least one of the two chances, but off the ball he was excellent, plus he was pretty good with the ball in deeper areas as well. Also, the way he brought down Henderson's ball over the top for the 2nd 1-on-1 chance was superb.

I'd rather play Sterling than Rashford up front, because he makes far more intelligent runs. Vardy should be above Rashford in the pecking order too for now.

 

[GreenThing]

Yep, I think it’s been well established now that Sterling has been unfairly criticised and is a crucial part of how England play.

The confidence in front of goal is the main issue though, other than that he was dangerous.

Fantastic day but my negative contribution is about the commentary... it almost, ALMOST spoiled it for me with Guy Mowbray’s constant over the top and scripted remarks. Yes Guy, I can believe we’re beating Sweden, no Guy I don’t need to pinch myself, and no Guy you’re not going to have a They Think It’s All Over moment no matter how hard you try or how many scripted phrases you have written down in front of you.

As for his ‘absolute scenes’ and ‘tonight’s gonna be a good night’.... bring back Barry Davies please :thumbup:

I agree with this. It’s a shame as the ex-player commentary from Martin Keown, Danny Murphy, etc has been first class, Lawrenson exculded.

Got to disagree. Keown yesterday on Pickford; ‘well, his family know who he is and he’s doing them proud’. Yikes.

Maybe, but that was him responding to a stupid comment from the main commentator. Overall they’ve been good.

 

[Balham Green]

Sterling was a 6/10 for me yesterday - he really should have put away at least one of the two chances, but off the ball he was excellent, plus he was pretty good with the ball in deeper areas as well. Also, the way he brought down Henderson's ball over the top for the 2nd 1-on-1 chance was superb.

I'd rather play Sterling than Rashford up front, because he makes far more intelligent runs. Vardy should be above Rashford in the pecking order too for now.

The first 1 on 1 was offside anyway. Vardy has done nothing to be put before Rashford.

 

[monkeywrench]

Got into arguments all day yesterday on FB and Twitter about Stirling. He was pretty much unplayable yesterday. He had a superb game. Yes yes his finishing is poor, but he terrified Sweden yesterday. I wish our fans would get off his back and get behind him.

 

[Dan Ellard]

Sterling was a 6/10 for me yesterday - he really should have put away at least one of the two chances, but off the ball he was excellent, plus he was pretty good with the ball in deeper areas as well. Also, the way he brought down Henderson's ball over the top for the 2nd 1-on-1 chance was superb.

I'd rather play Sterling than Rashford up front, because he makes far more intelligent runs. Vardy should be above Rashford in the pecking order too for now.

The first 1 on 1 was offside anyway. Vardy has done nothing to be put before Rashford.

Still was trying to score.

And what has Rashford done to be put ahead of Vardy?

 

[Josh Pope]

Sterling was a 6/10 for me yesterday - he really should have put away at least one of the two chances, but off the ball he was excellent, plus he was pretty good with the ball in deeper areas as well. Also, the way he brought down Henderson's ball over the top for the 2nd 1-on-1 chance was superb.

I'd rather play Sterling than Rashford up front, because he makes far more intelligent runs. Vardy should be above Rashford in the pecking order too for now.

The first 1 on 1 was offside anyway. Vardy has done nothing to be put before Rashford.

Still was trying to score.

And what has Rashford done to be put ahead of Vardy?

Not sure Vardy's style means he can form a good partnership with Kane, but Rashford can't play up front anyway so there shouldn't be much of a debate. He's a winger, not a striker. He plays on the wing for Manchester United (when he does actually play) and has not been especially good for them up front.

The way we play obviously benefits from Sterling's work and role, and if we had to play someone else then right now I would probably but Welbeck in above either Vardy or Rashford.