Topic: Raheem Shaquille Sterling

[DanA]

expecting great things from Sterling is all well and fine, but i urge people not to get caught up in this chance he has. for all we know he'll play a limited role for England and they don't get out of their group..

We absolutely have no right to expect a 19 y/o lad to do anything. But he's probably the in form player in the team. His last 3 months for Liverpool we're spectacular.

[PhaseOfPlay]

The problem is Sterling has been taught that pushing a player back towards his own goal is how to defend. With England they will want him to prioritise maintaining shape instead of applying pressure. There is no point in having 9 outfield players maintaining shape and just Sterling pressuring Pirlo as nobody is blocking his passing lanes. That is the problem for me regardless of who marks Pirlo.

Pirlo was a nightmare for England in the Euro's as they stood off Italy and let him pick out any passes he wants. Either England as a whole rectify that or Sterling will have the impossible task of preventing Pirlo from picking out easy passes to players around him.

Excellent points there Babu. World of difference between how Sterling has been brought up to defend, and how Hodgson will expect him to play

[GerrardRock2]

Owl: Where did you get that sno-cone?
Raheem: Over there my man.

[DanA]

Excellent points there Babu. World of difference between how Sterling has been brought up to defend, and how Hodgson will expect him to play

I still think there is some intelligence to the move.

Pirlo will unfortunately always have easy outs due to our lack of pressing but Sterling sitting on him still stop him from having the time and space that allows him to do his best work. And if he ever tries to take on Sterling I think that could end very badly for the Italian.

On the counter too Sterling's pace virtually puts Pirlo out of the game if they have an even start. 

[PhaseOfPlay]

I still think there is some intelligence to the move.

Pirlo will unfortunately always have easy outs due to our lack of pressing but Sterling sitting on him still stop him from having the time and space that allows him to do his best work. And if he ever tries to take on Sterling I think that could end very badly for the Italian.

On the counter too Sterling's pace virtually puts Pirlo out of the game if they have an even start.

Not disagreeing with Sterling being positioned there, but he WILL be asked to defend differently than he's used to

[lamonti]

Rodgers:
Good luck with that under Hodgson.

Hodgson won't play a diamond. For starters he's very conservative, but above all, he'd be an eejit to introduce a brand new formation to a team that with exception of Gerrard, Henderson and Sterling hasn't played it before (and even they hadn't played it until about Feb or March) and especially against the national team perhaps most capable of dealing with tactical variation in the Italians.

Would love to see Raheem start, he's a cracking player to watch. Welbeck has his uses too but if Sturridge is the guy running in behind and running the channels, Welbeck's uses are a lot more limited.

[wemmick]

The problem is Sterling has been taught that pushing a player back towards his own goal is how to defend. With England they will want him to prioritise maintaining shape instead of applying pressure. There is no point in having 9 outfield players maintaining shape and just Sterling pressuring Pirlo as nobody is blocking his passing lanes. That is the problem for me regardless of who marks Pirlo.

Pirlo was a nightmare for England in the Euro's as they stood off Italy and let him pick out any passes he wants. Either England as a whole rectify that or Sterling will have the impossible task of preventing Pirlo from picking out easy passes to players around him.

I agree with every word. Hopefully, the Owl will have a better game plan than just man-marking Pirlo out of the game. Even if Sterling or Welbeck is successful at it, the Italians are too good collectively to beaten so easily. You're right. I think Rooney and Sturridge more than anyone will make this a very difficult task for Sterling. That is part of why I like it as a test. Pirlo is a master at creating just the right amount of space to play his optimal game. Sterling will have to expand his tactical awareness--always thinking, thinking, thinking for 90 minutes--if he is going to hang on defensively. Will be a great challenge for him! Even if it proves impossible as you say.       

[mikroski]

[BabuYagu]

I agree with every word. Hopefully, the Owl will have a better game plan than just man-marking Pirlo out of the game. Even if Sterling or Welbeck is successful at it, the Italians are too good collectively to beaten so easily. You're right. I think Rooney and Sturridge more than anyone will make this a very difficult task for Sterling. That is part of why I like it as a test. Pirlo is a master at creating just the right amount of space to play his optimal game. Sterling will have to expand his tactical awareness--always thinking, thinking, thinking for 90 minutes--if he is going to hang on defensively. Will be a great challenge for him! Even if it proves impossible as you say.     

The other thing I would say about Hodgson is that he likes to apportion blame, particularly on lower status or younger players. Pirlo picks England apart then that is on Sterling because he was specifically told to mark him. Not a failing of his system which has never failed him.

I think Sterling is being set up to fail here. Don't get me wrong, out of everybody eligible to play for England he is absolutely the right person for the job. Unfortunately, Hodgson is not.

[wemmick]

The other thing I would say about Hodgson is that he likes to apportion blame, particularly on lower status or younger players. Pirlo picks England apart then that is on Sterling because he was specifically told to mark him. Not a failing of his system which has never failed him.

I think Sterling is being set up to fail here. Don't get me wrong, out of everybody eligible to play for England he is absolutely the right person for the job. Unfortunately, Hodgson is not.

Agreed. I'll be cursing at the TV if Hodgson sets Sterling up to fail. (Seems Welbeck is fit so we may not find out.) But, it would be interesting to see how he would handle it, or what he would come up with on the fly. I'm not sure Sterling has ever been put in a situation where he is being asked to play an improbable zero-sum or more probable negative-sum game from the start, where the onus is on him alone to change it to a positive-sum game. I don't think Brendan has ever put him in that situation. And rightly so for one so young.   

[vicgill]

The other thing I would say about Hodgson is that he likes to apportion blame, particularly on lower status or younger players. Pirlo picks England apart then that is on Sterling because he was specifically told to mark him. Not a failing of his system which has never failed him.

I think Sterling is being set up to fail here. Don't get me wrong, out of everybody eligible to play for England he is absolutely the right person for the job. Unfortunately, Hodgson is not.

I think this could be the first time you and I agree on something    nice one

[Yakyb]

i would say that is about right

[Twitter.com]

Starting as n10 tonight.

Tear them to pieces.

[Snail]

I'm excited.

[amir87]

Mama mia itsa Raheema Sterling!

[Upinsmoke]

Confirmed he's starting?

[Zlen]

Go Rašo!

[farawayred]

Shaq attack!

[Crosby Nick]

Go on Raheem. Good luck son!

[dirkster]

Go on Raheem. Good luck son!

Amen to that brother

[BazC]

Actually feeling a bit nervous about this game, almost a bit like a Liverpool game. It's because of this lad, I want him to really smash it - and wherever you look on the team sheet you see a Liverpool player. Go on lads, go twat these Italy c*nts.

[MrEazi1]

Loved the kid this season, his growth as a player has embodied everything great about Liverpool's season.

Hope he does well for his sake and that England fans don't start moaning on the phone-ins if he doesn't single-handedly drag them to victory.

[cptrios]

I'm thrilled for him and am excited to watch him, Gerrard, Sturridge, and Hendo play...but all I really care about is that none of them get hurt. Please.

That being said, I have a sneaking suspicion that one day we might be fending off Bale-money transfer attempts for this kid.

[PaisleyPrint]

He's having a great game.

[farawayred]

Top game for him, absolutely superb! Too bad his early shot didn't go in, would have been deserving.

[rawcusk8]

Top game for him, absolutely superb! Too bad his early shot didn't go in, would have been deserving.

Haha i jumped up and down thinking that was in.. Pretty sure BBC changed the score to 1-0 too. Hope he can keep up this performance in the second half.

[CanuckYNWA]

19

years

old

.......

just amazes me how much better this kid could get and hes already MoTM for england in a world cup game...

[Anywhichwayicant]

19.

First major tournament.

In Brazil.

Against the Italians.


The only word I can ever use to describe him is frightening.

[soxfan]

19

years

old

.......

just amazes me how much better this kid could get and hes already MoTM for england in a world cup game...

And he's ours! We're very, very blessed to have him.

[lfcderek]

19.

First major tournament.

In Brazil.

Against the Italians.


The only word I can ever use to describe him is frightening.

Telling exactly that to the wife. She didn't understand what I was saying.

He is though isn't he.

[wemmick]

Is it too early to call him world class?

[wz4jc3]

He's done himself and the club proud tonight. Same again next Thursday.

[soxfan]

Is it too early to call him world class?

Yes, because by definition there's only a couple of handfuls of players in the world that are.

But it's not too early to say he has a very good chance of being world class in just a few years. Amazing potential if he keeps his head straight and stays healthy. 

[Kowalski7]

Thought he had  a great game.  Just a shame hodgson told him to stick to the touchline for the last 35 minutes.

[Bruce88]

Is it too early to call him world class?

Yes. He will be in a couple of years though.

[wemmick]

Yes. He will be in a couple of years though.

Indeed. He will be a hell of a player.

[Clint Eastwood]

He's 19.

[Welshred]

Thought he had  a great game.  Just a shame hodgson told him to stick to the touchline for the last 35 minutes.

He had cramp and his movement was definitely limited after being treated for it. I'm amazed he kept him on the pitch and didn't bring another winger on.

[Fordy]

Outstanding yet again.

What a player.

[Passmaster Molby]

He's a truly wonderful talent that we need to nurture, develop and protect over the next couple of seasons because his profile just went stratospheric after that performance on the world stage. Our secret is well and truly out now!