Raheem Sterling (Liverpool > Man City)

Get this lad on a new contract as soon as possible!

I don't care if we have to offer 70 untouched virgins or an island in Greece. Get him that new contract.

This lad is the best young player in the world.

Agree, make sure there is a mammoth release clause too of a few hundred million. Potential to become an all time great.

Like Torres and Suarez before him, he has become the player you want to see first on the team sheet because of the raw talent of the individual.

You want the team to get him on the ball because you know he is capable of a bit of magic which can change the game.

The fact he is still only 19 is crazy, imagine what he could be like when playing in his prime.

Like Torres and Suarez before him, he has become the player you want to see first on the team sheet because of the raw talent of the individual.

You want the team to get him on the ball because you know he is capable of a bit of magic which can change the game.

The fact he is still only 19 is crazy, imagine what he could be like when playing in his prime.

Absolutely. It's scary to think he's only 19 but we've still got to make sure we manage him just right. You don't necessarily want to be overplaying him like Houllier did with Owen but thankfully I think we've got a manager who realises just that given how he managed him in the second half of 2012/2013 season where Raheem barely featured. You look around Europe and the world and try and find a better 17, 18 or 19 year old. I can't find him. I've said it many times before but the guy has the ability to become one of the top three players in the world, if not the VERY best.

Absolutely. It's scary to think he's only 19 but we've still got to make sure we manage him just right. You don't necessarily want to be overplaying him like Houllier did with Owen but thankfully I think we've got a manager who realises just that given how he managed him in the second half of 2012/2013 season where Raheem barely featured. You look around Europe and the world and try and find a better 17, 18 or 19 year old. I can't find him. I've said it many times before but the guy has the ability to become one of the top three players in the world, if not the VERY best.

Whilst I agree that we need to be careful of exposing him, the difference to Owen is that his game isn't just based around pace, very rarely do you see him even going at full pelt because he's got the ball at his feet taking players on, as opposed to where Owen was expected to run into the space and get ahead of the defender under Houllier.

He plays right now as if he is 28 years of age, can't believe the intelligence he shows on the pitch and he's now starting to add goals to his game. He could be anything he wants to be if he keeps his head screwed on right and listens to the right advice. He is now one of our most important players IMO, I don't think I'm over-emphasising the point when I say that on form he is THE most important player we have because he always looks like doing something when he's on the ball.

Whilst I agree that we need to be careful of exposing him, the difference to Owen is that his game isn't just based around pace, very rarely do you see him even going at full pelt because he's got the ball at his feet taking players on, as opposed to where Owen was expected to run into the space and get ahead of the defender under Houllier.

He plays right now as if he is 28 years of age, can't believe the intelligence he shows on the pitch and he's now starting to add goals to his game. He could be anything he wants to be if he keeps his head screwed on right and listens to the right advice. He is now one of our most important players IMO, I don't think I'm over-emphasising the point when I say that on form he is THE most important player we have because he always looks like doing something when he's on the ball.

Very good point. I think Houllier's defensive/counter attack tactics also meant Owen was utilised in a way that he could only utilise his pace (playing on the long ball to Heskey to tap down to Michael). Owen was, I suppose, asked to play at the maximum for the whole 90 minutes whereas Rodgers' style of play is a lot more controlled, choosing where and when to up the ante. Also a lot is to be said for the fact that he was brought back from injury once against the wishes of doctors and physios which ultimately did a lot of long term damage.

People starting too see now this is more than an impact player or the man to change a game. This is a player who dictates the play and can control games from all areas of the field. Left, right, off the front or dropping deep he is consistently the best on the park.

There was however no need for Roy to force 90 minutes on him (other than the fact he was the only saving grace for him on the night) but there we are. He will need looking after better.

Anyhow, his upward curve in the last 18 months has been incredible. Here's to the next in a Liverpool shirt.

A wonderful little player, the only thing which can now stop him becoming absolutely World class is himself. Easily England's best player now, and only a kid at that. On that subject, any forum members who like me have to work with 19 year olds from time to time will know the word "kid" is used quite deliberately here. He has a massive amount of growing up still to do, and if handled properly could still improve out of all recognition. Equally, his immaturity will mean that he'll need careful handling by Brendan and the club.

In the short term, I 100% agree with the calls for a new contract. It's absolutely obscene for example that Luke Shaw earns twice as much as Raheem, it might be an idea to address such anomalies before he and his agent come knocking at the door. As I've said many times, while we're patting him on the back and giving him the big rise, stick the old 150 mill buyout clause in while we're at it.

Page 43 makes for an interesting read

Not even a year passed by and his improvements are tremendous. Fantastic player.

Page 43 makes for an interesting read

Not even a year passed by and his improvements are tremendous. Fantastic player.

Interesting indeed.

It's funny how things can change so quickly, 10 months on and he is arguably the star of both Liverpool and England. Since the 5-0  result against Spurs (just about a week after those comments) I don't really recall him having a poor performance.

I quite like page 40 meself.

Crazy that thoughts on players change over time due to performances, both of individual and the squad.  Should be more consistent, stick with the one opinion and spout it monotonously in thread after thread, no matter what new information comes to hand. 

Suppose he's alright 

I quite like page 40 meself.

I can now see why. Well done oh wise one

Isn't it scary to think that on current form, sterling is the BEST English player in the world right now.

19 years old.

What a talent, world at his feet.

Isn't it scary to think that on current form, sterling is the BEST English player in the world right now.

19 years old.

What a talent, world at his feet.

Daniel Sturridge would have something to say about that

Raheem Sterling Radar from Mixedknuts on twitter.
First 3 games of the season.
Ridiculous.

Raheem, mind them 50/50's, we need you fit and well lad.

Words fail me with Bodgson yday.

Big fanfare of "Sterling to play no.10".

Except neither Rooney or Wellback would play wide.

I was looking, often Raheem was the 4th, 5th or even EIGHTH player forward.
Often he was just infront of the back 4.

This struck me as Woyston playing politics again. Rooney would have a tantrum as centre forward or out wide. So he was "number 10, but not a number 10" if u follow my meaning.

F**k, they're even talking about this turkey as the head of St George's Academy. WTF.

Words fail me with Bodgson yday.

Big fanfare of "Sterling to play no.10".

Except neither Rooney or Wellback would play wide.

I was looking, often Raheem was the 4th, 5th or even EIGHTH player forward.
Often he was just infront of the back 4.

This struck me as Woyston playing politics again. Rooney would have a tantrum as centre forward or out wide. So he was "number 10, but not a number 10" if u follow my meaning.

F**k, they're even talking about this turkey as the head of St George's Academy. WTF.

I felt the same too, something didn't look right when Sterling played as a #10 yesterday, even though he had a good game, It wasn't the Sterling I see often playing for us when in that #10 role. I think it was because of England's direct approach combined with Rooney dropping deep, thinking he was Zidane :/

Regularly he was WAY behind the fullbacks, AND Wiltshire, Delpht and Henderson.
And ofcourse the fullbacks pushed up because neither Rooney or Welbeck or the midfielders were prepared to go wide.

God knows why the midfied 3 were allowed so far ahead of Raheem.

It was like a sh*t comedy.

Raheem did that job well. But F**k, it was literally like playing Messi as midfield anchorman.

Classic England. Lots of politics and players playing for themselves, whilst having a bit of a recovery.

Regularly he was WAY behind the fullbacks, AND Wiltshire, Delpht and Henderson.
And ofcourse the fullbacks pushed up because neither Rooney or Welbeck or the midfielders were prepared to go wide.

God knows why the midfied 3 were allowed so far ahead of Raheem.

It was like a sh*t comedy.

Raheem did that job well. But f**k, it was literally like playing Messi as midfield anchorman.

Classic England. Lots of politics and players playing for themselves, whilst having a bit of a recovery.

Agree with this. It was slow tempo football which enabled our midfielders to get forward but as a result, meant someone had to come deep which was often Raheem. The football England play is very simple. It's very easy to defend against. The commentators commented on how every Swiss player was behind the ball, hence why we are struggling to break teams down. What they didn't identify was that we give the opposition this time to get everyone behind the ball, as we do not move it around quick enough. I'd like to see an analysis of the balls played by three players in mind: jones, Cahill and Wiltshere. I would then like to see how these passes compares to that of Lovren, Sakho and Gerrard for Liverpool. What is Raheems heat map like for England compared to Liverpool?

People say that the opposition park the bus but they really don't. If you are going to play a slow possession game then you are giving the opportunity to the opposition to defend in numbers. It's really awful stuff to watch with the players we have at our disposal.

Agree with the sentiments above.

Raheem for me didn't play his best because he had to drop deep to get it as it wasn't getting to him via Wilshere and Co. Wilshere who played his position terribly  I may add.

What impressed me though was although he didn't have a good game he was the key to the two goals England scored, showing us young Raheem is on his way to becoming a real game winner/changer.

Well played Raheem.

Play Raheem alongside Balotelli upfront until DS comeback BR, please.