World Cup 2018 Fred sponsored by Unfounded Optimism followed by Abject Disappointment | Page 58 | Vital Football

World Cup 2018 Fred sponsored by Unfounded Optimism followed by Abject Disappointment

Sigh

I was merely trying to debate the point that Sterling IS NOT World Class but AS PER, The Clique jump on me again, bullying me because of my strength of knowledge regarding the Disability Discrimination Act. Their so called humor has derailed enough threads for me to use this new ignore function. I have put four of them on ignore and Vital is a much better place now that I read only my own posts.
 
Apollyon said:
Sigh

I was merely trying to debate the point that Sterling IS NOT World Class but AS PER, The Clique jump on me again, bullying me because of my strength of knowledge regarding the Disability Discrimination Act. Their so called humor has derailed enough threads for me to use this new ignore function. I have put four of them on ignore and Vital is a much better place now that I read only my own posts.
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I presume you are referring to Bob Carolgees and his blue badge holding dog, who's name escapes me.

NO SHAME
 
I know nothing about Bob Carolgees and his blue badge dog but it's quite obvious that Sterling is NOT world class. But he is good enough for this England side even if it's only because of the panic he gives the opposition when he runs at them.
If he ever learns to score at this level then he's in the running.
 
Old Red Fart said:
I know nothing about Bob Carolgees and his blue badge dog but it's quite obvious that Sterling is NOT world class. But he is good enough for this England side even if it's only because of the panic he gives the opposition when he runs at them.
If he ever learns to score at this level then he's in the running.
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So if he starts to score goals at international level he will become World Class; is that the premise?

If he is the best player available in that position, then English football is in a very bad way.

Raheem is a very fortunate boy at club level, he makes full use of the fact that Guardiola has to pick a certain number of home grown players in his match day squad; why else does Delph keep getting game time, or am I missing something there as well?

Bash asked a good question regarding Messi earlier in the thread; the enigmatic nature of the question makes it difficult to give a logical answer - how can such a brilliant player be so poor at international level.

There is one thing for certain; in twenty years time people will still be talking about Messi, you cannot seriously say the same about Sterling.

No one remembers the also rans.
 
Some players do go down in history for being frustrating though. Franz Carr could run like the wind. He could beat the full back as if he wasn't there. The only problem was that most of his crosses didn't even stay on the pitch! Didn't his family tout him to some of the top clubs, yet after leaving Forest at the age of 25 he barely made 70 further appearances for anyone.

Sterling has all the assets, but I guess teaching decision making is no easier than teaching me to run the 100 yards in 10 seconds!
 
mao tse tung said:
Bash asked a good question regarding Messi earlier in the thread; the enigmatic nature of the question makes it difficult to give a logical answer - how can such a brilliant player be so poor at international level.

There is one thing for certain; in twenty years time people will still be talking about Messi, you cannot seriously say the same about Sterling.

No one remembers the also rans.
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I wonder about that.

Has he won anything at international level with Argentina?

Ronaldo has won the Euros, as well as winning pretty much everything there is to win in three different countries, possibly four before he has done. He has been superb for his country, a talisman. Ronaldo will be talked about, in Europe at least in 20 years time.

Has Messi won the south American equivalent of the Euros?

Either way, most times I have seen him for Argentina he has been so poor that, not only does he not stand out but you wonder if he would even have a place if he wasn't Lionel Messi. 'Non-descript' sums him up.

At club level he has never chanced it outside of Barcelona since signing there. I appreciate he has had a bigger, braver journey to getting to the big time than Ronaldo, but the latter's desire to be more nomadic in testing himself in different leagues makes up for what is a fractionally lower natural ability, in my opinion.

Not really sure what we mean by world class. Where does that line start? Sterling is certainly south of it. This was his big chance and he didn't take it really. At best he was 'useful' rather than indispensable
 
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All very good points, Pope, particularly the last paragraph

The term World class is bandied around far too often for it to have any value; mainly by the so called experts who sit on the panels during the big tournaments, or by Sky's and BTs pet poodles trying to big up their investment.

To hear these people talk there must be hundreds of World Class players around if not thousands.

And then you get the people who watch these idiots repeating the same drivel at every given opportunity.

The Ronaldo/Messi argument will run and run, of that there is no doubt, and if the definitive litmus test is trophies won there is only one winner.

One of the most amusing things to come out of this World Cup has been the respective media people in one camp or the other describing their man as the greatest of all time.

As good as they both are, they do not come close; they would not get in to an all time top 5 maybe even a top 10.
 
mao tse tung said:
PVH, you surprise me.

You are usually serious, but when you describe Sterling as potentially World Class you must be having a laugh, and a pretty big one at that.

How many World Class players are there out there?

And what do you have to do to be deemed World Class?

Whatever criteria you use, whatever metrics you use, Sterling is not, and will never, ever, be World Class.

He is only deemed International class because the next person in line is Rashford ffs.

Being able to run fast, the one thing he does with some accomplishment, does not equate to class or merit whatsoever other than in Athletics.

And as for England's second half performance; the rot had set in way before the second half.

England ran them ragged for the first 15 - 20 minutes and then Croatia started to come in to the game.

Croatia were on top before half time arrived; ITV flashed up a number of statistics after around 35 minutes that displayed pass completion and possession, they did not make good reading.

One player made the difference; he did not have a kick for 15 minutes and the ran the show until he ran out of steam at around the 80 minute mark.

When you have genuine class, the players around you tend to raise their game, and that is exactly what happened.
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I don’t think I’m stretching the imagination too far when I say he could become world class. He has pace and skill in abundance.

However he needs to improve his decision making skills if he’s to take himself to the next level. Croatian defenders had their work cut out while he was on the field. He works the defence, a quality yo be
mao tse tung said:
PVH, you surprise me.

You are usually serious, but when you describe Sterling as potentially World Class you must be having a laugh, and a pretty big one at that.

How many World Class players are there out there?

And what do you have to do to be deemed World Class?

Whatever criteria you use, whatever metrics you use, Sterling is not, and will never, ever, be World Class.

He is only deemed International class because the next person in line is Rashford ffs.

Being able to run fast, the one thing he does with some accomplishment, does not equate to class or merit whatsoever other than in Athletics.

And as for England's second half performance; the rot had set in way before the second half.

England ran them ragged for the first 15 - 20 minutes and then Croatia started to come in to the game.

Croatia were on top before half time arrived; ITV flashed up a number of statistics after around 35 minutes that displayed pass completion and possession, they did not make good reading.

One player made the difference; he did not have a kick for 15 minutes and the ran the show until he ran out of steam at around the 80 minute mark.

When you have genuine class, the players around you tend to raise their game, and that is exactly what happened.
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I still believe that “if” Sterling is able to improve the areas of his game I highlighted, that yes, potentially he could be world class. There can be no doubting his skill, energy, pace and fitness, he “just” needs to improve his decision making skills. I say “just” but clearly this is a massive part of the game, but not something that he can’t inprove on with the right coaching and application.

Just my opinion of course.
 
Sterling hasn't been as bad as some make out, but this game he looks very poor.

And the first time he doesn't give the ball away but sets up Kane, our hotshot striker blazes it wide.
 
I appreciate GS is trying to give some of the other squad members a game, but Belgium could easily be 3 up.

Having said that, Delph and Loftus-Cheek have done okay.
 
Maybe I am showing my lack of understanding of the game but aside from the first goal, England's back line has played really well.
 
Much better 2nd half and should have equalised, which would have made for an exciting last however long (15 minutes?) Dier did everything right but great defending to clear off the line.

If we'd started with Delph at LB and Lingard instead of Sterling we might have won that. (Easy with hindsight!) And Kane has been rubbish for the last 3 games.
 
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