City winger Sterling off social media after abuse
Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has stopped checking his social media accounts because of the abuse he gets from critics.
The 22-year-old England international was particularly targeted with online criticism during the European Championship in 2016. At that tournament, Sterling dubbed himself some reasons:
FULL BACKS
Guardiola places a huge significance on the impact of his full backs in terms of his team’s attacking game plan. Last season, he had four of them (Gael Clichy, Aleksandar Kolarov, Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta) and all were over 30 years of age and unable to carry out his orders.
The aging quartet left in the summer, replaced with younger, more dynamic players in Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy and Danilo who are able to get up and down the flanks, acting as defenders and wingers. Fabien Delph, a midfielder, has joined the full-back group as a fill-in for the injured Mendy, but has adapted seamlessly. “The Hated One” on Instagram following England’s opening game against Russia.
“My first year here I used to always be on Instagram. You see stuff pop up and check it out because you don’t know any better,” Sterling said of the 2015-16 season, his first at City after moving from Liverpool.
“Since I have been getting those
Tellingly, their presence has had a huge impact on City’s attacking shape, chiefly allowing wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane to come inside more and give the team more numbers in the box to convert chances. Sane and Sterling have 10 league goals between them.
The full backs can also attack on the inside, giving opponents an extra headache and opening up space for City’s wealth of attacking midfielders and playmakers.
The loss of Mendy to knee ligament damage - ruling him out until April - is a huge loss to Guardiola, but it’s not showing at present.
COMPETITION FOR PLACES
The summer signing of Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva and the return to fitness of centre midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has given Guardiola negative comments, I realise the best thing is not to look at it so it won’t affect you.”
City manager Pep Guardiola phoned Sterling during Euro 2016 in a show of support, and the winger has improved his end product under the Spanish coach with six goals already in the Premier League this season. He is only five off his best goal tally for an abundance of options in the five places ahead of the defence and regular midfield anchorman Fernandinho. This is also the first time in years that Sergio Aguero has started a season with genuine competition for the lead striker position, in Gabriel Jesus.
Throw in Sterling, Sane, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne and it might be the most outrageous group of attacking players ever assembled by one team in Premier League history. City’s bench can be as scary to opposition managers as the starting team itself.
As such, Guardiola can afford to bring Jesus off around the hour mark, as he has done a few times this season already. Aguero stayed on the bench in the win over Stoke. Bernardo Silva, one of the stars of a season.
“He has been massive for me, especially with the basic and simple stuff,” Sterling said of Guardiola. “He always tries to get you do the simple stuff at the top level and that is genius because it works.”
Sterling was linked with a move to Arsenal in the summer transfer window as part of a potential package that could have brought Alexis Sanchez to City. But Guardiola said recently that Sterling was never going to leave.
“I didn’t have any negative thoughts,” Sterling said. “I just woke up one day with England, didn’t believe a word of it until I spoke to the manager. I didn’t need to worry about it.”