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Liverpool’s young star is being misused out wide, and Brendan Rodgers must stop shifting him to accommodate others as well as return him to the Reds front three, writes Ben Twelves.
Raheem Sterling found himself as the shining light of the Liverpool attack during and after the dismal first half of the season, but over recent weeks, the 20-year-old’s form has tailed off.
While possibly a contributing factor, there’s a more simple reason for the loss of form, namely, playing in an unsuited wide position in Brendan Rodgers’ 3-4-2-1 system.
Ineffectiveness at Wing-Back
Restricted to a position on the fringes of the game rather than in a free-to-roam role that catapulted him to stardom last season, Sterling, to put it bluntly, is being wasted out wide.
Even Rodgers – the man who picks him to play the restrictive position – said exactly that in a recent interview when discussing the science behind Liverpool’s formation switch.
At Newcastle Raheem Sterling played as one of the wide players. So what did I get out of that game apart from a loss? I learned that Raheem probably won’t be able to play wide in what I was looking to do because he’s not in the game enough. He was on the side – Rodgers
This open admission makes it even more baffling – and contradictory – that Rodgers has picked Sterling in that very position for every game since (the interview being the day before the Burnley match – the match Sterling first moved to wing-back).
The former-QPR trainee’s performance level has undoubtedly suffered since being shoved in the gap-filling role, and it makes little sense for the Reds boss to continue misusing Sterling when his presence in the Liverpool attack has been shown over the last 12 months to be of paramount importance.
A dwindling influence on games due to playing wide where he can’t impose his explosive attacking approach, has contributed to a Reds attack suffering over those four matches.
Lax offensive displays over those games has seen only four goals scored – including a fortuitous effort from Jordan Henderson against Swansea – as well as a goalless draw against Blackburn in the FA Cup.
Unable to ghost into space between lines and cause destruction from the middle of pitch where proven his best position is, Sterling has instead found himself attempting to stifle opposition, rather than handing out an afternoon of torture to usually terrified opponents.
Once proclaimed as the future of Liverpool Football Club, such has been the drop off due to the wing-back move that questions over whether the 20-year-old talent is worth the hassle of on-going contract negotiations have been voiced.
This is of course unfair, with his place of work on the field dictated by Rodgers, and the experiment has shown that the current role is clearly unsuitable for the 20-year-old talent.
A place in the front three of the system is, however.
A Place in the Reds Attack
Sterling has shown since his regular inclusion in the Liverpool team why he must play in a central attacking role.
His pace, directness, ability to find space and press from the front have previously resulted in opposing sides being completely unable to deal with the youngster – who demonstrated his attacking prowess perfectly while carrying the goal-scoring burden in Daniel Sturridge’s injury absence.
It was Sterling who Rodgers turned to, to help rescue what was turning into a disastrous campaign – and he delivered.
Sterling played brilliantly both spearheading the Reds attack and as a supporting act, and even recently in the Reds 2-1 win over Man City when Sturridge was rested, Sterling lead the way with an excellent display where he caused panic and all manner of problems for a petrified City back line.
All of his attacking influence, energy and quality has been badly missed while being stuck out wide-right and subsequently, an improved Liverpool attack has once again taken a downward turn while he’s filled gaps to accommodate others.
The Adam Lallana Problem
A crucial reason behind Sterling’s move to the flank has been to accommodate the inconsistent Adam Lallana – who is becoming an increasing problem for the Reds.
Currently, and in all honesty, an inferior all-round option, Rodgers has picked his attacking selection round the wrong way with Lallana the consistently favoured attacking outlet – despite being far less influential and productive.
While Lallana is indeed a nice player – technically good, can play off either foot and clever in his movement – the 26-year-old has almost proven to be a hindrance to attacking play at times this season; often slowing the pace of attacks on too many occasions, flattering to deceive and above all, failing to bring any consistency to performances since his summer arrival.
The former Southampton man’s importance in the front three is far from the level of the man almost seven years his junior.
Sterling should in no way be moved to make room for the more experienced Lallana, who hasn’t taken on as prominent a role as hoped within the Liverpool set-up, and Rodgers must reverse his selection – picking his most important players in first choice positions and selecting a supporting cast, rather than shunting key figures to support inferior options.
Of course, injury to Lallana this week and the imminent return of Jordon Ibe from injury means Rodgers will be able to move Sterling back alongside Philippe Coutinho and put Ibe out wide.
If Liverpool are to get their derailed top four challenge back on track at the first attempt against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Sterling must return to the front three where he can once again become the gifted, dynamic and dominant force in Reds offensive line up.
(All stats via Whoscored.com & Squawka)
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Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho admits getting to grips with the English language changed his fortunes on the pitch.
The France international struggled to settle in during his first 18 months after arriving from Paris St Germain for £18million in the summer of 2013.
However, since returning in mid-December he has been a virtual ever-present, missing just five matches with another injury, and has made a noticeable improvement.
The 25-year-old puts much of that down to him learning English.
“Do I finally feel happy at Liverpool? Yes, I feel good. The most difficult thing has been the language,” he told L’Equipe.
“I am a man of strong character so when I can’t express myself I am always frustrated, and if I cannot make myself understood it is even worse.
“Some people said that I should be speaking French and that would allow me to release the tension a bit, except that when I spoke in French on the pitch nobody understood what I was saying.
“I said to myself: ‘This is useless – I really must learn’. It took time but now it is very good.”
Sakho has put his fit of pique ahead of the first derby this season behind him and is grateful fans appear to have forgiven him also.
“I said sorry – it is all over,” he added. “In England the supporters don’t hold a grudge. In France, especially, it was talked about a lot negatively.”
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