Raheem Sterling is often the subject of derisory criticism, especially when he plays for England.
Such criticisms often show, among other things, a lack of understanding about just what Sterling’s
role is in Gareth Southgate’s team.
In fact, Sterling is pivotal and works extraordinarily hard, often at the expense of his own natural
instincts, so that other England attacking players can flourish.
Generally at Manchester City, Sterling takes up the wide right or wide left positions in
a 4-3-3.
This season, he has scored 18 goals and registered 11 assists in 29 league starts and four league
sub appearances, an incredible return for a winger.
His ability to ghost into space around the back post, or through the centre, means he
gets into scoring positions consistently, often from close up.
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For England, though, his scoring record is comparatively poor.
So far, in 41 appearances he has scored twice, both at Wembley, both in home qualifiers for
Euro 2016, and both against Baltic nations (Estonia and Lithuania).
Without an England goal since October 2015, but having scored so much in the league, people
have decided that Sterling must underperform for his national team or, even less logically,
be a bad player.
Under Gareth Southgate, England have played a sort of 3-5-2, with Sterling up front alongside
Harry Kane, in front of an attacking-looking midfield of Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli.
Jordan Henderson sits in front of the back three, while wing backs provide the width.
The aim is to create movement between the lines and have players bursting into space
to create attacking opportunities.
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Sterling is absolutely key to this.
He is constantly moving, sometimes dropping as deep or even deeper than Henderson, to
collect the ball from the centre backs.
This does one of two things: either a deep midfield marker goes with him, leaving space
into which Lingard or Dele Alli can push up, or Kane can drop off; or a marker further
forward comes inside leaving space for the wing backs or another midfield moves to mark
Sterling, leaving Henderson free for a pass.
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Sterling can also gather the ball here and turn and carry it himself, running at the
opposition defence, causing them to change shape reactively, allowing players to run
off him, and putting England on the front foot from a deep position on the pitch ; the
extremely physical marking and closing down by Colombia, for example, of Sterling shows
that they knew exactly how important his dropping off in creating space for other players.
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Sterling also drops off or moves wide when England are further up the pitch.
Indeed, he and Kane are both very mobile as forwards, though Kane’s movement tends to
be more vertical and less lateral.
Sterling crops up across the pitch, running onto passes wide right and left, dropping
off to offer himself as an option irrespective of where he is, and working consistently hard
to make room for other players or carry the ball in the wide spaces and put in crosses.
His assist for Lingard against Panama is a great example: moving from a central space
out to his left, Sterling takes the ball from Lingard surrounded by four Panama defenders,
which makes space at the top of the box for the return pass and shot from Lingard, who
scored.
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Because Sterling is still an attacking force, running in behind either down the line, or
diagonally into the space behind full backs.
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Sterling’s pace is a threat, as is the movement that got him so many league goals this season.
But what has stood out is his hard work, his incredible control and strength when dropping
in and riding hard challenges, all in the service of the rest of the team.
This effort extends to Sterling’s defensive work, chasing back when England’s initial
press is broken, either slowing attackers up before they make it to the defensive line
with niggling tackles, or helping to force them out wide.
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Sterling may have only registered one assist and not scored this tournament, but he is
absolutely key to Southgate’s style of play and the team’s system.
Sterling does huge amounts of hard work that allows his teammates to thrive in the space
he creates.
He may not scores goals, but what he does allows others to, or at least find the space
in which they can attack.
That he is still criticised, despite this intelligence and hard work, speaks volumes
about how some people fail to recognise what is happening in football, or pursue agendas
that have nothing to do with what is on pitch.