After fading in the latter stages of last season, Sterling has only started one Premier League match out of the 12 games this campaign. Does this mean Rodgers should loan him out in January?
In a recent poll by @LFCPolls this certainly seems to be the general consensus from Liverpool fans with an overwhelming 84.5% of you thinking that Sterling would benefit from a loan spell. This was also my initial opinion but recently I’ve thought a bit more about the issue and now I’m not so sure it would be the best idea.
Sterling’s break through into the first team in the early part of last season has been highly documented and, to some extent, ‘over-hyped’ by the media and certainly Sterling’s lack of involvement had also been noticed by fans in the following months. Most have put this down to the theory that Sterling has dipped in form and that Rodgers has burnt him out. But I think there’s a more simple way to look at the reasons for Sterling’s decline in first team opportunities:
An increase in squad depth.
In the summer before the 2012/13 season, Rodgers offloaded most of the ageing wide men at the club (Kuyt, Bellamy and Rodriguez) in order to fit in with FSG’s policy of looking to the future. These wingers needed replacing but Rodgers somewhat failed in signing any wingers of quality before September. Liverpool were left with only Stewart Downing and Sterling as their first choice attacking wide players which had to suffice until the turn of the new year when Sturridge and Coutinho took their places in the first team. Both signings kept the young attacker out of the team with Sterling having only started 2 BPL matches in 2013.
Rodgers evidently noticed Liverpool’s lack of attacking options in the summer and signed Aspas, Alberto and Moses. Along with Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez, Sterling’s opportunities are limited. But I don’t think this is any fault of his own. People say he has been fading since January, I argue that this hasn’t been due to his performances, but the performances of others.
So if he isn’t going to get plenty of chances to play this season then Liverpool should loan him out, right?
Well I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Sterling made 8 appearances from January to the end of last season. He’s currently made 9 appearances from August till now. So this begs the question, if he’s contributed more after, than before the summer in 2013, why didn’t Rodgers loan him out in the summer?
The point is, (to quote Football Manager) I think that Rodgers “considers Raheem Sterling to be part of the first team now here and shouldn’t be loaned out”. He’s been in the 18 man squad for every single League match Liverpool have played this season. Fans were complaining about lack of squad depth in 2012 and now that they’ve got it they want to loan regular substitutes out?
Another problem I’ve found with the idea of Sterling being loaned out lies with certain signings Rodgers made in the summer. If he loans Sterling out then why shouldn’t he loan Luis Alberto out too? The Spaniard plays in roughly the same position as Sterling yet hasn’t started a Premier League match this season. He’s only made an appearance in the League 5 times compared to Sterling’s 7. He’s made the bench fewer times than Sterling. Finally Alberto is over 2 years older than him!
But what I find even more surprising is Victor Moses, a player Rodgers actively went out and loaned himself, has made the same number of appearances in the League as a player 85% of you said should go out on loan.
One player Liverpool did loan out this summer and is doing well for their temporary club is Suso. He has been by far Almeria’s most valuable player and for a time there were some fans saying that he should be recalled because he was doing so well. I would say that if fans want Suso back, a player in my opinion who hasn’t got enough talent to make it onto the bench at the moment, then why are fans saying Rodgers should loan out Sterling who is consistently chosen for the 18 man squad week in, week out?
At first I was on the side of those who said that Sterling should go and gain some experience elsewhere, but now I would be very surprised if he is loaned out in January, assuming no other attacking purchase is made (which I know is unlikely). But for whoever Sterling is playing for in the New Year I’m sure it will beneficial in some way for either himself or the club he plays for and I wish him the best of luck for the future.
Sterling’s break through into the first team in the early part of last season has been highly documented and, to some extent, ‘over-hyped’ by the media and certainly Sterling’s lack of involvement had also been noticed by fans in the following months. Most have put this down to the theory that Sterling has dipped in form and that Rodgers has burnt him out. But I think there’s a more simple way to look at the reasons for Sterling’s decline in first team opportunities:
An increase in squad depth.
In the summer before the 2012/13 season, Rodgers offloaded most of the ageing wide men at the club (Kuyt, Bellamy and Rodriguez) in order to fit in with FSG’s policy of looking to the future. These wingers needed replacing but Rodgers somewhat failed in signing any wingers of quality before September. Liverpool were left with only Stewart Downing and Sterling as their first choice attacking wide players which had to suffice until the turn of the new year when Sturridge and Coutinho took their places in the first team. Both signings kept the young attacker out of the team with Sterling having only started 2 BPL matches in 2013.
Rodgers evidently noticed Liverpool’s lack of attacking options in the summer and signed Aspas, Alberto and Moses. Along with Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez, Sterling’s opportunities are limited. But I don’t think this is any fault of his own. People say he has been fading since January, I argue that this hasn’t been due to his performances, but the performances of others.
So if he isn’t going to get plenty of chances to play this season then Liverpool should loan him out, right?
Well I don’t think it’s as simple as that. Sterling made 8 appearances from January to the end of last season. He’s currently made 9 appearances from August till now. So this begs the question, if he’s contributed more after, than before the summer in 2013, why didn’t Rodgers loan him out in the summer?
The point is, (to quote Football Manager) I think that Rodgers “considers Raheem Sterling to be part of the first team now here and shouldn’t be loaned out”. He’s been in the 18 man squad for every single League match Liverpool have played this season. Fans were complaining about lack of squad depth in 2012 and now that they’ve got it they want to loan regular substitutes out?
Another problem I’ve found with the idea of Sterling being loaned out lies with certain signings Rodgers made in the summer. If he loans Sterling out then why shouldn’t he loan Luis Alberto out too? The Spaniard plays in roughly the same position as Sterling yet hasn’t started a Premier League match this season. He’s only made an appearance in the League 5 times compared to Sterling’s 7. He’s made the bench fewer times than Sterling. Finally Alberto is over 2 years older than him!
But what I find even more surprising is Victor Moses, a player Rodgers actively went out and loaned himself, has made the same number of appearances in the League as a player 85% of you said should go out on loan.
One player Liverpool did loan out this summer and is doing well for their temporary club is Suso. He has been by far Almeria’s most valuable player and for a time there were some fans saying that he should be recalled because he was doing so well. I would say that if fans want Suso back, a player in my opinion who hasn’t got enough talent to make it onto the bench at the moment, then why are fans saying Rodgers should loan out Sterling who is consistently chosen for the 18 man squad week in, week out?
At first I was on the side of those who said that Sterling should go and gain some experience elsewhere, but now I would be very surprised if he is loaned out in January, assuming no other attacking purchase is made (which I know is unlikely). But for whoever Sterling is playing for in the New Year I’m sure it will beneficial in some way for either himself or the club he plays for and I wish him the best of luck for the future.