GWT: PL Matchweek 12

[YNWA14]

If you assaulted a teammate in most regular jobs you’d probably get fired. He’s getting sat out in a nothing game for being a twat. It’s deserved and sends the right message to the team. Nothing overblown about Southgate’s reaction.

Look at the way Klopp handles seemingly innocent actions. There’s no room for this if you want a well oiled machine and harmonious squad and if you have that standard it applies to everyone regardless of how good they are.

 

[S E P H]

It doesn't matter, he is not the be all end all for the Euro 2020 hopes of England.

Not sure I agree, Sterling is probably England's best player. I would put him on one side and TAA (just for the hell of it) as the other winger and just go to work supplementing Diverry Kane with superb crosses, while also giving Sterling the role of IF. Probably an off-balance formation considering TAA will be used strictly on the flanks, but I've seen teams get ripped apart on just one side as well.

 

[robertmac43]

If you assaulted a teammate in most regular jobs you’d probably get fired. He’s getting sat out in a nothing game for being a ****. It’s deserved and sends the right message to the team. Nothing overblown about Southgate’s reaction.

Not going to get in on the deserving of it or not. However the context is not simply two teammates going at each other. It would be entirely different if they played on the same club team and something along these lines happened. The reality is they are competing at the highest level of the sport in one of the biggest games in club football. As Sterling said, emotions got the better of him, and I think that is the simple truth. It happens in such intense competition.

I don't condone spitting in any context, but let's not pretend this is simply two teammates.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The fact they cant leave that behind on national team duty is worrisome though. Club rivalries do often carry over of course but that should be limited to banter and perhaps not sitting at the same breakfast table..The fact it escalated to an altercation indicates that its not exactly level headed fellows involved.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Raheem Sterling: World-class talent with a pea brain.

You cannot pull stunt like these and then whine about how unfairly the English media treats you.

What Sterling has done in this instance is indefensible.

That doesn't alter the fact that on past occasions when he'd done nothing wrong the media (the celebrity bin-rummaging, dead child's phone-hacking media if you prefer) has seemed determined to spin his actions to portray him negatively - the hysterical reaction to Sterling buying his mother a house in 2016 being only the most extreme example.

 

[Stray Wasp]

If you assaulted a teammate in most regular jobs you’d probably get fired.

And if you assaulted an opponent during an international tournament final series, you'd suffer a hefty suspension that might leave you sitting out half the fixtures.

Southgate may recall that more than once Manchester United players who were used to being able to get away with all sorts playing for their club thanks to domestic referees' fear of Ferguson found themselves drawing red cards wearing an England shirt, sometimes at very costly moments.

English players tend to forget that outside the EPL bubble, referees may not take kindly to a 'don't you know who I am - rules don't apply to me' attitude. Some foreigners have misguided ideas that the English should treat them with respect.

 

[YNWA14]

City have launched an official complaint about Oliver.

 

[Savant]

City have launched an official complaint about Oliver.

Oh dear.

Bold move to try and isolate themselves from the only good ref in the league. Unless that’s exactly what Pep wants.

 

[koyvoo]

They’re unraveling. Reaching and flailing away at anything that comes to mind. Scratching international teammates. Unraveling.

 

[Savant]

They’re unraveling. Reaching and flailing away at anything that comes to mind. Scratching international teammates. Unraveling.

Still a long way to go

 

[koyvoo]

Still a long way to go

Definitely. But City and their manager and Sterling etc are not handling this adversity well at all.

 

[Chimaera]

For those missing the headlines with all the Sterling silliness, it seems the FA has ruled against Bernardo Silva and banned him a match. After the big matchup Sunday.

For the conspiracy theory people who think everything is pro Liverpool, I'm not sure what the explanation is for this one.

 

[Prntscrn]

For those missing the headlines with all the Sterling silliness, it seems the FA has ruled against Bernardo Silva and banned him a match. After the big matchup Sunday.

For the conspiracy theory people who think everything is pro Liverpool, I'm not sure what the explanation is for this one.

On the Man City forum (Swedish) I've seen claims it's in Liverpool's best interest if they lose against Chelsea, and therefore it's pro Liverpool. One would think Liverpool would be more interested in beating City and having him suspended for that game though

 

[Savant]

Definitely. But City and their manager and Sterling etc are not handling this adversity well at all.

And even so they are still good enough to win 15-20 games in a row. And if the narrative is they are still in it, than so are Chelsea and Leicester. Long way to go. The top is still very competitive, and Palace away, after an international break, possibly without Salah and Robertson is not going to be a barrel of laughs either.

 

[Savant]

On the Man City forum (Swedish) I've seen claims it's in Liverpool's best interest if they lose against Chelsea, and therefore it's pro Liverpool. One would think Liverpool would be more interested in beating City and having him suspended for that game though

Best interest is City-Chelsea draw. Liverpool didn’t wait six weeks to decide Bernardo’s fate

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Everyone is against Liverpool this is why they keep getting those marginal calls against them. The non penalty call on Mane, the 2 penalties that city scored on. Etc

 

[Savant]

Everyone is against Liverpool this is why they keep getting those marginal calls against them. The non penalty call on Mane, the 2 penalties that city scored on. Etc

 

[Burner Account]

Everyone is against Liverpool this is why they keep getting those marginal calls against them. The non penalty call on Mane, the 2 penalties that city scored on. Etc

Had to call Firmino offside at Villa to make it look convincing

 

[Blender]

City have launched an official complaint about Oliver.

On what grounds? There were close calls, but I think he got the big ones right.

 

[Savant]

On what grounds? There were close calls, but I think he got the big ones right.

Salt

 

[YNWA14]

On what grounds? There were close calls, but I think he got the big ones right.

On the grounds of they don't like a good ref who can't be bullied? I think City certainly do work the officials/play some gamesmanship (not that other top teams don't, Klopp certainly does at times though I think filing a formal complaint is a bit much). I didn't actually read into it yet...just saw that they were doing it and had to have a little laugh about it.

 

[hatterson]

Apparently they complained about the two handballs and a push from Mane on Sterling.

I don't remember the supposed push from Mane.

The second handball is hilarious to complain about and even including it in a letter shows just how much of a joke their complaints are.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Apparently they complained about the two handballs and a push from Mane on Sterling.

I don't remember the supposed push from Mane.

The second handball is hilarious to complain about and even including it in a letter shows just how much of a joke their complaints are.

The push was more of a dive from Sterling

 

[hatterson]

The push was more of a dive from Sterling

I assumed that because:
1.) It's Sterling; and
2.) If it wasn't it would have been brought up in some of the postgame coverage I watched.

 

[Blender]

Apparently they complained about the two handballs and a push from Mane on Sterling.

I don't remember the supposed push from Mane.

The second handball is hilarious to complain about and even including it in a letter shows just how much of a joke their complaints are.

First handball was borderline but I agreed with the call. 2nd one was a clear cut no call.