By KP
Speedy Stirling moves through the gears
The word from Academy U18 Coach Rodolfo Borrell after Liverpool’s Under 18s demolished a hardworking Southend Team was to keep Raheem Stirling’s feet firmly planted after he had scored five goals in the 9-0 victory.
Stirling is one of a group of hugely talented Liverpool youngsters who seemed destined for the top, but in Borrell and Dalglish and also Carragher and Gerrard to that end, they have mentors a plenty who will not let heads grow above the This is Anfield sign. If Stirling and co need only to be warned of the pitfalls ahead of them they need only to be made aware of Rod Thomas, the ex-Watford player.
The nation stood up and watched his amazing displays at England School Boy level where it seemed only injury would stop him from becoming a superstar, espeically as he was coming through the Watford ranks at the same time that the club's John Barnes scored his famous goal against Brazil. Yet, by his only early twenties his was plying his trade on loan with Gilligham, then with Carlisle, Chester City and Brighton . Hopefully, we’ll have a clutch of youngsters coming through to the first team together and what is noticeable about Stirling ’s career so far is he has progress through the age ranges.
What struck home about Stirling ’s finishes was not just the speed and close control to put him a position to goal scoring positions, but his calmness in slotting the ball home. He almost caresses the ball not unlike Robbie Fowler. He has different traits to many wingers in that he is combative to go with natural born skill, but unlike many right footed wingers playing on the left, he is quite happy to go on the outside of the full-back to use his left-foot and he has high quality delivery with his right.
Against Southend, his goals mostly came from gliding in from the left-wing and ghosting past defenders with a drop of the shoulder before deathly guiding the ball in the far post and on another occasion he chose the near. His first goal where he latched on to a long punt up field from Belford, showed his ability to bring the ball under control at high speed as he outsprinted the defender, cutting inside him before slotting home. One was minded of the great Fernando Torres, running through on goal in similar style against Fulham only to miss-control at the crucial time.
Coady and Rodden provide a solid basis in midfield with Flanagan (who seems to have usurped Darby as the clubs future right-back) and Robinson in the full-back positions, which allows the creative elements of the team like Stirling, Adorjan, Suso and Tony Silva to flourish and work of Morgan, who is a typical English style of centre-forward in Morgan, one of which Liverpool haven’t had for a while until buying Andy Carroll.
A comprehensive victory by the lads and as I write Raheem Stirling, Tom Ince, John Flanagan, Conor Coady and Jack Robinson have travelled with the first team squad to Prague, where Stirling could become the youngest ever Liverpool player to turn out for the first team at 16 years and 71 days.
This youngster will make a massive impact at Liverpool given the chance - I strongly believe that both him and Suso are ready for the top stage right now - I don't see why we can't bring him or Suso on when we are winning a game 2-0 or 3-0 for them to sample the atmosphere of first team football. I think that would bring on Sterling's game to another level and he would soon show the level of skill which would make him hard to ignore.
ReplyDeleteBoth Jack Wilshere and Cesc Fabregas have showed if you show faith and patience in your young players they can provide you top quality performers at the highest level.
Age is just a number and if a player is 39 or 16 should be considered for first team football if they are good enough and have the required quality to live with that level.
Players like Ngog showing good form from time to time is different from a player like Sterling or Suso showcasing their talents - as they say Form is temporary, Class is Permanent and both Suso and Sterling have Class in Abundance.
I agree in the old adage 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'. That said, I would've like to see Pacheco and David Amoo givcen a chance to shine. Amoo is now out on loan which is a shame as he plays in a position where we are sadly lacking and Pacheco since the Northampton game has been overlooked and although now making a few benches is not gaining minutes on the pitch. We are starved of creative players and hopefuly before the end of the season we'll see a few of these players come through. We've splashed out on to new forwards and it's possible that we will go out in the summer to buy another striker and a couple of widemen which suggests that Pacheco, Ecceleston, Amoo and even Ngog maybe fighting for just one place in the first team squad come next season, as such the next few months are critical in whether they have any future in the squad.
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