Richard Stearman

[Ultra]

What are peoples actual opinions of him at the moment?

Saturday is his 100th appearance for Leicester, our most loyal player at this moment in time.

You mean, "most experienced".

In his first couple of seasons, when given an extended run by Levein, "Facebook Man" showed potential, and even occasional glimpses of quality.

Since then, though, his performances have drastically deteriorated. In his defence though, it should be noted that playing for a succession of managers (EIGHT in total to date, including caretakers) hasn't exactly helped his development.

Part of the problem is that he's become a jack of all trades and a master of none. Although he's been used most often as a right back or right-wing back, he's shown few signs of improving the aspects of his game he needs to be successful in those positions.

As I've said previously, even in our current injury crisis I don't think Stearman is good enough at present to be in the starting line-up. I'd pick Chambers, Kenton, or even Maybury ahead of him.

Congratulations to him if he does make his 100th appearance. I'd be surprised if he made it to 200, though..

[Simi]

You mean, "most experienced".

Well, yeah I do.

The correct term would not come to me when I was typing it originally.

I too would be surprised if he made 200, maybe even 150.

[Jack]

Stearman is decent and that is it.

He's definitley not a RWB but i would be fairly happy with him playing RB in a 4-4-2. We have worse players than him at the club but also have a lot better players at his job.

[Stuliasz]

I think the various coaches that Stearman has played under have ruined almost any chance of us getting a decent amount for him. The fact is, he is clearly a natural centre back and had all the potential attributes to be a decent to good centre back for this club when he first came on to the scene.

He is not the best player in the world on the ball but most of the time can defend, yet he has obviously been coached to be a full back where he is never going to be a natural. I can't remember a single game where he has played centre back for us and after he started playing right back, the various coaches have obviously thought that's what he is and continued to train him up in that position.

[Thracian]

What are peoples actual opinions of him at the moment?

Saturday is his 100th appearance for Leicester, our most loyal player at this moment in time.

Personally, he is frustrating the **** out of me at the moment. He just doesn't seem to be able to put his foot on the ball and look up, even when he does he seems to misplace simple passes.

For someone that's played 100 games, also once considered as our brightest prospect at one point, he's just not cutting it at the moment, for me.

I couldn't give a shit if he's "Leicester through and through, he loves the club".

When we have the midfield back, I wouldn't mind Chambers having a run there. I think Stearman needs a bit of time to get himself back on his game. I understand he's being through a lot of change and what not. But at the moment, he's not performing, when coming forward from wing back he always looks unsure what to do. Last night he was caught out of position on more than one occasion, as he was at Chelsea.

So, your views?

In the summer I suggested that centre-back was Stearman's best position and nothing has made me change that view. It makes him do the simple things. Stearman reads the game well, has decent close control and is quite good in the air for such a skinny bloke. I've seen him play centre-back with N'Gotty and with others in the Reserves and it suits him. He gathers the ball and moves it forward simply.

He might be trying to do too much at wing-back and he's certainly missing the simple pass opportunities offered by people like King, Weso and Clemence.

I don't think he's as bad as some make out but he does, like many, get exposed by a speedy winger, he tends to loft too many aimless passes thus giving away possession and sadly he does not have Sheehan's special abilities to make up for any flaws.

Truth is I think we need a faster centre-back like him because I think attack starts in defence but it's clear that everyone sees our slow but defensively dominant back trio as fixtures so I don't see him getting that chance very soon.

As for Chambers he's fast, committed, brave, willing and I think he should get a chance at right back. But, like Mattock I don't think he's anything like the perfect player some people seem to be suggesting and at least one poster mentioned the key reason - and that's his final ball. So far I've never really seen one.

I don't say he cannot improve enough to find one. His attitude suggests he'll do anything given the encouragement and he's done far better in midfield than I ever expected because of his sheer determination and energy. I quite rate the bloke in most ways.

What does worry me - and I've noticed it with other players sometimes - is that some people criticise the player in situ to justify getting their own man in there. I caught myself doing it with Nils and tried to cut him some slack last season. To some extent I think that's happening with Stearman because everyone knows Chambers will be outsted from the midfield and they don't want to see him dropped. That's quite understandable but not fair to Stearman.

Make no mistake, Chambers will get exposed as a wing-back just like Stearman because our covering centre-backs are slow. In a 4-4-2 both ought to be steadier.

I've not seen Chambers enough at right back to know who is better but whoever gets the job they need to be doing a better job than is the case at present.

By that I'm not concerned about anyone occasionally getting skinned. That happens to every full-back even in the Premiership every day. I mean about the passing when the ball's been won. We cannot afford for people to give the ball away cheaply - not anywhere on the park. My bet is there's not too much to choose between either as full-backs but, in the end, the best passer should probably get the nod.

[Matt]

Said this the other day, he only turns up for Cup games or the games against the "bigger competition", the majority of the players are like this in my eyes but Stearman is one of the worst and one of if not the biggest offender of this.

I think he's got a big ego, think's he's better than he is, he's good and plays well in our "bigger" games but then a standard league game he'll turn up and just expect us to roll the opposition over.

Stearman was one of the better players in our team in his first season (3 years ago? ) i'm not sure if he was actually good or just best of a bad bunch, but ever since his first season he's been shite, last season I was just hoping it was a bad run, and at the start of this season I was hoping he could put it behind him and be back to his best like in his first season, but it's clear to see he's started where he left of last season.

Drop him into the reserves for a month or so, that'll hopefully sort his ego out, and if is then unhappy I can't see any other clubs coming in for him they way he's played for us for the past 2 years.

[Cheese Me]

I would actually say he's our worst player, by a long distance.

Hardly.

He's far from the best we've got but certainly not the worst.

[PAULCFC]

Decent right back.....with a tendancy to HOOF the ball forward recently........can't remember him doing that a couple of years ago.

Wing back......NO! Not quick enough and crossings eratic to say the least

[David O'Leary]

Not good enough.

Gives the ball away far too often, putting his colleagues right back under pressure.

Doesnt matter if he's homegrown or a Million pound signing, he's a poor player end of!!

Chambers should be RB i think, personally im amazed anyone rates Stearman highly at all!

I would have put exactly that except I think he can get better

[STUHILL]

When fully fit squad, Stearman on current performances doesn't even make bench for me....

....................................Fulop...................................

......................N'Gotty..... McCauley.....Kisnorbo

Chambers..........................................................Sheehan

............................Weso.......Clemence......................

.....................................Hume.....................................

..............................John............Fryatt...........................

Subs. Hendo, Kenton, King, Dj, Cort

[dutchfox]

Unfortunaley i don't get to see the City very often, but Stearman has never impressed me, his distribution is poor, as is his postional sense, seen him skinned to often on that right flank, he really doesn't look comfortable he needs twopennethofgodhelpme or a sharp kick up the backside something to get him motivated, the talents there I'm sure,but is the passion ? He looks better up front at set pieces, maybe he should be a 'target man', he ceratinly has the height and the physical prescence for that job, but I'm no coach so I'm probably talking garbage, but its a view.

[Rocky Dennis]

Said this the other day, he only turns up for Cup games or the games against the "bigger competition", the majority of the players are like this in my eyes but Stearman is one of the worst and one of if not the biggest offender of this.

I think he's got a big ego, think's he's better than he is, he's good and plays well in our "bigger" games but then a standard league game he'll turn up and just expect us to roll the opposition over.

Stearman was one of the better players in our team in his first season (3 years ago? ) i'm not sure if he was actually good or just best of a bad bunch, but ever since his first season he's been shite, last season I was just hoping it was a bad run, and at the start of this season I was hoping he could put it behind him and be back to his best like in his first season, but it's clear to see he's started where he left of last season.

Drop him into the reserves for a month or so, that'll hopefully sort his ego out, and if is then unhappy I can't see any other clubs coming in for him they way he's played for us for the past 2 years.

Totally Agree.

Lets be honest, weve been a very poor side for at least 3 seasons and he's been a big part of that.

It really annoys me to see him poncing around in his Porsche with his RnB on full blast, without a care in the world! While us fans have had the stress of possible relegation to worry about while ploughing our hard earned cash into funding these spice-boy lifestyles.

Granted, this posing isnt just exclusive to Stearman and admittedly im jealous of his wealth and oppurtunities he's had, but i think these players dont earn the status they have! What's he done in the game-Nothing!

[Scow]

Stearman isn't good enough - simple as that.

For someone who has played nearly 100 games he's made no progression as a player.

I just don't see that many qualities in Stearman. If we're talking about him as a centreback, then it doesn't make any difference on his ability to play.

Stearman doesn't have the physical attributes to be a centreback - he's too slim, lacks strength and isn't particularly good in the air. Granted, he's not had many games at centreback, but I remember him playing against Crewe at home under Levein. He was fine, but the opposition were poor. And if Thracian feels Stearman is a good enough centreback based on pre-season friendlies against the likes of Quorn, then that should raise alarm bells.

At right back he's had very few good games. He did fairly well when he first came in to the first team, but we are comparing that to the likes of having endured Curtis and Makin for a while. A number of posters have highlighted his faults throughout - the most significant being his poor positioning, allowing opposition players an easy task in getting past him and his woeful distribution.

He demonstrates the odd bit of skill, such as dragbacks and overhead kicks which seem to inflate his ability - but he can't seem to do the basics with any competency.

Confidence does play a role - and so do the players he's playing with - but he's not shown any conviction to suggest he'll be any better than Championship level. Good players can usually rise above the dross and Stearman hasn't shown this.

[lildave3]

Cocky twat imo. Thinks he's prem standard, but atm is barely Championship standard. Even in warm up he's trying Ronaldinho no look passes.

[Tevez]

Cocky twat imo. Thinks he's prem standard, but atm is barely Championship standard. Even in warm up he's trying Ronaldinho no look passes.

Surely not? Is he back!?

[lildave3]

Surely not? Is he back!?

No.

[AyewJoking]

Lots of people slág him off and no doubt, he makes some shocking errors but I rate him.

Needs to mature and also become consistant otherwise I doubt he will get much further in his career than he already has.

[lcfcsam1]

ive never really rated him tbh , and he just seems to get worse rather than better

[Raikkonen]

I rate him but he makes mistakes

[WetFlannel]

i think he has came in and done a job, not only a job but been in one of the best defences in the championship at one point... he may not be the best defender in the league but i think he can do a useful job

[Milans Foxes]

To all those who think Stearman is any good, just watch him in the next game. Every time the left winger he is supposedly marking has the ball, he is not often within ten yards of him, allowing the attacker space to look for a pass. He turns his back on the ball when the guy goes to cross only enabling him to bring it back and cut it back or cross with his right. Many of the goals I have seen us concede this season have been down to him not pressurising or tackling the left winger. He hardly wins in the air, as shown against Colchester so how he could make a good centre-back is beyond me.

The guy just appears arrogant when playing and the views on here back up this opinion.

And if he runs 70 yards again to take a long throw, only to throw it short to the opposition and be totally out of position again, I will shoot him. In the Sheff. Utd game, Newton was about to knock him out after he had thrown it straight to their player before blaming him. Newton then swapped wings with Levi, (or whoever it was) purely to stop him punching stearman. Did anyone else see it??

Will be playing League One/Two within a couple of years!!

[Staf]

I personally dont rate stearman all he does is hoof the ball

[MPH]

What are peoples actual opinions of him at the moment?

Saturday is his 100th appearance for Leicester, our most loyal player at this moment in time.

Personally, he is frustrating the **** out of me at the moment. He just doesn't seem to be able to put his foot on the ball and look up, even when he does he seems to misplace simple passes.

For someone that's played 100 games, also once considered as our brightest prospect at one point, he's just not cutting it at the moment, for me.

I couldn't give a shit if he's "Leicester through and through, he loves the club".

When we have the midfield back, I wouldn't mind Chambers having a run there. I think Stearman needs a bit of time to get himself back on his game. I understand he's being through a lot of change and what not. But at the moment, he's not performing, when coming forward from wing back he always looks unsure what to do. Last night he was caught out of position on more than one occasion, as he was at Chelsea.

So, your views?

i think he isnt a Wing back. He is a right back and a traditional 4-4-2 right back as well. To get the best out of him he needs to be playing in that position. Like so many others he is being asked to step outside of his comfort zone for the good of the club. Because we dont have players ( apparently) good enough to play in the positions of the chosen formation. 2 options. 1- go 4-4-2 play him at RB there or find someone else and drop him as wing back. I dont think really he is important enough to change the formation just to get him in his best position... Sure, change the formation if thats what is wanted, but not just for his benefit..

I guess some would say the 3rd option is to use him at CB but i wouldnt change the 3 cb's at the moment. IMHO We have more important issues to address....

[Nath]

I hate him.

He is slow. Loses his man everytime, and when he recieve's the ball...HOOF.

He is big headed about being a footballer aswell.

I would rather be myself, than a shit footballer.

[Rocky Dennis]

Seriously,

Are you guys suggesting he'd be a good centre back taking the mickey or what?

Slow,Weak,Crap in the air,Poor distribution,Poor positional sense,Weighs about 6 stone wet through!!

They aint centre back credentials are they?