Raheem Sterling has been successful but these days it's being done by him for England. Nick Wright looks at the way he put his global battles to become the most potent attacker following his most recent target in Saturday's win over Bulgaria of Gareth Southgate. In October of last year, after England had been held to a goalless draw by Croatia in the Nations League, Raheem Sterling's international barren run stood at 27 games. That it was a separate story, although he had become one of the Premier League's most lethal forwards at Manchester City. It had been 1,810 moments, across three years, because his last aim. The tension was mounting, especially with the emerging Jadon Sancho providing Gareth Southgate an exciting new option, but Sterling insisted that the goals will come -"I'm convinced of that," he explained - and - sure enough, 16 minutes to England's next game against Spain, he ended the order, crashing a powerful finish beyond a helpless David de Gea. Sterling has not looked back. He added what proved to be the winner the night at Seville, doubling his England tally for the six years in 22 minutes' area, and his aim in Saturday Qualifier from Bulgaria made it seven out of his seven looks that were international. It comes down to a shift in focus. "Once I was a bit younger, I was not overly interested in scoring targets," Sterling said previous year. "I had been all about looking nice, or trying to seem fine, and showing folks I've got a great deal of skill. Now I have begun to realise no one recalls the wonderful stuff that you do on the pitch, it is about your effectiveness and what you do to your team." At Wembley on Saturdayhe provided the following demonstration of his priorities have shifted. His England team-mates laboured at times, but Sterling served as a catalyst for virtually every assault, beating Bulgaria gamers on both flanks and darting in behind at every chance. It was his determination to make things happen that led to the opener of England. Sterling intercepted goalkeeper Plamen Iliev's pass, kept the ball in play and picked out the Harry Kane Since Bulgaria attempted to perform their way out from the back. Then, in the second half, he felt that. Those two moments show how Sterling so too does his touchmap, and has narrowed his attention to supplying and the scoring of goals. Not one of his 52 bits against Bulgaria came within his own half, while six arrived in Bulgaria's punishment box - with just two of these leading in goals. Sterling has been learnt to increase his strengths and Southgate could be more happier. The England director recognized his"outstanding" performance in his press conference, saying his pressing at the lead-up to the opener group"absolutely the right tone" to the rest of the team and also touching the shift in mentality that has shook his transformation. "He'll most likely have the hump he's only got one today because his mentality has changed so much towards this want to dent, whereas two years ago if we had been working with him, he was a reckless player, but he just didn't have that identical desire to enter those regions and ruthlessness in front of goal or mindset of disappointment when he does not score. "I'm thrilled for him since he has for this long time been an significant part our team and what we do. Now he's reaping the private gain of their goals as well as the acknowledgement publicly he should buy." Public opinion seems to have shifted. Throughout the World Cup, Southgate was made to withstand calls for Sterling to be lost. His profligacy in front of goal was a major source of frustration to many fans and the criticism of his performances was so ferocious. On Saturday, however, he received a warm reception as he made way for Sancho. Perhaps Sancho's development is. The adolescent was excellent after substituting Sterling throughout this 0-0 draw with Croatia October, but Sterling's answer was to become the most consistent player of England. "It's terrific for him that he's taken his club form into global form," said Kane later. "He's an wonderful player." The growing maturity of sterling is simple to see on the pitch and it's likewise apparent it off, where he has come to be a powerful voice in soccer's fight against racism. What is most encouraging for England and Southgate , however, is that as well as Pep Guardiola driving his improvement at Manchester City, there is still more to come . Following three games, three wins and 14 goals scored - half of which Sterling has had a direct hand - England already have one foot before Tuesday's meeting with Kosovo at Euro 2020. How far they move at next the tournament is likely to rely on a participant whose 27-game scoreless streak is becoming a distant memory. Read more here: http://www.treplehouse.com/?p=12657