Chelsea have acquired signature of Raheem Sterling but how will the Manchester City
legend improve the Blues?
Sterling comes in as the first men’s signing of the Todd Boehly (and co) era and thus will
warrant a great deal of expectation not only because of the legacy he leaves behind at the
Etihad but due to the statement of the signing and what it tells us about the new regime. So
how does the signing of Raheem Sterling help the west London outfit?
Chelsea were once again in the market for a forward due to yet another season of
desperately struggling in front of goal. In simple terms, Sterling addresses this issue. Under
the stewardship of Pep Guardiola, only the great Lionel Messi has more goal involvements
for the coach than Raheem Sterling who has scored or assisted on 186 occasions over the
past six seasons of working together.
Sterling found the net 131 times with 91 of those goals coming in the Premier League in his
last seven seasons at Manchester City. Amongst this goal total its important to note that he
hasn’t scored less than ten Premier League goals in his last five seasons and even netted
twenty goals in the 2019/20 campaign, his largest goal tally to date. In comparison to his
Chelsea counterparts, only one player in the current Chelsea squad has managed to score
ten Premier League goals in a single campaign and non have bettered Mason Mount’s
eleven goal total from last term.
Amongst his goals, Sterling also has an excellent assist record having set up his team mates 95 times with 42 coming in the Premier League whilst in sky blue. These numbers yet again trump his Chelsea counterparts thus justifying Chelsea’s decision to make him the highest earner in the squad. However, comparing Sterling’s numbers to his Chelsea peers may seem
a little achievement considering the offensive issues The Blues have endured. Therefore, it’s important to remember that Sterling’s association with goals was built on the fact he’s Manchester City’s second top scorer and assist provider respectably since he joined the club and therefore contributing to the most goals in City’s most successful side in history, some
calibre!
Despite his fine numbers, Sterling contributes to a team beyond his ability to find the net.
Combining pace, intelligence off the ball and nimble feet, Sterling was a tricky winger before
establishing his eye for goal therefore far more rounded than the majority of contemporary
inside forwards. His fitness record is also excellent, having missed only 25 games since 2012
which would help establish some consistency in Chelsea’s front line. Sterling’s leadership
qualities will also be a welcome addition to the squad, having captained both Manchester
City and England. Despite being only 27, Sterling is often regarded as a thoroughly
experienced player and will be viewed as one of the senior players in the Chelsea squad.
So how does Sterling fit into Tuchel’s XI? Chelsea have played a 3-4-3 formation for the
majority of Tuchel’s tenure and therefore Sterling’s assumed position would either be in the
right or left inside forward role. However, with talks over preseason of a potential formation
experimental change, Sterling could find himself playing more centrally. In either formation
Sterling would likely play closely with the middle forward drifting centrally to link up play.
This season, that forward is likely to be Kai Havertz who showed glimpses of his ability in a
forward role last term. The relationship he has with Sterling should be one to watch heading
into the new year of football.
Sterling’s arrival will hopefully also inspire some consistency in Chelsea’s team selection
with Tuchel left with a headache throughout nearly all of last season. The Chelsea boss
expressed his frustration hinting that not one of his forwards were making their position in
the starting eleven their own. However, with Mason Mount establishing a comfortable
position in the starting line up, Sterling may just have to make himself a main starter. This will
be without a certain deal of fightback as Chelsea’s other wide options in Werner, Pulisic,
Ziyech and co refuse to show a level of consistency that would deem them material for a
successful side
So what does this tell us about the new owners? Todd Boehly has assumed a highly
responsible role in Chelsea’s transfer activity this summer after relieving long term servant, Marina Granovskaia, of her duties at the club. Despite this, the deal was financially carved out very successfully with Chelsea coming away with one of the leagues best players for a fraction of a far higher price that may have been deemed justifiable. The signing tells us that the new regime want to express their ambition and are not threatened negotiating with the League’s top dog as of now. Boehly even warranted praise for the way Chelsea conducted themselves in orchestrating this deal, very encouraging indeed.
In conclusion, Sterling has all the variables of a successful signing for Chelsea but how many
times have we said that now? The revival of Sterling’s world class form should be a story
anyone is willing to at least tune into so it should be encouraged for Chelsea fans (and non
Chelsea fans) to keep one eye on Raheem (The Dream) Sterling as he enters what is meant
to be his prime years. Can he be the player to drag Chelsea to the top of the pile once again? All will inevitably be revealed as the new season dawns above us.
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