Raheem Sterling is facing one of the biggest seasons of his career to date. The Chelsea attacker had a decent first season at the club considering the form of the team. However, decent won’t be acceptable to him and he will be hoping to get back to his best under Mauricio Pochettino. If he manages to do that, there is a good chance that he will get back in the England squad ahead of Euro 2024. Gareth Southgate trusts him, but the Three Lions’ boss needs to see a higher level of performance to bring the Blues man back into the fold.
During his first season at Stamford Bridge, Sterling contributed six goals and three assists. They aren’t numbers to write home about, but he did manage to get more goal contributions than any other player in the squad. There is a lot of inexperience in the Chelsea squad and that will suit Pochettino, as he likes to work with younger players. Sterling is now 28, but his experience will be invaluable, as he has scored regularly in the Premier League.
Last season, Sterling averaged 0.26 expected goals (xg) per ninety minutes, while scoring at a rate of 0.32 goals per ninety minutes. This shows that his finishing added value. His xG places him in the 71st percentile among attackers. Despite Chelsea’s poor performances, he was regularly getting into goal-scoring positions. One of the 28-year-old’s biggest strengths is his attacking intelligence. His movement in the final third often puts him in the right place at the right time.
This is backed up by his average of 5.53 touches in the opposition penalty area per ninety minutes, which puts him in the 87th percentile. Sterling is excellent at timing his runs and finding pockets of space. To have an effective ball receiver is important for a team like Chelsea, as they will dominate possession in many games.
At 28, there is still time to develop and Sterling’s off the ball work will benefit from the input of Pochettino. He has always been a willing defender, but it is a weakness of his game.
There should be a freshness to Sterling this season, as he played less than 2000 minutes in the Premier League last season. During the summer, he didn’t feature for England, which gave him an extended break. This is important, as he has had a hectic schedule for a number of years. He will have suffered both physically and mentally. Pochettino will be hoping that the attacker is ready for the start of the new season.
It is going to be a difficult season for Chelsea. There are a number of players that are still settling in and the style will change under Pochettino. The Argentine needs time to get his ideas across. Sterling could be an important figure in the short term. He offers a guarantee of goals in the Premier League, while his experience will be pivotal as Chelsea try to re-create a winning mentality.
For Sterling, he is in the peak years of his career and he needs to find consistency again. If he has a good season, he will get back in the England squad. That should serve as a big motivator for him.
