It's more than a matter of exactly how many games someone played out of position. There is a bigger picture. There was never anything like a settled team, especially under Potter, even more so under Lampard. Players thrive on knowing their roles, developing understandings. That was pretty much impossible across the board.

14 minutes ago, dermott said:

It's more than a matter of exactly how many games someone played out of position. There is a bigger picture. There was never anything like a settled team, especially under Potter, even more so under Lampard. Players thrive on knowing their roles, developing understandings. That was pretty much impossible across the board.

Well put. We also saw this with Lampard last time with for example Rudiger and Christensen. They were also laughing stocks like lets say Sterling & Cucurella are at the moment but when a manager that put them in a proper structure came in they both became two of the best defenders in Europe, which they have gone on to prove further at Real Madrid & Barcelona as well.

 

12 minutes ago, dermott said:

It's more than a matter of exactly how many games someone played out of position. There is a bigger picture. There was never anything like a settled team, especially under Potter, even more so under Lampard. Players thrive on knowing their roles, developing understandings. That was pretty much impossible across the board.

Wouldn't dispute that. But surely that applies to every single player who has pulled on a Chelsea shirt this season? We have had so many injuries and changes that rarely, at any point, has there been a settled team. This isn't solely a Potter thing is it?

Besides, as I said before, as one of the senior players and highest earners I think we had every right to expect a helluva lot more from Sterling than we saw. Personally I fear his best days are probably behind him and in some games this season he has looked like he couldn't be arsed.

15 minutes ago, just said:

Wouldn't dispute that. But surely that applies to every single player who has pulled on a Chelsea shirt this season? We have had so many injuries and changes that rarely, at any point, has there been a settled team. This isn't solely a Potter thing is it?

Besides, as I said before, as one of the senior players and highest earners I think we had every right to expect a helluva lot more from Sterling than we saw. Personally I fear his best days are probably behind him and in some games this season he has looked like he couldn't be arsed.

Absolutely. That was my point, probably badly made. I don't think he couldn't be arsed. I think he struggled, as did many others, to know what his role was. Sterling worked within a system at MC. He had a role. I'm prepared to wait and see what Pochettino can achieve. 

Sell if possible, I don't think it will be.

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Sell if possible, I don't think it will be.

Who'd buy though.

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

Who'd buy though.

Hence why I don't think it is possible  ;)

With Saudis PIF showing interest in Aubameyang,  Ziyech,  Mendy, Koulibaly, Lukaku as well as Kante, I wonder if we could talk them in to buying Raheem as well.

6 hours ago, axman2526 said:

With Saudis PIF showing interest in Aubameyang,  Ziyech,  Mendy, Koulibaly, Lukaku as well as Kante, I wonder if we could talk them in to buying Raheem as well.

We could just send the whole squad and start again?

54 minutes ago, Munkworth said:

We could just send the whole squad and start again?

Is tempting....

Keep Sterling imo. The lack of experience going into next season is incredibly worrying. Sterling has been there and done it all, a good role model for Mudryk etc. to look up to. 

2 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Keep Sterling imo. The lack of experience going into next season is incredibly worrying. Sterling has been there and done it all, a good role model for Mudryk etc. to look up to. 

At 300K per week I think I'd want a bit more from him I'm afraid ,I don't think he has got it .

11 minutes ago, hawkster said:

At 300K per week I think I'd want a bit more from him I'm afraid ,I don't think he has got it .

Top scorer in his first season in a chaotic team. Goal contribution every other game for us this season.

23 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Keep Sterling imo. The lack of experience going into next season is incredibly worrying. Sterling has been there and done it all, a good role model for Mudryk etc. to look up to. 

I`m torn over Sterling, he is a quality player so I would be loathe to sell him, plus we are going to have a very young squad at the end of this cull (probably) and Agree we need some experience in amongst it.

But it seems he is getting injuries more frequently now, and is on a huge wage so its a bit of a balancing act to see if his value to the squad is still there. I personally would be happy to see him stay next season, see how he goes for game time and decide from there.

2 minutes ago, dkw said:

I`m torn over Sterling, he is a quality player so I would be loathe to sell him, plus we are going to have a very young squad at the end of this cull (probably) and Agree we need some experience in amongst it.

But it seems he is getting injuries more frequently now, and is on a huge wage so its a bit of a balancing act to see if his value to the squad is still there. I personally would be happy to see him stay next season, see how he goes for game time and decide from there.

Agreed, i think he gets at least one more season to prove himself under a real manager. Think he showed enough last season to get another chance, unlike Cucurella or Koulibaly who just don't seem cut out for the league or standards.

Unless he wants to go to Saudi I don't see how he is not here next season.

No reason to sell Sterling.  We need experience and character (which he does have) - be part of something new.  Last year was a complete write off. 

6 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Top scorer in his first season in a chaotic team. Goal contribution every other game for us this season.

How many goals was it ,how much is that per goal cos he don't do much else 🤣

2 minutes ago, hawkster said:

How many goals was it ,how much is that per goal cos he don't do much else 🤣

9 goals and 3 assists. Next closest was Havertz with 9 goals and 1 assist in nearly twice as many minutes. 

Yes he's paid a lot but he's clearly our most effective winger. I wouldn't want to be going into next season with Mudryk and Madueke starting every game. 

14 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

9 goals and 3 assists. Next closest was Havertz with 9 goals and 1 assist in nearly twice as many minutes. 

Yes he's paid a lot but he's clearly our most effective winger. I wouldn't want to be going into next season with Mudryk and Madueke starting every game. 

I would completely agree with you but I'm not sure Sterling is the answer to any questions really . 

9 minutes ago, hawkster said:

I would completely agree with you but I'm not sure Sterling is the answer to any questions really . 

True, but the reality is, other than the Saudi's who else is paying his wages? .Can't see him going anywhere.

59 minutes ago, hawkster said:

I would completely agree with you but I'm not sure Sterling is the answer to any questions really . 

Same for me. I don't think Sterling has a shred of leadership quality in him at all. There were games last season were he didn't even look like he was giving 100% IMO. I also think he has lost a yard of pace. 

He shouldn't be selected just because he has experience. His role in the team means he needs to deliver goals and as with all players, give total effort.

4 hours ago, just said:

Same for me. I don't think Sterling has a shred of leadership quality in him at all. There were games last season were he didn't even look like he was giving 100% IMO. I also think he has lost a yard of pace. 

He shouldn't be selected just because he has experience. His role in the team means he needs to deliver goals and as with all players, give total effort.

Last season Sterling scored 9 goals in 2,564 minutes.

The sum collective of Pulisic, Madueke, Mudryk, Ziyech, Felix and Mount was also 9 goals ... in 6,290 minutes.

Sterling might not have been anywhere near his best, but given the performance of the alternatives, he's still the first winger on the team sheet for me !

For the first time in his career, he's at a club that doesn't fully play to his strengths. At City under Guardiola, Sterling was at his best getting on the end of crosses or cutting it back for others to score, he doesn't get that here and from day 1 I was saying he would be a complete waste of money if we didn't play him the same way. It would be a waste of time keeping him next season if we do the same again. We cannot play slow football with these players, it's got to be much quicker with the wingers running in behind the defence and cutting it back for team mates.

Stop buying players if they aren't going to be used properly. Watching Sterling for Chelsea is like watching Sterling for England. He's always looked awkward for England and it's because he is expected to pick up the ball with his back to goal or to dribble past defenders, he can't do that job well. So if we are keeping him and Pochettino doesn't make him play similar to how Guardiola played him, then it would be yet another coaching failure. Surely it should be much easier for coaches to pick up on this in training.

Sterling has proved people wrong before and I think he will again.