I thought I was a bit harsh on Sterling before the season started, mostly because I never wanted him in the first place and always thought he was an overrated mouthpiece. 

But I'm scratching my head at some of the comments, he's been one of our best players this season and he's one of the few who you can rely on to create and score goals. Don't get me wrong he can be frustrating, I've noticed his lack of work rate and sometimes he just looks like he can't be bothered when he receives the ball. But when he really goes for it something tends to happen, whereas our other attackers bar Cole Palmer don't really have that attribute do they? If Mudryk is having a bad game he'll continue to stink the place out, as much as I do rate him. 

I think he's been good this season, missed some sitters but who haven't in the last few years?

My issue with Sterling is how inconsistent he is. When the team is at full strength I wouldn't have him in our starting 11.

He is a luxury player end of the day. Has less work ethic about him the Hazard, with not even a 10th of the ability.

I said at the time he is a final piece player you add to a very good side to make them that little bit better on the occasions he shows up, because when he does he can easily snap up a few quick goals.

You don't build around him or expect him to be a leader though.

For me Palmer and Mudryk have him beat hands down on work ethic, and both have a lot of potential making them work playing over Sterling.

I think Sterling is more effective when runners in front of him pull defenders away so he can make one of his dangerous runs into the box.

Much more difficult if receiving the ball  on the wing with two defenders directly in front.

Lots of cannon fire on here at Nico, Mudryk and Enzo, yet nothing at the finished article that is Sterling who was absolutely terrible today? 

17 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Lots of cannon fire on here at Nico, Mudryk and Enzo, yet nothing at the finished article that is Sterling who was absolutely terrible today? 

If you replace Sterling with Mudryk/Madueke you can start getting ready for relegation battle 

Edited November 7, 20232 yr by Bob stark

11 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

If you replace Sterling with Mudryk/Madueke you can start getting ready for relegation battle 

We can do that with him just as easily.

46 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

We can do that with him just as easily.

But we are not aren't we 😁😁

 

 

4 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Lots of cannon fire on here at Nico, Mudryk and Enzo, yet nothing at the finished article that is Sterling who was absolutely terrible today? 

Quite simple really, without Sterling we rarely create anything. There's no way we win this or the majority of our games this season without him. 

So while Sterling lost the ball alot and wasn't as good as he can be, he was still the reason we were 2-1 up to begin with. 

Our only attacking threat.

Apparently the second most career goals of anyone still playing in the PL. and has the experience everyone says we need. I really like watching Sterling, he makes lots of mistakes but is fast, skillful and determined. I don’t see him as a luxury player but an essential part of the attack. He will still be in the team when nkunku is fit. 

Edited November 7, 20232 yr by ozboy

1 hour ago, Remodez said:

Quite simple really, without Sterling we rarely create anything. There's no way we win this or the majority of our games this season without him. 

So while Sterling lost the ball alot and wasn't as good as he can be, he was still the reason we were 2-1 up to begin with. 

Were in some kind of weird zone where our best attacking player is also often our worst, all within 5 minutes 😅

He`s the very definition of a tricky attacking player, incredibly inconsistent, makes many wrong decisions but will invariably get it right enough to win us games.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

Were in some kind of weird zone where our best attacking player is also often our worst, all within 5 minutes 😅

He`s the very definition of a tricky attacking player, incredibly inconsistent, makes many wrong decisions but will invariably get it right enough to win us games.

Great summary. 

If it wasn't for him I fear we would be passing the ball back and forth with no real penetration for 90 mins. 

He’s genius actually made a intentional sh*t pass when 3vs 2 to suck their defender into a silly challenge when already on a yellow card to get him sent off absolute genius 

Such a frustrating player. Can be great but makes so many bad decisions. Last night we're playing against 9 men and all we need to do is pass it and find the gaps and use the 2 man advantage and he's dribbling trying to beat three players and losing the f**king ball FFS!!

I still don't rate him highly. I found him as frustrating as ever last night. How he struggled to be offside as much as he was is ridiculous, and his decision making was terrible. I said in the match thread that I miss Robben and Duff for moments that he found himself in last night, even Malouda on his most frustrating days would have got a hat trick last night. If it was Pedro, he would have scored 5, and Hazard wouldn't even break a sweat. This is how far Sterling is behind these players.

I know people love to bring up his goal stats, but it's an irrelevant stat in a Chelsea shirt. For a start, he doesn't get the chances to score the goals he was scoring at City, he also wasn't expected to dominate games at City and dictate the flow of their attacks like he is with us. We rely on his decision making and it's just not up to the standard required. We rely on his goal scoring, which again, is not up to the standard required, there are too many sitters missed and chances blasted wide or over the bar when they should be on target (like against Brentford)

Watching Sterling in a Chelsea shirt is no different than watching him in an England shirt, and if you go back far enough, you will find a lot of posts of mine saying the same things I say about him now. I'm not even saying the younger players like Mudryk and Madueke are better, but I don't ever see Sterling being part of a first 11 that has us getting back to where we want to be again, not unless we surround him with stars again like City did.

18 hours ago, dkw said:

Were in some kind of weird zone where our best attacking player is also often our worst, all within 5 minutes 😅

He`s the very definition of a tricky attacking player, incredibly inconsistent, makes many wrong decisions but will invariably get it right enough to win us games.

This is what happen when you have player doing stuff that they are not good at. 

With city, all Sterling need to to is go one on one, dribble past people, simple cross, and tap in. With us he need to do a lot more. 

This is what @SydneyChelseapointed out as one of the reason why city is so good. 

With our team, Sterling is basically Hazard and not because he is as good as Hazard, it is because the other player are 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

At City he was not the most technical player, more of a finisher since they didn't have that real 9. With Chelsea, he's expected to do a lot more with his price tag and being the senior player. He has done well this season, let's not forget he setup the second goal when we had no idea open that high line, even 11 vs 11 he was very good.

Honestly one the most frustrating players I've watched. Capable of the sublime, but this is Sterling in nut shell.

It shows how far the club have fallen that he is our best attacker. 

The experienced big name, big wage, attacker needs to set the standard, and Sterling is far too inconsistent, and makes the same errors now, he did when he broke onto the scene 10 years ago.

 

Interesting article from Michael Cox about Sterling’s evolution (and reversion): https://theathletic.com/5048294/2023/11/10/raheem-sterlings-three-eras-in-the-premier-league-dribbler-poacher-dribbler-again/

On 09/11/2023 at 02:10, big blue said:

Honestly one the most frustrating players I've watched. Capable of the sublime, but this is Sterling in nut shell.

It shows how far the club have fallen that he is our best attacker. 

The experienced big name, big wage, attacker needs to set the standard, and Sterling is far too inconsistent, and makes the same errors now, he did when he broke onto the scene 10 years ago.

 

Nope. 

Let's not use Sterling, let's use Haaland. Imagine asking Haaland  to drop constantly as if he is Harry kane and you will start asking why his decision making is so bad, why can't he pass. 

 

Edited November 10, 20232 yr by Bob stark

 

It seemed far from a 'missile at the crowd' and more like a 'getting it off the pitch'; the right decision!

Quiet start today but after that he was immense, they couldn't handle him and he was all over their defence.