Rightly or wrongly, Raheem Sterling has lost a giant of Chelsea’s fan base.
The 29-year-old was booed on a tricky afternoon at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and changing your opinion of him may not be easy.
Privately, Sterling admits he didn’t play against Leicester. He missed a penalty, had a one-on-one chance and fired a free-kick over the bar before being substituted.
Sterling apologised to his fans on Sunday night, posting on Instagram: “Apologies for missed penalty. I will come back 10 times stronger to help the team win and keep fighting for the name every day. “
But he’ll have to feel he’s looking to win over an organisation of enthusiasts who have never welcomed him since he moved from Manchester City for £47. 5m in 2022.
His scenario is curious, considering his 8 goals and seven assists this season. Those numbers put him as Chelsea’s third most influential striker, Nicolas Jackson and new talisman Cole Palmer. Sterling has also gained more consequence than any other player in the league this season. .
On Sunday, his decision to take the penalty he won in the first half put him in the crosshairs. Sterling took the ball away from Palmer, who scored his five chances for Chelsea and never missed in nine attempts in his professional career.
He then dutifully kicked the ball straight to Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk and has now missed five of nine career penalties.
Many considered his decision to take the ball away from Palmer selfish, but it was also a challenge from Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine did not appoint a penalty taker and left the responsibility on the field in the hands of his players.
He is also grateful that Sterling, who guided him at Manchester City, first allowed him to take the consequences against Burnley and Arsenal to open his Chelsea account earlier this season. There, on the spot, he sparked a brilliant debut season in which he now has 14 goals and 12 assists.
Apart from the suspension situation, Sterling has been a player this season.
Apart from the suspension situation, Sterling has been a player this season
He has played more than the maximum in the team, with the exception of Palmer, Malo Gusto and Conor Gallagher, but his £300,000-weekly salary is used as a stick to beat him.
The same goes for the £100m-plus midfield duo Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, but, like Sterling, it’s not their fault that Chelsea overpaid to sign them.
With two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, he is unlikely to leave anytime soon, so making his moves perfect may be key to Chelsea’s good luck in the coming seasons.
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