Chelsea: Raheem Sterling faces fan test but he’s far from the biggest problem
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Raheem Sterling isn’t winning over many Chelsea fans, regardless of whether he’s doing well or not.
Last Sunday at Stamford Bridge wasn’t easy for the 29-year-old. He had a tough time, missed a penalty, messed up a one-on-one chance, and sent a free-kick flying way over the bar before getting subbed off. It wasn’t his best game, and winning back the fans won’t be a quick fix.
Sterling admitted he didn’t perform well against Leicester. He even said sorry to the supporters on Instagram, promising to come back stronger and keep fighting for the team. But it’s like he’s trying to impress fans who haven’t really welcomed him since he joined Chelsea from Manchester City for £47.5 million in 2022.
It’s strange because Sterling has actually been pretty good this season, scoring eight goals and making seven assists. That puts him third among Chelsea’s top forwards, just behind Nicolas Jackson and the new star player, Cole Palmer. Plus, Sterling has won more penalties than anyone else in the league this season.
But on Sunday, things went sour when he decided to take a penalty instead of letting Cole Palmer, who’s been spot-on with penalties, do it. He ended up kicking the ball straight at the Leicester goalkeeper, missing his fifth penalty out of nine attempts in his career.
Some folks thought Sterling was being selfish, but it’s partly because Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s coach, hasn’t assigned a specific penalty taker. He lets the players decide on the spot.
Cole Palmer doesn’t hold any grudges against Sterling, though. He’s actually thankful that Sterling, who guided him back at Manchester City, allowed him to take penalties against Burnley and Arsenal earlier this season. Those were Palmer’s first goals for Chelsea, and since then, he’s had a fantastic season with 14 goals and 12 assists.
Besides the penalty hiccup, Sterling has been doing alright this season. He’s been one of the better players, alongside Palmer and maybe Malo Gusto and Conor Gallagher. But some fans use his high wages—£300,000 a week—as a reason to criticize him.
But it’s not just Sterling facing this kind of criticism. Players like Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, who cost Chelsea over £100 million each, are also under scrutiny. But like Sterling, it’s not their fault that Chelsea paid so much to get them.
Sterling might not be Chelsea’s main problem, especially with two and a half years left on his contract. So, figuring out how to make him work well for the team could be crucial for Chelsea’s future success.
