Chelsea began their new era under Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues started the English Premier League 2023–24 season with a draw against Liverpool. This was followed by a defeat against West Ham United in the second match. The former Spurs manager finally led his side to their first victory against Luton Town.
There are some individuals on the team who have shown some spark, and one of them is Raheem Sterling. The Englishman has returned to form after a disappointing 2022-23 season with the Blues. His gameplay has been really positive, and Sterling proved this with a match-winning performance against Luton. Let’s look at some of his stats that show how the 28-year-old has rejuvenated himself under the new manager.
The most experienced player in the attack
Chelsea have a lot of new players in the attack. They are young and have less experience in the Premier League. This makes Raheem Sterling one of the most senior players on the team. Sterling has already played for Liverpool and Manchester City. He has won the league with the Manchester club on more than one occasion.
The above visualisation shows the player’s touch map in the league’s first three games. Sterling plays on the right flank and offers support to his teammates. The 28-year-old is known for his speed and strength. Sterling makes full use of this and stretches the opposition’s defence with his skills. This season, he has already made 25 touches inside the opposition penalty box.
Raheem Sterling returned to goal-scoring form against Luton. After taking just one shot in the first two matches, he attempted five in the third game, and three were on target. The goals were scored from very close range, and the player has an overall xG rate of 1.18 this season.
Creativity and skills
Raheem Sterling is one of the best English players when it comes to dribbling with the ball. He has been excellent in the 2023–24 season. Sterling has attempted 22 dribbles and had a 72.7% success rate. One of the things that can be observed is that Sterling has a high success rate inside the opposition penalty box. He also attempts crosses from these dangerous positions, and one led to a goal in the last match.
Sterling’s passing has also been good, and he has one assist to his name. The Englishman has an 82% accuracy rate. He has been consistent in finding his teammate inside the opposition’s penalty area. Sterling has attempted 17 passes to the penalty box and has a 65% success rate. His first assist of the season was for Jackson’s debut goal in a Chelsea shirt.
Mauricio Pochettino needs his senior players to step up. Chelsea made a lot of signings, and that often disturbs the balance in the team. Senior players often adapt to situations, and that is what Sterling is doing.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
