“A star for me” Micah Richards admits Chelsea star has impressed him this season
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Pundit Micah Richards has praised Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling despite the team’s loss to West Ham United on Sunday, August 20. Richards believes that Sterling has returned to his best form, performing at a level reminiscent of a couple of years ago.
Sterling had a challenging first season with Chelsea in 2022-23 after joining from Manchester City, with nine goals and four assists in 38 appearances across competitions. His performance during the pre-season was also lackluster, leading some fans to call for his sale. However, he has shown improvement in the two Premier League matches this season.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Richards stated that Sterling was the standout player in the game against West Ham United. He noted that Sterling was creating scoring opportunities but lacked someone to convert them into goals.
“A star for me was Sterling. Sterling was excellent. This was Sterling from two years ago. A lot of people said he can’t play on the right; a lot of his good work came down that right, jinking and jiving. Good end product at times. If only someone was there to put it away.”
Sterling has played 40 games for Chelsea and has scored nine goals while assisting four times.
Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling has revealed that the constant change in managers and tactics at the club has been a significant factor in his struggles since joining the team.
Sterling was a high-profile signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2022, as he was the first player targeted by the new ownership. However, his time at the club has been marked by managerial changes, with Thomas Tuchel being sacked after just seven matches in charge.
“It was a difficult transition period last year. I was raring to go from the off season, looking to get back to the levels I know I can get to, it is as simple as that. It’s about being aggressive. A lot of the time it’s back to goal so it was nice to get on the half turn.”
He added:
“I’m a player that needs to be driving, action after action. If I’m not doing that I’m nowhere near my best, so that’s what I need to keep doing every time I get the ball. I have to turn, drive and be aggressive. That’s what I plan on doing.”
Speaking to the media earlier this summer, Sterling acknowledged that the frequent changes in management and tactics have affected his performance. Despite these challenges, he has started both of Chelsea’s Premier League matches this season and is eager to maintain his place in the team.
