3 different ways in which Thomas Tuchel could use Raheem Sterling at Chelsea
Raheem Sterling's unveiling as a Chelsea player is all but an official announcement away. David Ornstein has said that Manchester City and Chelsea have agreed on a fee of £47.5 million.
Chelsea conducted a medical on July 10, according to the Evening Standard, and Sterling will leave to join the Blues in Los Angeles for their pre-season camp.
#CFC Raheem Sterling has completed main part of medical tests in London yesterday, contract signed until June 2027 plus option for further season as new Chelsea player. Matter of time for the official statement. 🚨🔵 #CFC
It's all signed also between clubs with Manchester City.
He has been a fixture of Premier League football for a decade and is still only 27 years old. Chelsea have signed the likes of Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, and Hakim Ziyech and brought through Callum Hudson-Odoi, but none came close to Eden Hazard.
Sterling would be that incisive dribbler and creator with an eye for goal and could be used in three different ways. Those three ways are listed and explained here.
#1 As a left-winger - Raheem Sterling's natural position
Raheem Sterling has always preferred to play on the left wing. At Liverpool, he played as a left-winger alongside Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, while at Manchester City, he played 181 games on the left-hand side.
From the left-wing, the player tends to cut in and score more goals. He scored 70 goals and assisted 41 from the left-wing position.
Raheem Sterling’s goals + assists numbers in his last six seasons… 🔥
2021/22 - 26 G/A’s
2020/21 - 26 G/A’s
2019/20 - 41 G/A’s
2018/19 - 42 G/A’s
2017/18 - 40 G/A’s
2016/17 - 30 G/A’s https://t.co/8tcqIxxrp9
Chelsea have Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic, who prefer to play on the left-hand side, while youngster Harvey Vale is an option on the right. These three are flexible, though similar to the Englishman.
If Thomas Tuchel wants him to maximize his scoring potential, this position would be a better fit. He thrives on back-post runs, and Reece James will provide brilliant deliveries.
#2 As a right winger - Well rounded
Manchester City fans tend to prefer Raheem Sterling on the right-hand side. He has made 103 appearances for City in this position, scoring 43 goals and providing 46 assists.
While goal-scoring takes a hit in this position, the number of assists remains consistent. He can use both feet, but as a right-winger, he can provide more cutbacks and crosses into the box.
292 games (most)
Raheem Sterling under Pep Guardiola:
▪️ 292 games (most)
▪️ 120 goals (third most)
▪️ 85 assists (third most)
▪️ 4x Premier League
▪️ 4x League Cup
▪️ 1x FA Cup
▪️ 2x Community Shield
Made his mark at Manchester City 🌟 https://t.co/aQ72reSSiV
A potential link-up with Reece James would be exciting, but Ben Chilwell would provide a similar link-up on the left-hand side.
Sterling on the right would also allow Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic to play their preferred positions. While he can play in this position, the 27-year-old is also coming in as Chelsea's highest-paid player with a reported wage (as per Sports Illustrated) of £300,000 per week. He is likely to play in his preferred position on the pitch.
#3 As a false nine - An emergency situation
Raheem Sterling played 28 games as a striker for Manchester City, scoring 14 goals and providing six assists. If Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are not available for selection, Tuchel could use the Englishman in this position. He is good at dropping deep and creating space for others, and his link-up play is just as brilliant.
Raheem Sterling • Welcome to Chelsea #CFC
https://t.co/bdPfQ8aCFd
He has striker-like instincts in the penalty box and would thrive on service from both flanks. Dribbling and taking on players are his main attributes but would be diminished in a central position. A second striker role next to someone like Kai Havertz could be an emergency option Tuchel could use in a game.
Considering these three positions, Sterling will gravitate towards playing on the left-hand side of the attack. He is coming to Chelsea to be the starter, and Tuchel is bringing him to the club for this role.
He wants to be the main man, and while the Jamaica-born player could be switched around on occasions, he will probably play a free role similar to Eden Hazard. Fans are very excited for the season to begin.