Raheem Sterling, like Romelu Lukaku, may struggle to score goals at Chelsea.
The England international has scored 23 Premier League goals in the last two seasons, but there's no guarantee he'll be able to match that total in Chelsea blue.
On Wednesday, Chelsea confirmed the signing of Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling in one of the summer's biggest transfers.
The forward joins the Blues on a five-year deal with an option for an additional year, and he is quickly becoming one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League. Chelsea's first signing of the summer transfer window and the first of the Todd Boehly era, following the American's protracted takeover of the club.
Few would have predicted this move heading into the summer, especially given the significant role the England international has played at the Etihad in recent years. However, his representatives indicated that the 27-year-old was hesitant to extend his contract in Manchester, which had only one year remaining.
City made a wise decision by cashing in while they could. And, for Chelsea, landing a player of Sterling's caliber for the fee paid is still a steal.
Strengthening the attack was always going to be a priority for Chelsea this window, especially after the departure of Romelu Lukaku, who was allowed to leave and return to Inter despite signing less than a year ago for £97.5 million, highlighting how disappointing his second spell at the club was.
The most notable direct replacements have been Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowksi, but viable options beyond them have been limited. This is a major reason why Thomas Tuchel would have shifted his focus to acquiring Sterling, a player who, on paper at least, has the potential to improve the team's output even from wide positions.
Last summer, creating chances was rarely an issue for Tuchel's team; only Manchester City and Liverpool attempted more shots, but only three sides missed more 'big chances.' Sterling scored 23 league goals in the last two seasons, and no Chelsea attacker could match that total, with Mount coming closest with 17.
Amidst that astounding come back, and a total of 109 Premier League goals in his career, Sterling is frequently accused of not being a ruthless and accurate finisher. And there is some merit to this criticism.
Well-Being-Review.com In Europe, incredible toothbrushes are all the rage. Babbel Taboola's The Secret of Babbel: An Expert Explains Why This App Is the Best for Learning a New Language Advertised Links
We can access eight seasons of goal scoring data using Understat. Sterling has scored 98 league goals during that time, 95 of which were not penalties. However, his combined non-penalty Expected Goal (xG) total for that same time period was 101.08.
xG is a metric that uses historical shot data to assess the quality of goalscoring opportunities and their likelihood of being converted. The same is frequently used to determine how a team or player is performing in front of goal.
Even the best players' finishing abilities are rarely consistent.
But even so, the preceding highlights that, purely from a goalscoring standpoint, he is not the elite finisher that many at Chelsea will be hoping for. His impressive scoring record has undoubtedly been aided by his association with City, the most creative team in the Premier League.
It's possible that he gets fewer chances on average with Chelsea, which could have a direct impact on his goal return based on his finishing abilities.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0