Chelsea have started the season poorly but Sterling’s form offers hope

Chelsea need experience, creativity and goals to ignite their season – and the forward could be the man to do it

By Ben McAleer for WhoScored

Given the number of incomings and outgoings at Chelsea over the last year, Raheem Sterling has become something of a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old only signed from Manchester City last summer but already feels like an old timer. Sterling, the first signing under the new owners, made his Chelsea debut last August in a 1-0 win against Everton. Just three of his 10 teammates from that game are still at the club: Thiago Silva, Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

Sterling had a disappointing first season at Chelsea, scoring just six times and providing three assists in the league. It’s no wonder he struggled given the spate of new additions, the increasingly bloated squad and the managerial upheaval at the club – he played under four different head coaches. Few players, if any, covered themselves in any real glory as Chelsea laboured to a 12th-placed finish and scored just 38 league goals – one per game, a scoring rate beaten by Erling Haaland. Even relegated pair Leicester and Leeds scored more.