When did Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling last fail to hit double figures for goals scored?

Chelsea’s new owners were always going to make the

A Football Report
When did Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling last fail to hit double figures for goals scored?

Chelsea’s new owners were always going to make their presence felt in the transfer market when taking control of the Premier League heavyweights, and their total outlay across two windows at the helm has nudged towards the £600 million mark.

A British record deal has formed part of that ambitious project, while potential and pedigree has been obtained in abundance. It was, however, their very first big-money acquisition that arguably represented the greatest show of intent.

Raheem Sterling was welcomed through the doors at Stamford Bridge in July 2022, with the England international – who once lived a stone’s throw from Wembley Stadium – returning to his London-based roots from Manchester City.

Mediocrity

It is fair to say that things have not played out as planned for all concerned since then. Struggles for consistency have left Chelsea at 66/1 to finish in the top four for those looking to bet on football UK markets. It may be that European qualification eludes them entirely, with Premier League bets pricing them at 15/2 to end the season inside the top six.

Mid-table mediocrity is not what anybody saw coming, with little return being offered on considerable investment of faith and funds. Sterling falls into the bracket of those that have failed to live up to expectations.

He is a four-time Premier League title winner, a former FWA Footballer of the Year and a man that graced the final of Euro 2020 as an international performer, with more than 80 appearances to his name and with a 100-cap haul potentially within reach.

Sterling was a marquee addition for Chelsea and a proven performer expected to help them challenge for major honours in 2022-23. There is every chance that he will end the season empty-handed and with serious questions being asked about the direction in which the Blues are heading.

Graham Potter has said of the underperforming star who was charged with the task of leading by example when a big-money move was completed: “It would be wrong of me to say that Raheem has been at the absolute top of his game, but he is not the only one. It is my responsibility to help the team function better so that he can play better, because he has got quality and is a top player.”

Expectation

By the end of March, with spring very much sprung, Sterling had registered just seven goals for Chelsea across all competitions. Given that he had 27 appearances by that stage, much more was demanded of him.

Sterling enjoyed two 20-goal campaigns at City and a 31-goal effort in 2019-20, with a greater end product added to his game by Pep Guardiola. More of the same was expected when swapping the North West for west London, but a 10-year low may be about to be hit.

Not since 2012-13, in what was a breakthrough year at Liverpool, has Sterling failed to reach double figures in terms of goals scored across any given campaign. He is in serious danger of falling below that mark this time around, with a man famed for his speed over the turf needing to a find a way of slipping out of reverse.