Raheem Sterling stunned over Chelsea new Coach Graham Potter’s switch of position and deploying him as a wing back.
When playing against Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League, the Blues began a new era off the field as they witnessed their new manager take a different direction in terms of team selection.
The England international Sterling was asked to play a position on the left that needed him to assist on both ends of the field.
Sterling is most renowned for his work as a winger or central striker.
What did Raheem Sterling say?
When the former Manchester City man was asked to comment on coach Potter’s decision to make him operate at wingback, he said: “I played in a slightly different role under the new manager, and it is one I enjoyed playing, out wide. Over time, I will get better. I am happy to play along the front line, but he wanted me out wide, getting at the full-back, getting in the box, and creating chances. The more time under him [Potter], I think the better it will be for us.”
Following his summer transfer from Manchester City, Sterling gave Chelsea the lead against Salzburg with his fourth goal for the club, but the Blues were unable to hang on and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Despite having players like Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella, a left-sided player he had previously worked with at Brighton, at his disposal when taking over as Chelsea manager, Potter opted for an experimental approach.
How does Potter and Tuchel compare?
Potter frequently uses a 3-4-3 shape at Brighton, which is comparable to Tuchel’s Chelsea.
The Seagulls liked the spread out and make the field as large as possible during the buildup phase when they have the ball.
He has already used both this formation and the conventional 4-3-3 to see if he can infuse some energy into the Chelsea team.
Stretching the field and positioning your wide players right on the touchline has the advantage of countering the opposition’s press.
Nowadays, the majority of Premier League clubs prefer to press off the ball, and the harder it is for the opposition team, the farther away the players are from the ball, provided the passing is accurate.
Potter prefers his wide center-backs to drive with the ball and participate in attacks, much like Tuchel does. Last season, Antonio Rudiger frequently demonstrated his preference for stepping into midfield to look for a pivotal pass or, on occasion, to fire from 40 yards.
He is undoubtedly a sharp tactician, a quality Chelsea also have in Tuchel. Although the two organize their squads somewhat similarly, they have extremely different perspectives on the game as a whole.
Note that Chelsea’s match against Liverpool this weekend has been canceled due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Sterling has been called up by coach Gareth Southgate of England for their next UEFA Nations League matches against Italy and Germany.
