There's always been a stigma around Raheem Sterling. Plenty of critics believe the 27-year-old is unable to finish his chances in front of goal. His scoring record for Manchester City suggests that isn't the case, but he has missed plenty of big chances in the past – and even he has admitted that.
Speaking to Thierry Henry for Sky Sports over four years ago, Sterling – who is on the verge of signing for Chelsea for a total of £55million (£45m plus add-ons) – said that he sometimes struggles when he has "too much time" to think about what he is going to do. Instead, he prefers it when the situation calls on him to be more instinctive.
"Forget what everybody says, I know what I want to do and what I need to improve on," Sterling said. "Nobody needs to tell me. Of course, people see it and my problem is that when I have too much time to think that's when I mess up a lot. If it's more instinctive with less time to think I am much better.
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"If it's through on goal and I have too much time to think I try to over-complicate things. That's when I do mess up at times. I have full confidence in myself and believe I will get it right in a matter of time. I have the World Cup this summer and then back to work again in pre-season and then continue trying to get better."
Sterling was responding to his Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who a few months before, called on the winger to improve in front of goal. Guardiola said: "He knows a striker has to score goals and he has to do that if he wants to achieve the next step.
"You won't survive in the high level teams in his position if you do not score goals. And now he's seeing how fun, how good it is, to score goals. I think he's enjoying scoring goals, he's not scared, he's not afraid to take a risk."
Guardiola asked and Guardiola got. Sterling, after scoring 23 goals – in all competitions – during the 2017/18 season, improved his tally to 25 the campaign after. In 2019/20, Sterling found the net 31 times, marking a significant improvement in front of goal.
Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign Sterling. football.london understands that the Blues want to confirm the England international as part of their squad before they jet off for their pre-season tour of the United States at the weekend.
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