RAHEEM STERLING has a clear vision of what he wants out of life at Chelsea and what is expected of him.But from the outside it’s not easy to see anything but chaos and disorder from a turbulent season.
Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea from Manchester City last summerCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
The 28-year-old has scored seven goals for the Blues this seasonCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
Sterling has admitted the squad is hurting due to the woeful run of formCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
Sterling was the first signing of new chairman Todd Boehly following a £4.25billion takeover 11 months ago.
And he admits the vast squad — including £545million of signings under Boehly — is hurting.
Two sacked managers, five defeats in a row, 11th in the Premier League.
All that’s missing is a Partridge and Pear Tree.
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Well, that and a new manager coming in this summer to finally stop the ground shifting under everyone’s feet every time they try to take a step forward.
Sterling has managed only six full 90 minutes from a year in which he was hoping to latch onto the ingrained Chelsea philosophy of competing for major honours every season – and winning more often than not.
Instead he has found himself part of a woefully underachieving squad being regularly booed off by its own fans.
The £47.5million winger said: “You can’t have positives every day in life.
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“Sometimes you have lows. I haven’t been in this situation in my career so far but I am more than up to the challenge.
“We are disappointed when we come off the pitch and feel angry and disappointed. There are times when we finish a game you just sit in the changing room looking into space because you can’t understand what has just happened.
“It’s tough to take. You are always trying to look for a positive solution.
“There will be conversations, players trying to come to terms with what has happened in the last ten minutes or so.
“It’s not easy. The feeling of winning games week in, week out is one that everyone in the dressing room is used to. So it’s what we enjoy and we want it back. To not have it this year is not the best.
“Performances haven’t been at the level they should, mine included. I haven’t been anywhere near my usual level.
Sterling spoke to SunSport’s Andy DillonCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
The Chelsea winger admitted performances this season have not been at the level they should have beenCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
Sterling was the first Chelsea signing in the Todd Boehly eraCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
“But football can be cruel and the more you try to fix something the worse it gets. If you fixate on something it can get worse.
“We need to look in the right direction and look to whoever comes in as the next manager to build for the future.
“We want the results and winning trophies to be the main attraction for the football club like it has been for so many years. That’s why I came here, because of the rich history and with the new owners and new direction it was a no brainer. And I have no regrets at all.
“That’s the beautiful thing. I enjoyed my time at my previous club and won a lot of trophies. But I like a new challenge and this is the challenge I signed up for.
“It’s a challenge I will overcome. It will taste even sweeter to win silverware coming from a moment like this than if you were winning every single week.”
Lose at Arsenal on Tuesday and it’s a sixth defeat in a row for Chelsea for the first time since 1993.
There has been upheaval in every corner of the club.
Sterling has played out of position half at least five times to suit the needs of the team.
Sterling said: “I haven’t complained about not playing in my position. I have come here with the intention of trying to do my part as best I can.
“From when the owners took over things have moved pretty fast. There have been a few turnovers in terms of coaches, people higher up than coaches have changed as well, it has been a process, a learning curve for everyone.
“And as a football club we are trying to get it right and we will get it right. It will take time but that doesn’t mean we accept it.
“We are much bigger than this and we have to get the next couple of months right and get back to the level we should be at.
“Initially coming here was a dream come true. That hasn’t transpired but again it’s still an energy, something inside me is still raring to go, knowing that there will be a turn for the better.
“The more things are put into place the better it will get so I haven’t given up on the vision that the owners gave me at the start. I know it will turn.”
Next season will be Sterling’s first without Champions League football since he joined Manchester City eight years ago.
He said: “It’s not something we are used to here and it is something we need to change. To do that we have to compete at a high level next year. It is one thing missing out on the Champions League one year the next is not being in it for a couple so we need to buck up our ideas.
“We can sit here and moan and look at the negatives but it will only make me stronger because I am looking to the happy times again.
“If we dwell on the negatives it’s going to go into next season and we won’t start on good terms. But if you take these negatives from this season and process them and use them to uplift yourself we can use the summer to come back stronger.
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“The ability in the dressing room is undeniable and if we have someone who can take control of that we are more than capable of challenging every year.
“This season has been nowhere near what I expect from myself. I know for sure I will improve and get back to the level I am capable of.”
Sterling vowed to come back stronger next seasonCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
He says the Chelsea squad has the ability to compete for honoursCredit: Jamie McPhilimey More
