‘He can’t kick a ball’ - Chelsea star SLAMMED

Carlo Garganese

• 24 Mar 2024 16:00 GMT
• 3 min read

Under-fire Chelsea star Raheem Sterling has been slammed for his inability to strike a football properly.

Sterling has been criticised heavily after a disastrous performance against Leicester City in the FA Cup.

Although Chelsea ended up winning the game, Sterling missed a host of easy chances and missed a penalty.

His missed penalty saw him receive particular criticism as he demanded the ball off usual penalty taker Cole Palmer, who has a 100 per cent record from the spot this term.

Another video went viral in which Sterling demanded he take a free kick but slashed the ball high and wide.

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What did Minto say?

“Raheem Sterling missed a one-on-one [versus Leicester City]; he missed a penalty where he shouldn’t really have taken it in the first place. It should’ve been given to Cole Palmer,” Minto told TalkSport.

“Remember that penalty he scored against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge and he handled all the pressure against his former team, in the last minute with everyone watching and he was able to handle it?

“And Raheem Sterling, as good a player as he is and it seems ridiculous to say, because I’d hate to have marked him, but he’s never really struck the ball really well as a professional footballer. So I wouldn’t have him on free-kicks or penalties.”

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Big things were expected of Sterling when he joined Chelsea from Manchester City for €55 million in the summer of 2022.

During seven years at City, Sterling had been one of the best players in the Premier League and a key member of Pep Guardiola’s all-dominant team.

However, Sterling failed to perform for Chelsea as he managed for Man City.

He has contributed just 17 goals in 74 appearances for a Chelsea side that finished 12th in his first season at the club, and are now 11th in his second campaign.

Sterling has been heavily linked with a transfer away from Chelsea in the summer of 2024.