Mauricio Pochettino has opened up on his discussions with Raheem Sterling this summer as the Chelsea winger looks to return to form this season.
Sterling scored twice as Chelsea beat Luton Town 3-0 to record their first win of the Premier League season on Friday evening, following an impressive individual performance from the 28-year-old at West Ham last weekend.
Sterling struggled during a disappointing debut campaign at Chelsea last term, but has shown signs that he is returning to his best level.
Pochettino was full of praise for the England international after his match-winning performance against Luton and has revealed how he placed Sterling ‘in front of the mirror’ during pre-season in a bid to self-reflect and bring the best from him this season.
“His commitment in the way he wants to contribute with the team, with his work ethic and quality, he deserves the full credit for his performance,” Pochettino told the club’s official website.
“We are very pleased and happy.
“He has the quality and he can provide the team goals and assists. And when we don’t have the ball, he works really hard to recover the ball as soon as possible. I’m so pleased for him.
“He told me last season was a difficult season for him, but I am very pleased when the player is happy. And when an offensive player can score or assist, for us it’s the best feeling.
“In our first conversation with all the players and our first conversation with Raheem, I love to ask the position that they love to play, to find out how they see themselves. It’s like putting the player in front of the mirror.
“It’s not in the end the position that is most important, it’s the combination and the way that the team is going to link in between them. It’s to find the best position in the dynamic of the game we are playing in an offensive situation, to find the best platform and position and link, so the player can provide their best quality.
“That is why the process is really important and time to work, because to create all these links in the way that we want to play and get to know each other, we need time.”
