Sterling and Maddison have been the focus of many hot topics, surrounding the realms of Fantasy Premier League. In many ways, both of them are quite similar in their playing styles with considerations of a sort of resurgence happening this season.
Sterling was lacking form in the previous campaign while Maddison had to face the bitter pill of relegation with Leicester City.
In Fantasy Premier League they are only separated by half a million perhaps a reflection of how close the two players are considered to each other, in terms of quality and output, at the current moment.
To say, Sterling would come under serious consideration in a season of a plethora of midfielders competing for five spots in the midfield would have been quite ludicrous.
Sterling since joining Chelsea, last season, looked like a shadow of the player, and the times he was valued at around twelve million in the Fantasy Premier League. The signs, of this campaign, were in evidence, even in the game against West Ham.
Sterling, under new manager, Pochettino, looked to be showcasing glimpses of that lost form. Even in a defeat, he was the best player in Chelsea’s attack, on that day, against the Hammers. His pace gave Moyes’s men a sure torrid time, particularly in the opening half.
News articles reported, that Sterling, had asked Pochettino to operate from the wide space. He felt he could be more effective if he could generate momentum from the wide areas.
The result was in evidence in the match against Luton, Sterling cut in from wide, leaving quite a few defenders along his way, to fire past the keeper. A lovely goal, and his performance in that game, has turned heads in Fantasy.
Maddison’s injury news filtered after the game against Manchester United. He had left the stadium on crutches. The news had dented the hopes of possible new owners.
Spurs, under Postecoglou, seems to be a side at last freed from the burdens of a certain kind of football, played by Mourinho or a Conte. I don’t want to mention Nuno’s name in the same class as both of them, but his style is similar.
Postecoglou has made Spurs fans hopeful of a brighter future playing aesthetically good football. Whatever the future might hold, for now, Maddison, is operating simply as the talisman of the team.
Son is playing out wide, while Richarlison is failing to hit a barn’s door has meant Maddison shouldering the responsibility for Postecoglou. There will always be regret for Spurs fans perhaps, not witnessing, Maddison team up with Kane, under Postecoglou.
Maddison is playing like Son, in the seasons gone by, but his price is much cheaper than what Son’s was back in the day. It is unlikely, that Maddison will be on penalties.
Son, being the captain of the side, will be expected to take them. However, there is a slight chance, and if that slight chance turns into reality, Maddison could be in for a serious season’s points tally.
Sterling and Maddison’s playing structure in some ways are indeed quite similar. Sterling is joining Jackson, playing almost as a second striker. Maddison is doing the same, combining with Richarlison, in the front.
The midfielder’s xGi table has Maddison fifth in the list with an xGi of 1.03. He is behind Bruno, who sits top of the list, and Mbeumo and Saka. There is Barnes as well, but he is not worthy of consideration given his game time.
Maddison has an xG of 0.44 and an xA of 0.58 over the first three games. These are all small sample data, of course, but the considerations should be noted. Maddison is neither over-performing nor underperforming his statistics.
He is at par with his returns concerning the statistics mentioned. This is good for any player, performance usually denotes, that there will be a gradual decline over the season, and underperformance might mean, the player will either come good or there is something wrong, either with the player’s finishing abilities or the team he plays for in general.
Sterling sits eighteenth behind Diogo Jota, in the midfielder’s xGi data mentioned. He has an xGi of 0.50 a season xA of 0.19 and an xG of 0.32. This data is similar to what Odegaard or Martinelli had in the previous season. They both had gone on to score two hundred-plus points in a high-flying Arsenal.
Sterling has been historically, for City, a player capable of completing a season with double figures of both goals and assists. He had a price tag, then, two million to five million more than what he is valued currently in FPL.
If Sterling manages to have a season under Pochettino, similar to anything near his exploits playing for Manchester City, he will be a player locked in almost every squad as the season rolls.
There needs to be a rebuttal to the Sterling scenario, Martinelli and Odegaard, the two players mentioned, were extremely clinical, in the last campaign, especially Odegaard.
In the first three matches, there are signs of a decline in outputs from both of the Arsenal midfielders. At an xGi of 0.50, Sterling, if he performs the way his statistics say, he should, won’t break the gameplay this season. He won’t be the player returning nineteen points every game. Instead, he is likely more, going to be the player with a steady return of points in most games.
Caution also needs to be relevant here, more, Sterling, arguably, although it has only been three games in, played the weakest team of the League at home. He won’t be playing Luton Town every week.
As lazy as this analogy might sound, it needs to be considered, when considering Sterling. Luton, for their part, started the game at the Bridge, with two strikers, and a midfield of Chong and Ross Barkley. Sterling may not find the space provided by Luton, to run freely and weave his magic.
Maddison is simply the talismanic focal point of the Spurs attack, he has been a streaky player at Leicester, and the time to transfer him in seems to be now. Spurs have an excellent set of fixtures and are a team always looking to play in the front foot under Postecoglou. It all adds up for Maddison.
This is not to say, Sterling is a bad choice, far from that, but Maddison, should certainly be ahead of him, in the picking pecking order. Sterling, at his price point, should be fine as well. Particularly, with either Martinelli or even a Mitoma making way for him in most squads. Chelsea are having a great run of fixtures themselves with Forest at the Bridge next. There is every chance Sterling would outdo the players mentioned.
