Yeah, I loved the guy, but I think a lot of people are only remembering his 17/18 season rather than his 18/19 season, which saw his performances go backwards and his form drop off. Still remember him kicking up a fuss about not getting starts, then Pep started him away at Burnley and he stank the place out. From that point on it was Sterling and Mahrez on either wing to take us to the title.
After a slow start, Sané improved in 2018-19 from the season before. He had more impact more frequently that season despite playing 1,000 fewer minutes:
17-18 - 14 goals and 19 assists in 3,617 minutes
18-19 - 16 goals and 19 assists in 2,695 minutes
(Sterling in 18-19 - 25 goals and 17 assists in 4,097 minutes is a goal or assist every 98 minutes compared to Sané’s every 77 minutes.)
That season, Sané improved his shooting technique; got his head and shoulders over the ball more and thus had better output from his shooting. Also his dribbling usually came to a better end by finding a teammate more than the season before n’all.
He never kicked up a fuss about not getting starts anymore than I’ve heard it from any player anywhere, and has been nothing but complimentary and nice about us since he left (which can’t be said for Sterling and Jesus). I don’t know where this comes from. I don’t even recall there being any actual news about Sané kicking up a fuss. There was talk about his Mother and Brother being in talks with Bayern and it coincided with him not starting a few games and I think people started running with the idea he was seeing his arse and trying to get out of the club, but I think that talk about him seeing his arse was all just made up.
I simply think that Sané only starting 1 of the final 6 games that season was simply that Pep didn’t want to change a winning side. Sané was in good form through the Liverpool, Wolves and Huddersfield games but he started the loss to Newcastle and Sterling didn’t, then we beat Arsenal and Pep seemed to stick with a similar team to the end of the season. Even then, Sané had exactly the same number of goals and assists as Sterling in the final eight games of the season, it appeared he was a better impact off the bench. I don’t think it was any deeper than that.