Raheem Sterling against Tottenham

Raheem Sterling’s performance was sadly the biggest negative in a very positive display.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

In the build-up to the game against Tottenham, I correctly predicted a first League start for Raheem Sterling in over three months. The main reason for this, aside from our injuries in the frontline, was his impressive performance against Manchester United last time out. After coming in for the injured Gabriel Jesus on the right wing, Sterling impressed with his direct running and brilliant wing play as he brought an element of chaos to the United backline anytime he drove into the box. Despite him not sustaining that threat for long, some Gooners even went as far as saying it was his best performance in an Arsenal shirt. For this reason, you can understand why he was given the nod to play from the start against Tottenham.

It was an opportunity for him to build on an impressive display in such a massive game in the context of our season, however, he failed to impress. In a display lacking any real intent or desire, Sterling would’ve been disappointed with the missed opportunity. He should’ve done a lot more in one-on-one scenarios against Spurs, he failed to put Djed Spence under any significant pressure in the encounter. For the most part, he just didn’t fancy taking him on at all with the Englishman opting to go backwards instead at the slightest opportunity. For the record, this wasn’t the first time he failed to make the most of an opportunity from the start as we’ve seen countless times this campaign. This just brings our decision to sign him further into question, especially in light of our depleted frontline.

Sterling with Arteta

Perhaps the club can make amends by actually signing a proper forward this month, it’s the least that we need at the moment especially if one of our forwards keeps playing badly. Most of the fan base have been optimistic about him finally coming good this campaign but performances like the one against Spurs will only diminish such hopes. On the bright side, he still has a lot of games to prove us wrong and pretty much could find a purple patch before the end of the season. With that said it would be a hell of an end to the season if we potentially get swayed to sign him permanently!

Let me get your say Gooners, will Raheem Sterling finally come good this season?

BENJAMIN KENNETH


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Tags Raheem Sterling

31 Comments

  1. Sterling was awful. Not one single cross. Could not cut inside to the left for once.
    Complete waste of space
    I don’t know why Arsenal didn’t go for Omar Marmoush. Now City have got him virtually wrapped up

  2. If Stirling were our player on more contract I would say he needs to be loaned out he needs football under his belt All we can do is hope that he plays himself into form because we’re gonna need him to

  3. Again, I would like to see Raheem have more playing time before condemning him for one performance, after praising him for the previous one.
    Does there even have to be a nominee for a negative performance?
    Why not just enjoy the moment?

  4. I promise to respect the rules and just use common decent sense and politeness, but my god this was a painful read! We all want the best for our club, but to single out and attack players, especially players that havent had a chance to impress, i jyst see you angry and looking at a finger to point. Be a strong gunner my friend and look at how far we have come. Please dont hate on single people

    1. Well said Darren.
      It’s always been the case unfortunately at our club – there has to be a scapegoat or a negative and I’m surprised it’s AdminPat of all people!!

      1. Unfortunately admin clearly like to cause trouble and then post messages about respect, double standards and completely unhealthy

    2. Unfortunately we can not legislate for other people’s behaviour but only be accountable for our own.
      Treat others as you would.like to be treated yourself !
      RESPECT!
      Some of our players were not at there best last night but I will forgive and forget as the most important thing this week is NL stays red and white.
      Spare a very tiny bit of sympathy or.not for our quiet 🤫 neighbours
      If some think we have trouble then they are in a total mess
      Onwards and upwards

  5. I agree with what people have said ,he was very good agsinst united ,i dont think he was as bad as some are saying v tottenham but you definitely cannot write him off the next game ,as said has had little pkaying time ,give him a chance ,i believe he can definitely offer something in games with his experience, we will need it as the season goes on

    1. i don’t think he was that terrible. He wasn’t great but there was sloppiness to go around from a few players.

  6. My comment was completely respectful, i dont think we need to forgive a single player but each to their own.

  7. Unfortunately admin clearly like to cause trouble and then post messages about respect, double standards and completely unhealthy

  8. I feel sorry for Sterling. Lack of match football has been bad for him.

    Silly silly Chelsea!

    Come on Raheem – rooting for you to refind it.

  9. How much was Sterlings Struggles the form of Spence I’m now thinking?

    Most of what we said about Raheem last night and today, you could have said about the non existent Salah when he came up against Spence last week.

    Spence was a (cheap) “club signing” and Conte hated the idea of club signings foistered on him. Maybe it wouldn’t take much to annoy Conte, like butter his bread not to the corners or pack the dishwasher wrong, but why all Spurs managers have Spence so low in pecking order? Every time I seem him, he’s strong and fast, works up down the whole line impressively, with some great crosses.

    When he was clear man of match for forest against us, he was on the right.

  10. When we are invited to give our scores for the players’ post match, there will usually be one or two who stand out as being the pick of the best and others for whom the game was less than their best

    I thought Sterling didn’t have a particularly good game on the night and was quite rightly substituted, whereas on Sunday he was much better I wouldn’t make too much of it. If he was to regularly underperform that would be a different matter.

  11. Why can’t we just celebrate the victory over our neighbor and quit writing mean-spirited attacks on certain players? Personally, I thought Raheem Sterling played well yesterday considering his long stint on the bench and recent return from injury.

  12. Sterling will be worst loan signing we had. I still can’t believe Arsenal took him. We should give chances to our academy player instead.

  13. I feel sorry for Sterling and it really isn’t his fault that he didn’t do well:

    1. When we got him, we were aware he’s not his best anymore and Chelsea were desperate to cut their losses on him. We know what we got of him.

    2. The huge pile of injuries now require that he plays full games …..

    He might sometimes perform well but my expectations on him are a little realistic. Sadly, our opponents will exploit this limitation and until we properly and sufficiently fix our issues in the front, today it’ll Sterling, then Martinelli and then Havertz …… bad scapegoating when we know the right things that we strangely didn’t do in my view

    For now, please leave Sterling alone.

  14. I have always thought that Sterling was more effective on the left and was more suited to a counter attacking side which is probably why Man City sold him to Chelsea.I hope he “comes good” for us but I have my doubts.

    1. I completely agree he should be tried on the left. Knowing what suits a player best matters in performance analysis. I just hope MLS will be given opportunity in midfield someday as his best position.

  15. Going back many years players would play in the reserves ,keep a relative level of match fitness ,now they can spend weeks without playing ,due being allowed to name so many subs its no surprise these players struggle a bit sometimes when thrown in to start a game to play at a high level for 90 minutes ,i thiught he done ok and as soneone said soence was one of their best players on the night

  16. Sylva,

    You say knowing what’s suits a player best matters in performance analysis, well given the manager we have there’s not much chance of that on a regular basis.

    As Arteta seems to love putting square pegs in round holes a lot of the time.🙄🤦‍♂️

  17. I wouldn’t crucified Sterling on the performance of the North London derby, but we have to have a scapegoat, so that’s how the cookies crumbles

    1. Agreed but here’s food for thought
      The spuds were tagged as the new entertainers last season
      A breath of fresh air
      Back to playing the spud way after many years playing boring football and under many proven managers with many years of experience and trophy to add to there name where as we have to some,regressed, play boring football but sit 2nd.
      Who out there would like swap positions

  18. He didn’t do well, but let’s be honest; he is mostly a sub-player and got injured. Let’s give him a chance, as we did with Havertz, though I prefer to start Martinelli as CF next match.

  19. We must be honest with our judgement, I’m not provoking anything, we almost single out players. Yes, we love Sterling but my opinion is since joining Arsenal, he performs very bad. Nelson was better

  20. Arteta never trusted Nelson for some reason, that is bared out by how many times he was asked to cover for Saka. (Hardly at all).

    Therefore for the last three seasons, Saka has played in most if not all the games, and then people wonder why his hamstring went ping.

    With the amount of games he was being asked to play, is it really a surprise that he’s finally picked up a major injury. 🙄🤦‍♂️

  21. I have to agree that we should have stuck with Nelson as a back up despite his inconsistency and rash decision making. Stirling was such a a rush job, what we in Australia call “a Clayton’s”. The signing you make when you really can’t sign anyone else. Still I hope he comes good because we simply don’t have other options.

  22. Some of the comments here make me laugh, what a love in for another Chelsea flop! This bloke has been trash since he rocked up at Arsenal, don’t forget he’s on massive wages to drop stinkers like that so I find it hard to get behind him when he’s basically stealing a living, bin him back to Chelsea soon as you can Arsenal.

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