After sitting through most of the game against Palace, watching David Raya perform like a midfield misfit and William Saliba show how important Gabriel is to him at the heart of the defence, no reflection on Jakub Kiwior, by the way, I wanted to give my thoughts on Rahemm Sterling, Mikel Arteta, and the right-hand side.
I watched Sterling specifically to see if he would grasp this opportunity, but was amazed at what I saw. He seemed glued to the touchline and reluctant to move anywhere else in the first twenty or so minutes, and it seemed obvious to me that he was playing to strict instructions. It was also clear that Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber chose not to pass to him unless it was a last resort. Raheem was trying to get into the game and, in the second part of the first half, started making moves inside, looking for passes from Odegaard or Timber that never arrived. It was no surprise that he was substituted in the second half, and then we saw how the ball was used to get Saka into the game, but for once, he did not do much either.
Now my point is this: why did we sign Sterling if he is stifled from playing his natural game and, in my opinion, ignored by his teammates? Is he being too micromanaged to such an extent that he is scared of his own shadow?
I know he is not the player he once was, but neither is he deserving of such treatment in my eyes.
A previous article complained about Arteta’s man management skills and I believe I saw a player completely bewildered as to what was expected of him, he played like a rabbit caught in headlights, not knowing whether to twist or stick and, surely, that is down to what he is being told to do out there?
So what was the point of signing him for the season if he is not allowed to do what he is best at, taking on players by getting the ball passed to him?
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Sterling was given enough opportunity minutes to showcase his skill set if he has any. It is quite obvious that the thing is mental as he lacks self confidence to the extent of taking a funny penalty. The damage was already done and dusted at Chelsea. He is tbh finished. Arteta did good out of humanity to redeem his career by bringing him to Arsenal unfortunately Sterling could not reciprocate. If he can’t he can’t. We shouldn’t torment him with our unrealistic expectations. No one to blame for his dismal performances other than himself maybe the Chelsea coach which is outside the control of Arsenal. If Sterling is willing and can, let him help younger players like Nwaneri mentoring snd sharing his experiences.
I’m going to be slightly harsh here and suggest he was brought in with the intention of being temporary cover and he won’t be staying after the season.
He’s currently on 325K a week and still has 2 years left on his Chelsea contract, which is absolutely crazy! We are only paying 30% of that luckily enough. Chelsea’s problem though, not ours. Suppose we have the same problem with GJ.
Sterling = a baller game player. We were bewildered when he was brought in and we still are. He departs Arsenal after a month leaving us in the state of bewilderment why he was loaned in as you somehow questioned in your article. Some transfers in practice never work out like Sterling’s.
Three good comments, but still no reason why we signed him if MA won’t let him free to express himself.
Of course, I can’t see him hear next season, but are we REALLY using and treating him properly?
1. Ex City and current CFC player
2. Waning career, Mikel thought he could change the course
3. Big wage earner
4. “Wealth” of experience
As long as we pay his wages, we can say he is fairly treated. About “using” – the reverse should be asked of the player – at this age can he be used efficiently? Pep and Enzo were not stupid to let him leave.
It’s not Mikel’s money, why should he care? He has a bombastic contract and he would be paid to leave when the situation arises. No way he is at personal loss. Fans pay the gate fees to watch such players
To be honest I think he’s been used and treated perfectly well.
He’s had enough game time, and it’s not as if we have been expecting the world from him.
I’ve seen him beat multiple players in training games but when it comes to the League, 9 times out of 10 he just passes it sideways or back and hardly ever attempts to go past the opposition. I don’t really think he’s under instructions from Arteta but just doesn’t have the confidence and when he loses it the moans from the crowd are clearly heard.
To provide strength and depth for Arsenal, at Arsenal’s level considering where we are and want to achieve, but has failed to consistently when given the opportunity, with the ball, but especially off the ball when I watch him. The talent is there, but the mentality is way off where it needs to be at the highest level. The talent mislead to think it was a safe/good buy at the time, but the mentality has shown once again how useless talent can be without hardwork.
Signing Sterling was a bad gamble, pure and simple
It was a last minute gamble which unfortunately hasn’t worked out well enough. He wasn’t part of Chelsea’s plans which was must have been confidence sapping and was brought in as cover, therefore, not an automatic starter.
I have seen him play well and also the complete opposite
I totally agree with you. Thank you mate. Sterling problem is inside not outside. As a seasoned player himself why some guys require preferential treatment for him like wrapped in cotton? Those players who are sourced from Chelsea maybe under achievers at Arsenal bar Havertz.
Failing to plan is planning to fail. Mikel failed to plan. plain and simple. I do not coat bitter pills with sugar. Approx 90K per week since the signing. Does Mikel care for the club’s finances? Plus the big fat wages for mediocre Gab J and Kai, better be careful, Mikel will run us to administration one day if these mistakes remain unchecked.
Finally someone speaks the truth
TSRS, last season The Arsenal raked in £132m just from gate receipts, so your thoughts of administration is laughable 😂
Corporate an, I agree with you 100%. The guy is always confused
It wasn’t a bad idea signing Sterling, but needed stronger handling
My reply is to Kia not SueP. Sorry who made the mistake? If mine sorry again!
Ken i think the main reason Arteta took Sterling on loan was the fact that he worked closely with him at Man City when he was a fine player, and felt he could still get a tune out of the guy which the Chelsea Management had been unable to do.Sadly ,Sterling is not the player he was,and even if he was, he would not be suited to the type of ball retention tactics insisted upon by our Manager.He was a very quick direct runner through the lines in his prime, but as we have seen throughout this season, such direct tactics are frowned upon by Arteta as they may result in our giving up possession.Of course in years gone by ,they were also a primary source of goal scoring and are still used by Liverpool to feed their hard running front three on a regular basis.You never know Ken, but our Manager may rethink his game plans during the close season ,particularly if we are unable to win the European Cup. In any case the Sterling project has failed miserably.
Surely he was simply brought in for cover and depth. It wasn’t a terrible idea, it just hasn’t worked out. Sterling can try to turn it back on, but some times, trying and delivering are two different things, he is not hungry any more and he is way below his peak.
Sterling’s confidence has hit rock bottom, and he seems unable to find a way to lift himself back up. Despite Arteta providing him with countless opportunities to shine and regain his form, the elusive spark remains just out of reach.
Sterling has not been himself since he left city, The metrics they use to measure performance slowdown were obviously spot on in this case which is why they took the money. It would seem to me sterling was brought in by Arteta as he knew him and would likely be reliable. Reliable in the sense he won’t make massive mistakes that cost us games. In return i expect sterling was hoping to be able to adapt to another style of play and hopefully prolonging his career. Truth be told he has not been bad but he has not been good either. He has been what we expected someone to come in not make drastic mistakes and give Saka the rest he deserves. I personally don’t see the issue with sterling as being negative I feel given a bit more time to adapt he may well finally figure it out and adapt to a new play style. The problem in my eyes is essentially is it worth it to us to spend the time money and effort in doing this? We won’t know that until either he leaves or clicks. What we do know though is there is a world class footballer there.
I cannot believe how quick some so called fans are to put Arteta down though or dismiss what he is doing. They seem to want to call themselves fans and then proceed to put down our team at every opportunity, this isn’t what a fan does, this is what a glory supporter does.
I don’t know Ken, why we bought him. BUT I can hazard a guess and the obvious sign was his relationship with Arteta at City. BUT, Arteta never read the signs. A deteriorating Sterling at Chelsea from the previous season and the fact a new manager at Chelsea, with no axe to grind, you wouldn’t think, dropped him like a stone into the out box at Chelsea pretty quickly. He has proved the Chelsea managers judgement correct and ours not correct.
Why did Arsenal sign Sterling?. That’s a question I’ve been asking myself from the minute Arteta signed him.
I could only come up with the fact his name is Sterling, and maybe Arteta fault he was getting more money from the board. 🤣😂👍😉
thought, OOPS!.🤦♂️
Guys, I understand that it was a short term loan and he’s been given a few chances – but why has he been straight jacketed and, in my opinion, seemingly scared to express himself?
That’s my point of view on this player and why I ask the question what was the point?
Why not promote from within.
It’s just been a complete waste of time and money, for the club, player and fans.
Ken1945,
You say a complete waste of time, my thoughts exactly.
Having watched his more than mediocre performances for Chelsea, what possessed Arteta to sign him only he could tell you.
But a waste of time for the player, that’s what I don’t get!!
He has lost it ken, he is a shadow of his former self. You only have to watch the timid non comital way he plays. The signe were there before he came.
Romantic in me as I don’t know how he would get on the pitch but Sterling wins CL with 30 yard screamer lol
Dan,
Have you hit the sherry a bit early this weekend.🤣😂😉👍
Oh mate deep down I don’t see a world where he gets on the pitch
It’s literally fantasy
When someone is so bad then suddenly he puts his foot through it and we are Champions of Europe lol
The straightforward explanation is that Sterling came in to enhance squad depth. If he performed to a high enough level he would get more opportunities. Whatever his natural game, it needs to be adapted to fit the way the team plays. This is no different from any other player. Not sure why the author of the piece seems to suggest that Sterling has been treated unfairly.
Given his previous profile and the stage of the transfer window it is understandable that Arsenal thought that he was worth a loan deal; though it hasn’t worked out till now.
No real mystery regarding Stirling and his lack of productivity in an Arsenal shirt. Some players shine early and peak far too quickly. I don’t believe Stirling is being held back by Arteta’s tactics. He has had many opportunities to shine but everything Stirling now does appears to be in slow motion, no turn of speed, no bag of tricks, nothing that reminds us of the excitement he promised at Liverpool. Every move he makes is predictable and easy for opposing defenders to read. Sure wish he had one more big game left in him, though; in an Arsenal shirt and in a European final.
Joe. S,
Regarding one more big game left in him for the European final. Have you been sharing that bottle of sherry with Dan.😂🤣😉👍
David, I’m not saying he was treated unfairly – I’m questioning the type of treatment he has received and, because of that, why we signed him him.
If MA wanted a player who would stick to the wing and be managed to such a degree that he was not to show any desire to do anything else, why not promote from within?
Why was Sterling not given simple passes such as those given to Saka when he came on?
I get the fact that he was signed to bolster the squad and cover for both Saka and Martinelli, but that didn’t materialise, at least not in the way it would allow Sterling to show IF he had anything to give.
As I said, a complete waste of time, effort and money for the club, player and fans.
Ken1945,
I agree with you regards the in house comment. It would have been more beneficial in the longer term.
But having said that, Arteta clearly had no trust in Nelson hence he was loaned out. And maybe he thought that trying an academy player at this point was not the way he wanted to go.
But why he ever thought signing Sterling would be a good idea, only Arteta knows.
As for Sterling himself, having been told he has no future by the Chelsea manager. Maybe Sterling jumped at the first offer that came his way. And he may have thought that Arsenal showing interest, meant he would get more game time. Something that just hasn’t materialized.
As you say Ken1945, a complete waste of everybody’s time.
Arteta was asked about Sterling a few days before deadline day last summer and he hinted that they weren’t keen on him. But then things changed when Nelson left on loan and there was need for another body in attack. I doubt much thought was put into the transfer because it was a low risk opportunity with Chelsea covering a huge chunk of the wages.
Nobody expected him to play a lot. Probably just a few minutes to give the main guys a breather. Initially he got opportunities to sub in at the end of the games but he was disappointing. Not only was he disappointing on the ball, but off the ball as well, which is a non negotiable for Arteta. I guess this answers your question on what Arteta wants . From what I’ve seen, he wants every player to defend as a bare minimum. This is probably why Martinelli used to play even when his offensive output wasn’t good. Also probably why the likes of ESR and Vieira didn’t get much game time.
As for him not fitting our style, I don’t think you change the way you play for a squad player. You can do that for a nailed on star starter e.g. how City changed style for Haaland. You can alter the way you play for a Rice or a Saka or an Isak because it’s worth it.It is upon the player to fit into the ethos of the team, not the other way around.
Sterling has found himself on occasion in direct situations and still made the wrong decisions. This wrong decision making is bound to frustrate not only the coaches but also teammates. Why would they want to pass to someone who would just pass it back or lose it? By contrast, Saka will try to beat his man and put in a cross or shoot.
Why are we over analysing this?! Sterling was signed last minute as he was available and provided cover in a a place we were short. It hasn’t worked out. End of story.