On deadline day, we Gooners weren’t going to rest until the club got us a forward signing, and fortunately, that’s what they did.
A few hours before the transfer deadline, it emerged Arsenal were in conversation with Chelsea over a loan swoop for Raheem Sterling. By now, you must know everything went according to plan; the Gunners were able to persuade the Blues to loan them their wantaway star.
That said, there are reasons why some Gooners weren’t thrilled about the Sterling signing. However, why should this group be open-minded about that swoop? Here’s why:
• Sterling is dynamic: He fits the description of the winger we assumed Arteta was searching for.
• Before joining, Arteta must have made it certain he wasn’t going to be a starter. David Ornstein not long ago said Arsenal were open to signing a winger who’ll openly take the backup role at the club, and Sterling surely will be that.
• Sterling and Mikel Arteta have a history; in fact, the Englishman’s best days at City were when Arteta was still there as Pep Guardiola’s assistant.
• Arsenal are in a more stable environment than Chelsea. Sterling, accustomed to a clear tactical system at City, may have struggled to establish himself at chaotic Chelsea, but he may find stability at Arsenal.
Ultimately, the Englishman was a transfer opportunity too good for Arsenal to ignore, and we respect that. Hadn’t he been signed on a LOAN deal, Arsenal would have ended the transfer window with no attacking signing, which would have been a gamble.
Let’s hope the ex-City winger makes an effort to remind those who dismissed him that he still has what it takes. I believe he’s one player going to play much as Mikel Arteta now has no excuse of over-relying on Bukayo Saka at right wing.
Jack Anderson
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Sterling’s best position is on the left wing, where he can utilize his stronger foot to invert and shoot
He was Man City’s goalscoring LW
Arteta has already had a bad experience with Willian, who was a diminutive right-footed winger on the right wing
Based on that failed experiment, I don’t think Sterling will start as an RW
@Gai, I think Arteta has it in mind to use him at RW. It’s just about been versatile and dynamic. He played a few times at Chelsea from the RW and to a good effect his skill set is different from William. It would be unwise for a gaffer to keep loading only the LW with wingers and overusing Saka. Matinelli can also play from the right.
From Artetas work with Sterling at Cuty I think he can bring the best out of him again.
For record, Wallcot played from the RW for Arsenal for years and was productive. Let’s wait and see!
I bet Sterling will only play RW in the second half of the games
Walcott was one of the paciest winger in his prime, whereas Sterling is on a decline
I know most will disagree but I can see Sterling being our starting Left winger if he plays like we know he can. While he can play on the right, he does his best work on the left.This could mean Trossard and Martinelli being used more as false nine and right wing respectively. I don’t think Mikel sees Martinelli/Trossard as his ideal starting LWs and we might see someone like Nico Williams coming in in the future.
I agree with you. Trossard and Sterling can both play as a CF. Martinelli plays on the right wing as well.
We will win the premier league this season.
To be honest, we don’t know one way or the other – although we all hope he will. Some posts have been equally “sure” Sterling will be a failure – same thing applies. It probably won’t be too long before we can actually see what he can do with an Arsenal shirt on.
Sterling can play anywhere across the front three and this versatility may prove important particularly with Jesus being so injury prone.Based on a no strings attached loan with Chelsea said to be meeting at least 50% of his wages, this looks like a very good deal for Arsenal.
My opinion is this:
In case Saka starts as a RW, Trossard or Martineli starts as our LW, KH as our CF, R Sterling would be a very good sub at the L or R wing, in case Artera makes a sub of our CF (KH) to pave the way for either Martineli or Trassard to Play as a CF
Sterling is a great player, and Arsenal got a starting XI player for 1/3 of his Chelsea wages. That’s a good move by any measure. However, from a footballing perspective, it’s hard to see where he fits into the team.
At left wing, Arsenal have two starting XI quality players in Martinelli and Trossard (another great bargain pick up). At right wing, which is where Arsenal need depth, Saka has been playing 3,000 minutes a season. He rarely comes off or gets rotated, so how many chances will Sterling get? Sterling is not a striker. He’s not an attacking midfielder.
So from a business perspective, Sterling gives Arsenal a massive injections of quality in depth, but from a football perspective, it’s hard to imagine him making a significant contribution without seriously shaking up the starting XI.
Arsenal are in that place where making significant improvement is difficult, because the players they have are all good. Sterling Havertz and Saka are a potent front three. But is it really much better than Trossard Havertz Saka or Martinelli Havertz, Saka?
This team is deeper than last season’s edition of the Gunners , but it is hard to make a case that it is better. The one thing that would have improved the team is a quality striker, which Arsenal did not sign. The club was porbably right in not pursuing Toney or Osimhen. Newcastle were never letting Isak go, City would never have sold Alvarez to Arsenal, Zirkzee went to United, Sesko stayed put, Watkins was not moving, Gyokeres was going to cost the earth, and he is unproven in a top league. Two playersthat might have been both available and improve the side, Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Lille’s Jonathan David; never seemed to be on the club’s radar.
If Arsenal win the league with Sterling scoring a handful of timely goals, this goes down as a genius move. If not, Sterling goes back to Chelsea at the end of the season, making the same zero-impact as loanees like Kim Kalstrom or Denis Suarez.
One think for sure Arsenal will be winning more penalties, he master the arts of showing you the ball and when to go down on contact