Mikel Arteta says Raheem Sterling can still make an impact for Arsenal and sympathises with the Chelsea loanee’s lack of playing time.
Recruited to provide backup to Bukayo Saka, the England international knew when he signed that regular playing time might be hard to come by at the Emirates but was excited by the challenge. While there have been four starts in total – two in the Premier League and two in the Carabao Cup – the minutes have dried up since the end of October despite Arteta stating his desire to play the 30-year-old more often.
Ahead of Everton’s visit to the Emirates, Arteta reiterated that intention, explaining that fitness concerns elsewhere in the squad had limited Sterling’s opportunities from the bench.
“For sure,” said the Spaniard when asked if Sterling can expect his season to kick off in the coming weeks.
“It’s been moments [he’s had to play] and that’s been tough and very difficult for me as well to accept that I haven’t given more. But that’s the context that we’ve been in.
“When we’ve started the games, 90 per cent of the subs that I made are related to saving minutes [from player legs] or because of injuries or avoiding injuries, not tactical reasons. And I would like to play much more because I think it can impact the team in a very good way.”
One thing seems clear, Sterling’s attitude continues to impress his boss.
“Very good and absolutely desperate to play,” was Arteta’s assessment. “I’ve known Ras from many, many years as well – he had this role, this very important role and impact in every game. And suddenly you are in this position.
“He’s been [out] now for a while, not only here but when he was at Chelsea as well. So that’s always very difficult and I feel a lot of sympathy for players when they are in this moment and hopefully we can change it.”
Given Arsenal have a Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace on Wednesday, you’d certainly expect to see Sterling get a chance in midweek. He needs to take it. While Arsenal supporters have seen flashes of his quality, he looks a shadow of the player who was so integral to Manchester City’s success and appears to have fallen behind youngster Ethan Nwaneri as an impactful option off the bench.
That Arteta is playing Nwaneri so often – the 17-year-old has 12 appearances to his name already – isn’t a bad thing. In the manager’s eyes, it speaks not only to the youngster’s talent but also the nature of the first team dressing room.
Arteta has been criticised in the last couple of seasons for not making more use of Academy kids but defended himself by saying the circumstances have to be right.
He said: “The academy, historically, has been very, very successful and strong. Sometimes you get a lot of players coming through in the same position and they need time in the squad, they need that role in the squad [to be available]. And then it’s when you throw a player. For me, that’s the key.
“A player can be ready, but maybe the context within that team, that dressing room, that moment is not the right way to throw an academy player. And I think now the work has been done for a few years, it’s been exceptional what everybody’s done at the academy. And now they have the right environment and they are prepared.
He also reminded people of the gulf between youth and first team football. “The jump is so big for what Ethan and Myles [Lewis-Skelly] have been playing to what you asked them to play in the Champions League. It’s a huge step. But they’re showing that they are capable of doing it, so it’s great.”
In Arteta’s eyes Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, who thrived on his Champions League debut on Wednesday, aren’t just naturally talented, they combine a number of qualities.
“In the end it’s a whole, a player has to be a whole – the emotional part, the physical part, the part that is related to the game,” he explained.
“We’re lucky that we have two talents that bring together a lot of those qualities. And I believe in them but the most important thing is that those who play with them believe in them too. And when you put them next to you they feel comfortable, they feel confident. And I think we have two talents that are going to give us a lot.”
I know it’ll never happen but today wouldn’t be a bad time for Sterling to get his first premier league start, on the left. Neither Trossard nor Martinelli have been brilliant this season, and it would be an opportunity to see what Sterling could do in his best position.
Yeah, but id prefer to grind out with Jesus and Martinelli fot 60min and see if those green shoots from Monaco produce flowers🤷♂️
Nice words from Arteta, but it’s all very Smith-Rowe isn’t it? Don’t see Sterling playing much at this point, which is kinda fine for me. Rather see Nwaneri on the left side (wide or R8).
By left I I mean right….obviously.
It’s not like Arteta is favouring the youth. Nwaneri and MLS are just performing better than Sterling so he really has no one to blame but himself for a lack of game time.
Apart from a good performance in the league cup against lower table opposition, he’s barely done one memorable thing.
Make an impact as a substitute and then we can start talking about getting more minutes and more starts.
Agreed, and I think arguably the bigger concern is how far off of Saka’s defensive output he is. Each time he’s played I’ve thought we’ve looked very vulnerable to counters down that right side just due to his ability/ willingness to track back. I’d be very concerned about him ahead of Partey.
He’d rather fall down and whine to the ref than track back, which might be tolerated at city, it’s not here.
The problem is Sterling’s superpower has always been his speed, and he’s lost it. He gets criticized for not running, but the fact is he can’t run. He wants to, he moves his legs, he just doesn’t go anywhere very fast. It’s a shame really, because if he can’t do that, he isn’t going to be much use to us (or anyone else).
This is what I said when he was signed on loan and everyone slated me for it… and yet…