Arsenal Ace Was Far from His Best vs Southampton, Arteta Needs to Drop Him
Arsenal’s Raheem Sterling made his first Premier League start for the north London club as they secured a 3-1 victory over Southampton, bringing them within one point of Liverpool in the standings. However, the winger’s 60-minute performance was somewhat underwhelming.
Despite falling behind in the 55th minute when Cameron Archer scored impressively, Arsenal quickly responded, netting three goals through Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka to clinch the match with a 3-1 win.
The former Liverpool and Manchester City player, who faced challenges during his time at Chelsea, made the decision to join Mikel Arteta’s squad in the summer on loan. The Spanish manager hopes that Sterling can bring a sense of title-winning experience to the Emirates Stadium.
However, the England international, valued at £29 million, faces stiff competition on the left side. While Bukayo Saka is a guaranteed choice for Arteta on the right, Sterling is vying for a place alongside former Brighton & Hove Albion player Leandro Trossard and Martinelli.
Raheem Sterling Performance vs Southampton
As his side prepares for a Premier League clash against a struggling Southampton, Kingston-born Sterling has had limited playing time, totaling just 124 minutes across the league, Champions League, and League Cup. He managed to contribute a goal and an assist in the League Cup against Bolton Wanderers.
Previously a consistent goal-scoring threat for both Liverpool and Manchester City, Sterling has found it challenging to replicate that success with Arsenal in north London.
This was evident when he was substituted after 60 minutes for Martinelli, who performed exceptionally well during his time on the pitch.
In the first half, the QPR academy graduate recorded only 22 touches of the ball, which was 26 fewer than his right-wing counterpart, Saka.
Nevertheless, Sterling was precise in his passing, achieving a perfect completion rate of 12 out of 12. Of those touches, six occurred in Southampton’s six-yard box, and he successfully completed half of his dribbles (1 out of 2).
| Sterling’s Statistics vs Southampton | |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 60 |
| Total shots | 2 |
| Accurate passes | 14/15 (93%) |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Touches | 30 |
| Successful dribbles | 2/3 (67%) |
| Accurate crosses | 0/4 (0%) |
| Ground duels won | 2/5 (40%) |
| FotMob Rating | 6.6 |
As the players returned for the second half of the Premier League match, the Englishman likely realised he needed to elevate his performance to solidify his position on the left wing. Unfortunately, his situation only worsened, as he recorded a mere 30 touches during the entire game.
Attempting to push forward, Arsenal’s No. 30 was easily dispossessed in midfield, allowing the opposing team to break away. Archer seized the moment, cutting inside and expertly placing his shot into the far corner. Despite protests from several Arsenal players who believed a foul had occurred, the goal was allowed to stand.**
In the midfield, Mateus Fernandes showcased his physicality, easily outmuscling the seasoned winger, who is among the highest-paid English footballers worldwide.
Fortunately for him, this mistake did not significantly affect the match’s outcome, as his team emerged with a 3-1 victory against Russell Martin’s squad.
Sterling’s chances of reclaiming a spot in the starting XI are further diminished by Martinelli’s performance. After replacing the former Liverpool player in the 60th minute, Martinelli scored, putting the hosts ahead for the first time in the match.
What Arsenal Fans are Now Saying About Sterling’s 60-Minute Stint
One fan suggested that Arsenal, who are now one point behind league leaders Liverpool, looked much more rigid when the winger was subbed off with 30 minutes left on the clock: “Sterling and Jesus get subbed off and we look like a proper team attacking again.” Another fan agreed and suggested that he’ll need to converse with Martinelli over returning to the standard:
“Sterling and Jesus need a conversation with Martinelli about coming back up to the standard because both are miles and miles away. Whole game changed when they were replaced.”
More specifically, one Gunners fan pointed out that Sterling offers very little going forward as he suggested that he runs with the ball with a serious lack of thought: “Sterling’s movements annoy me. It’s like he just runs with the ball zero thoughts in his head, just chaos and no end result.”
As the international break approaches, Sterling could lose his spot in the lineup following his disappointing performance against Southampton.
It remains uncertain if he will be preferred over Martinelli in upcoming matches against Bournemouth, Shakhtar Donetsk, and his former club, Liverpool. If Arteta aims to maintain their title-challenger status, it might be prudent to bench Sterling.
In other news, Arsenal Player Ratings as Bukayo Saka Excellent, One Player Struggles in Premier League Clash With Southampton
