Former Manchester City star Micah Richards has made a bold comparison involving Arsenal’s new loan signing Raheem Sterling and fellow teammate Gabriel Martinelli.
The Chelsea ace joined the North London outfit on the deadline day with a load of expectation from fans. The 29-year-old has decided to stay at the Sobha Reality Training Centre and work closely with Mikel Arteta ahead of an exciting clash against Spurs.
Sterling is excluded from Lee Carsley’s English squad ahead of their Nations League matches. The attacker hasn’t played for the Three Lions since December 2022.
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The senior star needs to make an impression by working hard, as he will be competing with some of the best players at London Colney.
Among them are Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. Both players will be battling for the left-wing spot, but Richards believes that Sterling offers an edge over other employers.
Speaking to the Rest Is Football podcast, the player turned pundit said:
“The one thing he has more than anyone is the timing of his runs. He will get more chances.”
“So if you look at Martinelli, very good dribbler, if you look at Trossard, really good finisher, can change a game with his composure in front of goal, but Raheem has got pace and he can run in behind.”
“And the timing of his runs are really good. So I think it could be a really good signing as long as he buys into everything that Arteta wants to do.”
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Sterling needs to prove his superiority over Martinelli and Trossard
At this moment, Trossard is way ahead in terms of his attacking movements and lethal finishing skills. The Belgian star scored against Aston Villa two weeks ago, which will be his sixth as a substitute.
He has a higher scoring rate (46%) from the bench than any other Arsenal player to score more than 10 goals for the club. The former Brighton star is the fan’s favourite due to his ability to adapt as per the team’s needs.
Sterling’s inclusion might either push him to play as a false nine or an attacking midfielder. The Chelsea loan might even compete directly with Trossard for the LW position.
Sterling, Martinelli and Trossard are all fighting for the left wing position and all 3 have not been called up for their countries.
— Paddy (@PaddyArsenal) September 2, 2024
Meanwhile, Martinelli needs to get back to his feat after being a menace for the opposition defenders in the 2022–23 season (15 goals in total). The 23-year-old was out of ideas upfront, and the manager preferred switching between him and Trossard to keep the tanks firing.
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However, Sterling’s presence will ease pressure on Martinelli, plus he will provide an extra option in attack for Arteta. He is quick and has a very good understanding of where to run and get that final ball.
The new signing can slot in as a false nine as well if the club prefers to keep Trossard as LW and shift Havertz to midfield.
Anyways, the English star can have a positive impact on various positions on the field. It is up to him and the manager to decide where he would prove to be the most effective for the Gooners.
