Gary Neville’s Bold Claim on Mikel Arteta and Raheem Sterling
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has made a bold assertion regarding Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s signing of Raheem Sterling. According to Neville, Sterling, who was brought in on deadline day last summer, was primarily Arteta’s choice. Neville believes that this decision has adversely affected the board’s trust in the Spanish manager. Sterling, 30, joined Arsenal on loan from Chelsea, but his impact has been minimal, with only 307 minutes of Premier League play and no goals in 12 league appearances. His lone goal for the club came in a 5-1 EFL Cup win over Bolton. The lackluster performance has led to just 844 minutes of playing time this season, raising questions about the effectiveness of the signing.
Arteta’s Vision and the Board’s Dilemma
Neville, an eight-time Premier League winner, has suggested that Sterling’s underwhelming tenure at Arsenal may have influenced the club’s decision-making in January’s transfer window. Speaking on The Overlap with Sky Bet, Neville stated, "I’m not sure Arsenal, as a club, wanted to sign Raheem Sterling. I think Arteta’s thought Sterling can play in all the positions up top and has basically told the club to get him in as cover. He can play across the frontline so Arteta has looked at him as his second or third striker." This decision, according to Neville, has likely "put off" the club from making another similar signing during the January transfer window, a period when Arsenal desperately needed a striker.
Missed Opportunities and Title Hopes
Arsenal were heavily linked with several promising strikers, including Ollie Watkins, Benjamin Sesko, and Alexander Isak. However, the club opted to back German forward Kai Havertz, a move that backfired when he suffered a season-ending injury during the team’s warm-weather training camp. This, coupled with Gabriel Jesus’ ACL injury, left Arteta without a senior striker in his squad. In recent games, Arteta has been forced to play midfielder Mikel Merino upfront, who initially had a positive impact with two goals against Leicester City. However, Merino and the team have struggled since then, drawing blanks in the defeat to West Ham and a goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.
Tactical Adjustments and Criticism
Arsenal’s lack of a reliable striker has not gone unnoticed. Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo commented on the Gunners’ lack of firepower, noting that he did not feel the need to play a back five against them. Arteta, aware of the challenges, has been trying to adapt his team to create different threats. He stated, "We tried and adapted the quality that we have, how we can help the team to create different things. To have threats from different qualities, probably they are not about arriving in the box and creating some magic moments, they are other kind of players. Try to adapt to that and do the best that we can." Despite these efforts, the team’s performance has been inconsistent.
The Impact on the Title Race
Arsenal’s title rivals, Liverpool, have capitalized on the Gunners’ misfiring form with back-to-back wins against Manchester City and Newcastle United. These victories have extended Liverpool’s lead at the top of the table to 13 points, putting significant pressure on Arsenal. The Gunners’ recent goalless draw with Nottingham Forest further highlights their struggles. In a match where the team’s biggest threat came from left-back Riccardo Calafiori, who was substituted at halftime, it is clear that Arsenal is facing a critical period in their season. Sterling’s recent appearance against Forest, where he managed just six touches and no shots, underscores the team’s offensive dilemmas.
A Bright Spot in Dark Times
Despite the challenges, Arsenal’s defense, particularly William Saliba, continues to shine. In the goalless draw with Nottingham Forest, Saliba, along with Gabriel, kept a tight lid on Forest’s dangerman Chris Wood, who had previously scored a hat-trick at the City Ground. SunSport’s Graeme Bryce praised Saliba’s performance, highlighting his consistency and role as one of the best defenders in the Premier League. While the Gunners may not have anyone to put the ball in the back of the net, Saliba’s brilliance provides a ray of hope for the team as they navigate through this difficult period.
