https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/
sterling-expects-more-from-himself-against-free-flowing-arsenal
Sterling expects more from himself against 'free-flowing' Arsenal
06 Nov 2022
Raheem Sterling insists he is staying patient as he builds his form at a
new club under a new head coach in Graham Potter this season, but gave an
honest assessment of his and the team's performances ahead of facing early
Premier League pace-setters Arsenal.
https://i.imgur.com/BfTenTs.jpg
After joining Chelsea from Manchester City in the summer, Raheem
Sterling's equaliser in our last match, Wednesday's 2-1 win over Dinamo
Zagreb in our final Champions League group game, was his fifth goal of the
season, moving him clear of Kai Havertz as our top scorer in all
competitions so far this season.
However, the England international sets high standards for himself and
admits he has not been happy with his own performances at times this
season, even if he has no concerns over his ability to match those lofty
expectations moving forward.
'There's been early parts of the season that I was not happy with my
performances,' said Sterling. 'So far I've been nowhere near the level
that I need to be but I'm sure that will come as time passes.
https://i.imgur.com/fYoTHOM.jpg
Finding the net against Dinamo Zagreb
'It's not something that I'm panicking or stressed about. It's part of
the game. We're in a decent position in the table, we've qualified for the
Champions League, but there will be better performances from myself in the
near future.'
The 27-year-old also discussed his role in the team, having alternated
between the front three and a wider role recently as Graham Potter
searches for the right shape and system after joining Chelsea as head
coach in September, insisting he is happy to play whichever position helps
the team and, again, performances will only get better in time.
'You come to a new team, there's different things that are going to be
asked of you and it's a different shape. I haven't played in a back five
for a while, but it's something the manager's asked me to do and something
that I'm more than happy to do as well.
'When we've got the ball I'm high and wide but of course you have to
defend as well, that's part of the game. The more time I have to figure it
out in this position the better I will do.
https://i.imgur.com/YMF04x5.jpg
Potter and Sterling in discussion on the Cobham training pitch
'I feel my best position is as a winger, but like anything the manager has
his way of playing. He's not had a full pre-season with us, he was dropped
in in the middle of a storm really. He came in and I think he's grabbed it
with both hands and he's trying to figure out the best personnel for
positions and I'm sure with time it will come together nicely.'
Patience definitely seems to be the theme for Sterling. Our most recent
Premier League fixture was a disappointing one, as we suffered our first
defeat since Potter's arrival, away at Brighton, but our No17 believes
days like that are just part of the adjustment period under a new manager
and hasn't dampened his excitement for what the future holds for him at
Chelsea.
'The manager has been putting his touch on the team and we've been
learning from him, trying to get to how he wants us to work. When you're
trying new things, sometimes these things can happen. The more time we
have with him, the more we can be on the training pitch and see how he
wants to work, the better it will be.
'The manager came in at a difficult period. We just built on some good
performances, scraped through on some performances as well. Like anything,
these things take time. I didn't come here with just this season in mind,
I came here on the vision that the club had and I'm really focused in on
that vision and I know that we will get there.'
Our next match is also likely to be a difficult one as we host Arsenal,
currently one point off the top of the Premier League table with a game in
hand, at Stamford Bridge. Sterling admits he has been impressed with their
start to the campaign under Mikel Arteta, who he knows well from their
time working together at Man City, and is expecting a good game between
two teams with similar styles.
'Everyone probably can see they've had a great start to the season,
they're playing some beautiful stuff and Mikel's got them playing some
free-flowing football, that's for sure.
https://i.imgur.com/2HMUKzi.jpg
Arteta was Man City's assistant manager during Sterling's time at the
Etihad Stadium
'It's a team that they've been building for a few years now. That's what
we're looking to do, to keep building, and it's a game that I think will
be a really interesting one. They're a possession-dominant team and so are
ourselves, so I think it will be a good match.'