Arsenal have some serious ground to make up if they want to win the Premier League title.
The Gunners are nine points adrift of Liverpool after just 13 games this season, and they need to step up if they are to compete at the top of the league.
Arsenal are the only team that can stop Liverpool winning the league in the eyes of some, but, in order to do that, the Gunners need to improve.
Speaking on the Kelly and Wrighty Show, Ian Wright has been discussing Arsenal’s upcoming run and where they need to improve.
The pundit says that there are three players in the current Arsenal team who seriously need to improve.
Raheem Sterling of Arsenal looks on prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Southampton FC at Emirates Stadium on October 05, 2024...
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
The three Arsenal players who need to improve
Wright shared his verdict on how Arsenal can get back into the title mix.
The pundit says that Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling seriously need to step up.
“I think as well, there are a couple of players who really need to in this time where Arsenal can’t slip up, players like Martinelli and Jesus and Raheem Sterling, this is a big moment, they need to step up if they’re called upon, they have to,” Wright said.
“If they’re called upon they have to do it, it’s not a case of ‘oh it’s not quite working.’ They have to do it. If we’re going to catch Liverpool we need something else.”
Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling are miles off their best
Wright says that all three of these players need to step up, and he’s not wrong.
Indeed, Sterling, Martinelli and Jesus are all capable of so much more.
If you compare these three players’ stats this season compared to their best campaigns in the Premier League, you can see that they still have gears to move through.
Gabriel Martinelli this season Gabriel Martinelli’s best season Raheem Sterling this season Raheem Sterling’s best season Gabriel Jesus this season Gabriel Jesus’ best season
Games 11 36 6 33 11 34
Minutes 687 2806 146 2593 229 2026
Goals 3 15 0 18 0 14
Assists 2 5 1 11 0 7
Minutes per goal 229 187 N/A 144 N/A 145
Minutes per assist 343 561 146 135 N/A 289
All three players have plenty of potential to improve, but, of course, whether or not they can get back to their best is another matter entirely.
Sterling hasn’t played to that level in half a decade now, while we’re getting further and further away from Jesus and Martinelli’s best campaigns too.
Sterling has been particularly disappointing this season. In fact, Sterling has been named as the worst signing in the Premier League this season.
All three of these players aren’t necessarily over the hill. After all, they’re all still under the age of 30, but they are only getting further and further away from their peak form.
As Wright says, all three players need to find a way to click into gear soon, because Arsenal’s title hopes are hanging by a thread at the moment.
Related Posts