Arsenal have had an inconsistent start to the season, with a number of players falling short of expectations.
Mikel Arteta may seek to bolster his Arsenal squad in the January transfer window, but the Spanish coach’s main focus will be on coaxing more out of his current crop of players.
Whilst the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and William Saliba have dazzled in 2024, there have been players in Arteta’s squad who have fallen short of expectations and will need to raise their levels in the new year.
Raheem Sterling
Whilst Raheem Sterling has only been on the books at the Emirates Stadium since the end of the summer transfer window, he has had enough time to disappoint.
Whilst it is fair to say that the 30-year-old has had limited opportunities to impress for the Gunners, when he has been awarded minutes he has struggled to stake a claim for greater involvement.
It could also be argued that the winger needs to be doing more behind the scenes, given his experience and pedigree, to force his way into Arteta’s plans.
Sterling has been called the worst signing of the summer in the Premier League, but it is not too late for him to turn his loan spell in North London around. The former Manchester City star has the quality to make an impact for Arsenal and needs to rediscover his spark in the second half of the season.
Gabriel Martinelli
There can be no doubting Gabriel Martinelli’s talent. The Brazilian winger has shone for Arsenal in the past, and Arteta clearly still has faith that he will rediscover his spark.
However, the 23-year-old has not been at his best for some time, and looks to be short on confidence.
His return of end product has been poor, and he has become risk averse and conservative on the ball, not making use of the space and technical ability that ought to give him an edge over his opponents.
Thierry Henry has called out Martinelli for failing to play to his own strengths. If the attacker can’t find his flair again soon then the Gunners may have to cut their losses on him, despite his huge potential.
Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus has endured a torrid 2024 in front of goal, and up until his recent hat-trick against Crystal Palace he had netted just once, across all competitions, since January.
The Brazilian striker needs to use that spectacular showing against the Eagles as a launching pad to get his career back on track. Rather than being a flash in the pan, he needs to kick on from that performance and show that he can deliver for Arsenal on a regular basis.
Jesus has had his critics, but the ability is clearly still there. After a bleak year, there is now a glimmer of hope that the 27-year-old might be able to revive his career at the Emirates Stadium.
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