Ian Wright questions Graham Potter’s ‘confusing’ misuse of Raheem Sterling at Chelsea

Ian Wright has questioned Graham Potter’s ‘confusing’ abuse of striker Raheem Sterling at Chelsea ahead of their Premier League clash with Arsenal.

The England star joined the Blues for £50million from Premier League rivals Manchester City in the summer, but has only scored five this season and assisted two in 16 appearances.

Sterling, who became one of Europe’s best strikers at City under Pep Guardiola, has been deployed in various positions since Potter’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, including as a fullback.

Ian Wright has questioned Graham Potter’s ‘confusing’ abuse of Raheem Sterling at Chelsea

The England star has so far scored just five goals and provided two assists in 16 appearances

The 27-year-old has scored just one goal in his last 11 games and his form is a concern ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which starts in a matter of weeks.

Potter has made regular changes to the squad since joining Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion, but his selection choice is starting to face criticism as he continued to play players including Sterling out of position.

“It’s one of the confusing things Graham Potter is doing right now,” Wright continued The Kelly and Wrighty Show. ‘I can’t get my head around it.

Former Arsenal striker Wright insists there’s no way Sterling can be happy playing that role

‘When I did the analysis on’ [Chelsea’s defeat to Brighton]the full back area, Brighton just absolutely ripped them to shreds because you have [Christian] Pulisic and Sterling who are supposedly meant to come and help [Trevoh] chalobah and [Marc] Cucurella. It didn’t happen and I didn’t understand.

‘There is no question that he’ [Sterling] can be happy to play that role, especially when you look at what he’s done at City, and the team he played in, everything was really focused on the attack for him.

“It must be very strange and difficult for him to go to a new club and have to play in such a position. I hope they can sort that out for him soon.’

Sterling has scored just one goal in his last 11 games and his form is a concern for Qatar

However, Sterling has no issues with his new role as a fullback, although he claims he is better playing ‘beyond the penalty area’.

“It’s like anything, you come to a new team, you will be asked different things,” he told Kelly Cates and Ian Wright.

‘It’s a very different shape. I haven’t played in a back-five in a while, but it’s something the manager has asked me to do and it’s something I’m more than happy about.

“When we have the ball I’ll be high and wide, but of course you have to defend. But the more I stand next to the box, the better I am to myself.

“But the more time I have to figure it out in this position, the more I like playing it.”

The 27-year-old has no issues with his new position, but insists he’s better ‘beside the box’

Sterling then went on to say what his best position was, insisting that new manager Graham Potter had ‘fallen in the middle of a storm’ following the resignation of Thomas Tuchel.

“I feel my best position is a winger, that’s for sure,” said the 27-year-old.

“But the manager has his way of playing and he hasn’t had a full pre-season with us, he was basically dropped in the middle of a storm.

“He has grabbed it with both hands and is trying to find the best staff for the positions. I keep saying, with time it will all gel nicely. ‘

Chelsea welcome London rivals Arsenal to Stamford Bridge on Sunday (12 noon) and Sterling are hoping to play in a more familiar position for the clash.