Jamie Carragher believes Raheem Sterling’s best position for Chelsea and England is from the left in attack.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Carragher named the role he thought to be Sterling’s most profitable for club and country.
It feels like an age since Chelsea’s summer signing was allowed to play in arguably his strongest spot.
He’s featured almost everywhere else other than on the left in a forward sense this season.
Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter respectively have used the 27-year-old as an attacking midfielder, a centre-forward and a right-sided forward.
Even during England’s Nations League campaign, he only featured from the left once, with Gareth Southgate also experimenting with different ideas.
Sterling should play on the left
It is this constant changing of scenery that has affected Sterling’s progress at Chelsea.
His £48m move from Manchester City in the summer began brightly, but has since faded in line with the side’s own decline.
This slump has left his once unmovable status in the England XI up for debate ahead of the World Cup.
“I love Raheem Sterling and think he was England’s best player in the Euro’s but this season his form has not been great and also in an England shirt of late,” admitted Carragher.
Perhaps for this reason, Carragher left Sterling out of his preferred England 11 to face Iran in the country’s opener in Qatar.
Instead, he selected Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka on the right of attack, although he suggested that Chelsea’s number 17 shouldn’t play on that side anyway.
“Saka has played that well in that position,” continued Carra.
“It wasn’t one or the other because I always prefer Raheem on the left to be totally honest.”
No matter what Carragher believes, it’s up to Southgate where he sees Sterling fitting into the system.
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