Former Premier League man urges Potter to move Sterling back to attack ‘to get the best’ out of him

William Gallas has urged Chelsea boss Graham Potter to play Raheem Sterling “in his position” to “get the best” out of him.

Sterling has been playing out of position for Chelsea for a few games. He has played as a wing-back – rather than his natural position in a front three – on a few occasions.

Gallas feels it is strange that the attacker is not being given licence to thrive at the top end of the pitch.

“If Graham Potter wants to get the best from Raheem Sterling, he has to play on the right or left of a three, that’s how Sterling was being used at a high level before at Liverpool and Manchester City,” he said via Metro.

Indeed, Sterling was a potent member of the attack at both of those clubs. He even played through the middle on a number of occasions.

The winger scored 154 goals and chipped in with 120 assists between City and Liverpool. As such, it seems playing up at the top end at Chelsea would give him the best platform to succeed.

“He’s always played there. So for me it is difficult to understand why, sometimes, a manager wants to play players out of position,” Gallas continued.

“After the [Dinamo] Zagreb win, I think Potter has to play Sterling in a front three and not how he used him in the last match when he was playing wing-back.”

Sterling was utilised through the middle for much of the game against Zagreb, and got his name on the scoresheet. Upon that evidence, it would seem that allowing him to play up top would mean for more goals.

It makes little sense for Chelsea to have bought an attacker for in the region of £50million to not play him in attack.

Gallas feels Sterling has struggled to find his feet when playing in a less advanced role.

“It was very difficult for Sterling to play there. Play him in his position and let him do what he needs to do,” he added.

Reinventing a player who has won four Premier League titles in attack as a more defensive player seems a strange move. Especially given he contributed to four goals in his first five games at Chelsea while playing on the wing.

It would be little surprise if Sterling shared Gallas’ views and wanted to push further up the field in order to have more of an impact on the game.

READ MORE: Arsenal boss Arteta reacts to Aubameyang taunts in strange advert ahead of Chelsea clash