October 22nd 2024.
According to former Arsenal player Ian Wright, he wasn't too pleased with the midfield line-up for their recent match against Bournemouth. Wright believes that manager Mikel Arteta missed an opportunity by not starting young talent Ethan Nwaneri in the match.
Despite going into the game with four consecutive wins, Arsenal suffered an early setback when William Saliba received a red card in the 30th minute. They went on to lose the match 2-0, their first defeat of the season. The team will now try to bounce back in their upcoming Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk before facing league leaders Liverpool this weekend.
Wright, speaking on his podcast, "Wrighty's House", shared his thoughts on the match and the team's performance. "There was just something about it when I saw the teams and how Bournemouth has been struggling. It felt like it was going to be a tough game," he said. Wright also mentioned receiving numerous messages on WhatsApp from fans going "crazy" over the loss. He watched the match with his sons, who couldn't handle the disappointment of an Arsenal defeat.
However, Wright believes that losing one match shouldn't cause such a frenzy, especially since the team was missing two key players. "Even with those two players missing, we should still be able to go to Bournemouth and win," he said. Wright acknowledges that Arsenal fans have high expectations for the team, but they need to understand that mistakes and losses are part of the game.
Wright also agrees with former Arsenal player Kieran Gibbs, who questioned the midfield line-up chosen by Arteta. Wright feels that something was missing in the trio of Mikel Merino, Thomas Partey, and Declan Rice. "I like this porridge, but there's just something... something not quite right," he said. He admits that it's rare for him to feel this way about the team's line-up, but he couldn't shake the feeling.
Wright also believes that young talent Ethan Nwaneri should have been given a chance in the match against Bournemouth. The 17-year-old has been impressive this season and Wright thinks he could have made a difference in the game. "I would have liked to see him start, or at least come on as a substitute," Wright said. He feels that Nwaneri's attacking abilities could have been valuable for the team, especially with Martin Odegaard unavailable.
Looking ahead to the upcoming match against Shakhtar, Wright is open to the idea of Nwaneri starting. "It would be interesting to see how he does," he said. "I wouldn't be against it." Wright believes that Nwaneri has the potential to solidify his place in the team and make an impact on the pitch.
In conclusion, Wright acknowledges that Arsenal fans have high expectations, but they need to understand that losses and mistakes are inevitable in football. He also believes that Nwaneri should have been given a chance in the match against Bournemouth and hopes to see him start in the upcoming game against Shakhtar.
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