December 31st 2023.
Ian Wright has criticized Gabriel Magalhaes for his role in Bobby De Cordova-Reid's winning goal in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Fulham. The Gunners legend was left fuming with the Brazilian defender, who he felt should have been more dominant in the situation.
"Gabriel Magalhaes is such a big guy, Bobby De Cordova-Reid is a smaller guy, I thought he should have been more dominant in the situation," Wright told Premier League Productions. "It goes over his head but that one when he does the leg… he's got to be moving to attack the ball instead of waiting. Look at the space he's in, he doesn't move out of that space in the whole time. That cannot be right. You're a defender. You've got to be on the move and be ready to react. Those margins, getting that wrong, it has cost them."
Wright also feels that other teams in the Premier League are targeting Arsenal's key players such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. He wonders why his former club do not have a 'Plan B' in matches.
"With good players, you have to take chances and pass the ball into dangerous areas," explained Wright. "Bukayo Saka has got to hold the ball up. These are the things they have to work on, because people will go tight on Saka, they will go tight on Gabriel Martinelli and they will go tight on Martin Odegaard. Then they'll restrict the passing from the defence into Odegaard so he can't turn and then pass to Saka. What's happened is that people know that. If you stop Odegaard, you're probably going to stop the service to those guys. If you stop Declan Rice and get in his face, he is going to pass sideways. That is what people have worked out. So what is our Plan B?"
Ultimately, Wright believes that Arsenal need to have a 'Plan B' heading into future matches if they want to find success. The Gunners have now lost two consecutive Premier League games, which has caused a significant blow to their title hopes. If they are to turn things around, then Wright believes that they need to quickly develop a plan of action.
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