Ian Wright urges Mikel Arteta to give Arsenal youngster a chance to play a few games.
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has been urged to give Joe Willock a run of games in the first team by Ian Wright.
Willock was an important member of Unai Emery’s Arsenal side earlier in the season but he has struggled to break into Arteta’s team.
Wright reckons that the Spaniard should give him more opportunities to show what he has to offer just like he has done with Gabriel Martinelli, who has seized his chance.
Arsenal has been rebuilding under Arteta and the former Manchester City assistant manager is still yet to know his best team.
Arteta has consistently played a set of players as he gets to grips with what every player can do.
The likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have been brought into the fold and impressed. They are now considered an important part of the senior team.
Wright seems to be confident that Willock will also seize his chance if he is given more opportunity to play for the first team.
Wright claimed that there are so many underperforming players in the current Arsenal setup who have cost the club lots of money when they joined.
He added that they need others to step up and he thinks that Willock looks ready to do just that.
“I think Joe Willock, he came on again the other day, he needs more game now,” Wright told BBC Radio 5 Live as quoted by the Star.
“He needs to be pushing people who are not performing.
“He needs his chance now, Joe Willock. Just like he is looking at someone like Gabriel Martinelli now.
“He is someone who has shown, ‘I should be playing in this team’ and now he’s starting.
“I think Willock needs that opportunity now because where else is it coming from?
“There have been people who have been bought for a lot of money, who are not performing, at the minute offensively and we do need people to step up now. And I think Willock is somebody who’s ready to do that.”
He had a run under UE and was so so.
About Willock, I agree he needs more game time. I would love to see Özil relegated to playing cup competitions and replaced by this young lad.
Secondly, I like how he took a dig a Pépé without actually mentioning his name (“There have been people who have been bought for a lot of money, who are not performing”)