Ian Wright is one of the biggest Arsenal legends around, and is still highly involved with goings on at the Emirates, so it was interesting to hear his annoyance at Edu for coming to the defence of new signing Willian, saying that the 32 year-old needs time to settle at the Emirates.
Obviously we all know that Willian has lived in London for most of his career and has played in the Premiership the whole time, so I understand why Wrighty is so annoyed that Edu thinks he needs to settle in.
I’m actually think that Wright’s words would even count as a rant, by the sounds of it! You read this and see what you think…
Ian was speaking on Wrighty’s house Podcast and said: “Can I say something because there’s something I read with Edu, who I was with during the Rapid Vienna game. We had a chat and he’s very energetic.
“But I was very disappointed with something I read with Edu talking about Willian needing time. I can’t have that – and I’d say it to him if I saw him – because we don’t want to be peddling that.
“We’ve brought Willian in to hit the ground running and when he came in I read what you [Edu] said about a player that we need an immediate impact from.
“We’ve signed him for three years, which was very dubious for a lot of people. I went, ‘okay, Willian is good enough, a serial winner, and you look at the experience he brings’.
“To hear, ‘we need to give him more time’… I needed something to squeeze because that’s not why he bought him. Willian needs that chat where someone says, ‘my friend, listen, you’re here to hit the ground running’.
“I’m not throwing him under the bus but I’m trying to explain that Edu cannot come out and say these things when Arsenal are in a position where we’ve signed the player for three years and he needs to hit the ground running.
“It should be a dream move for him but maybe he hasn’t been energised. But he’s come into a dressing room that needs him to be the man.
“Now Edu’s saying he needs time. No, you shouldn’t be saying that. Someone needs to get him in that office and speak to him and say, ‘you’re meant to be doing it now’.”
It does make sense what Wrighty says, Willian is highly experienced and should be a mature voice of reason from the moment he joined the club. Do you think that Edu is defending him because he is a fellow Brazilian that was persuaded to join the Gunners by our technical Director.
There is also the issue of Willian breaking rules to go to Dubai without permission, but avoiding punishment from Arteta which is giving rise to rumours of favouritism towards the 32 year-old.
Is Edu defending Willian because he is feeling nervous that he could have wasted a massive amount of Arsenal money with this signing?
Willian made many good crosses and take-ons at the Burnley game, but none of our attackers was able to convert the chances into a goal
He’s still good, but he’s lost his pace. If he can’t create an assist in the next game, we could try him out at the CAM position
Agreed with Wright. Nobody else except Edu would give willian a 32 year old a 3 year contract. Edu should be fired and investigated as it appears he was signed for somebody to make money. Corruption. Don’t know whether MA is on the gravy train- what with Pablo and Cedric.
Wrong choice to start with
Wrong agent
Wrong thinking Edu
It just demonstrates all thats Wrong and has been wrong for years.
Let’s hope Lewis gets to grip with this I lot.
Kronkie needs a Really experienced tech director.
No BS
Because the yanks are having the piss taken out of them
The problem is that we make excuses for everything that isnt right at Arsenal and there should be more accountability. Playing for Arsenal holds no prestige anymore because the attitude of everyone is wrong. When you work for Arsenal it should be for a passion and a desire to play for a top club. We pamper and moly coddle our so called top players and make all sorts of excuses for them. They are payed handsomely for representing our club, they should strive to become legends but they dont and we just put our arm around them and say it doesn’t matter, you will come good in time. No that should not be the case, the culture isxall wrong.
If we were looking for a player to fit our high pressing game, then 32 year old Willian was certainly the wrong candidate. He is nothing more than a useful half time substitute – on very high wages. Expecting him to play the full 90 minutes regularly would be poor judgement on our part.
I like Edu as a person, but I do not trust his judgement.
I firmly believe – to judge from the many comments mostly in harmony- that the bringing in of Willian has been a huge mistake. I suspect that the club will be trying all they can to find him another home no later than next summer, when the experiment will be seen to have been an almighty boo- boo.
Wright is of course right right right!
Mistake with Willian all around; too many years offered, and excessive wages. This one falls on Edu, most would have passed on the terms and salary Willian wanted.
Unfortunately I think we are stuck with him for the full 3 years. He loves London, and how many teams want a 32 year old on such high wages offering so little?
He needs time 😂 I’ve heard it all..
I was shocked by the contract of Ozil due to his age. However, he was good at the time and I appreciated the fact that a ‘New Signing’ was beyond our pocket. I hated the deal, but saw one penny sense in it. Willian is a reject of Chelsea; was no longer at peak; was not the primary target – Zaha was – so how does he get a three year contract? Is there a magic about the number 3 at Arsenal? It sounds too patty shop to me.
Truth be told,,,
Willian is playing with a bunch of directionless, over-hyped players at Arsenal.
Of course he’s struggling because the system is dead and the wrong players in wrong positions are chosen in it frequently.
How can he thrive???
Walcott even said there’s FEAR around the Emirates,,, what breeds fear?
Its lack of trust in the formations, systems, patterns directed to play football by these gamblers.