Lee Dixon hasn’t enjoyed watching Willian play since he joined Arsenal on a free transfer from Chelsea.
The Brazilian was expected to become Arsenal’s key attacking player this season, but he has flattered to deceive in this campaign.
He provided two assists on his first start for the club and fans will have been dreaming of him doing that weekly for them, but that game has been the only time he has contributed towards a goal in the league this season.
Dixon has not been impressed with the Brazilian sometimes passing the ball backwards instead of pushing forward and looking to help the team in the attack.
He claims that he would be a teammate that might get into trouble because if Willian was passing the ball backwards he would not hold back from telling him exactly what he thinks.
‘If you’ve got somebody playing against you that passes the ball backwards all the time then happy days,’ Dixon told The Athletic’s Handbrake Off podcast.
‘What you don’t want him to do is turn around [and face you], especially the player of his ability.
‘He’s probably the best in world football at that little standing still in front of a full-back, opening himself up to the right and getting a cross in. He’s brilliant at that. ‘The fact that he’s not doing that, that’s down to him and the team.
‘If I was playing behind him and he was doing that, I’d be like, “Why are we paying you £200,000 a week? Get yourself up there and make my job a lot easier. I’ve got to chase back now because you passed it backwards”.
‘There’s got to be that going on on the pitch. Is that going on? I doubt it.
‘I know the game has changed and I’m not stupid enough to believe some of my antics would’ve gone down particularly well in that changing room, but I wouldn’t have cared. The team’s more important to me than Willian’s feelings.’
Willian has played ahead of Nicolas Pepe in a majority of Arsenal’s game this season, so he cannot say that he hasn’t had chances.
He will probably have to be sidelined for some time to get his form back, if at all.
