Ian Wright was one of the finest strikers in the world during his playing days, scoring 128 league goals for Arsenal and 90 for Crystal Palace, among other clubs he represented. His natural goalscoring ability and instinctive finishing made him one of the most feared forwards of his era.
Since retiring, the Englishman has remained heavily involved in football, now working as a pundit who analyses and discusses matches on a weekly basis. Given his experience, Wright has undoubtedly seen numerous strikers he believes he was better than, while also recognising some who surpassed his level.
However, if he were playing in the modern era, would he have been as prolific as he was during his prime? According to Tony Cascarino, the answer is probably not. Discussing the current market for top strikers, Cascarino suggested that Wright might have struggled in today’s game.
Arsenal are in the hunt for a new striker, with several high-profile names linked to the club ahead of the summer transfer window. The Gunners are determined to strengthen their attack, and given the evolution of the striker role, it is a challenge to find the right fit. Cascarino believes that even someone as talented as Wright would have found it difficult to thrive in the modern game.
Speaking on TalkSport, he said:
*”Ian Wright was one of the top strikers of his time.
“I always say to people, ‘How do you think he would do in the modern game?’
“Ian was infectious. [But] I think he would struggle. I think he’d struggle, and he’s top quality.”*
Of course, there is no way to truly determine how Wright would have fared in today’s tactical setups, but what is undeniable is that he was an outstanding striker in his era. His movement, finishing, and relentless energy made him a nightmare for defenders, and he remains one of Arsenal’s all-time greats. Whether he would have adapted successfully to the demands of the modern game is a debate that will continue, but his legacy as a top-class goalscorer is unquestionable.
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
If Wrighty would have “struggled”, what level would Cascarino have played at? Conference?
He might have struggled to get into Arteta’s teams but he would wouldn’t have struggled with putting the ball in the back of the net elsewhere.
We don’t know.
What I think really matters is the individual’s (player’s or manager’s ) mentality / attitude for the given time period. I don’t care how talented you are, your application makes a massive difference. Are you willing to adapt to the change or are you stuck in your own old self thinking the football world will have to change in other to accommodate you?
Any given time period / era might suit a certain individual (right place at the right time) but then another time period might not suit that individual. To me this is where individual attitudes and mentality make a difference. Adaptation is the key. If you don’t adapt then you will be in big trouble..
This assumes that a player can’t adapt their game to suit a different style. In my years of watching football I’ve seen various players reinvent themselves. The average 30 year old football,for instance,rarely plays as they did at 18. The very elite players adapt and reinvent themselves to keep up with their changing bodies and changing tactics.
I personally think that Wright would have still terrorized opposition defenses. For me it doesn’t matter what the era is, if you’ve got talent then that talent will still shine through. As the player in question would have better training, better facilities, better diet and so on.
I never saw much of the late and great Jimmy Greaves, bit the footage I’ve seen of him going through on goal and constantly rounding the keeper with ease, I just think two things about him. One on the carpets that the teams now play on in the most part, he would have an absolute field day. And two, how much would he be worth in todays transfer market.
But as I said earlier if your talented enough, you would adapt to whatever era your playing in.😉👍