Former Arsenal legend Ian Wright questions Unai Emery’s decision not to start game changer
Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on Monday and have made the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Arsenal was looking to continue a run of eight games without a defeat. However, Bramall Lane proved to be an unhappy hunting ground and brought about the end of that run.
Skysports pundit, Ian Wright, believes Emery got his selections wrong and that contributed to why they lost the game.
Wright was particularly unimpressed by Emery’s decision not to start Dani Ceballos considering how creative the Real Madrid loanee is.
Ceballos was brought into the game in the second half as the visitors looked to chase the game and Wright seems to believe the Spaniard could have won them the game had he started.
Wright is also of the opinion that club highest earner, Mesut Ozil, should be allowed to shoulder some responsibilities instead of teenager Bukayo Saka being put under so much pressure to create the goals the team needs right now.
Emery has questions to answer.
According to Wright: “I think he’s [Emery] got to come here and Ceballos has to play. He’s played the youngsters and I’m pleased to see them in there, with Saka.
“But Saka, for an 18-year-old, if you’re leaving Ozil totally out of the squad, then we have to see more from him. We have to see more from Joe [Willock].
“Unfortunately, it was a game where it passed them both by and then it comes down to the manager and his choices.
“He’s made the change at half-time, so you’re thinking to yourself: ‘Why didn’t you start him in the first place?’
“Start him. He’s someone that gets on the ball when they want to try and play out, [Matteo] Guendouzi’s got a lot of energy and get the boys playing.
“[Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang didn’t have anything to play off because there wasn’t any creativity.”
The introduction of Ceballos did add some creativity to the side but even he was subdued.
Arsenal next face Vitoria SC in the Europa League on Thursday hoping to get back to winning ways.