Ian Wright blasts Arsenal star after Fulham loss with four others being targeted

01 January 2024 , 07:17

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Ian Wright blasts Arsenal star after Fulham loss with four others being targeted

Arsenal icon Ian Wright was left seething with Gabriel Magalhaes after the Gunners went down to a damaging defeat at Fulham.

Looking to bounce back from Thursday's home loss to West Ham, Mikel Arteta's side looked on course to go back top of the Premiet League after Bukayo Saka put them ahead. But Raul Jiminez levelled before the break and then just before the hour mark, Bobby De Cordova-Reid scrambled home a winner amid some suspect defending.

And the nature of the decisive goal angered Wright, who pointed the finger at defender Gabriel after he failed to challenge the forward as he shot. "Gabriel Magalhaes is such a big guy, Bobby De Cordova-Reid is a smaller guy, I thought he should have been more dominant in the situation," he told Premier League Productions.

"It goes over his head but that one when he does the leg, he’s got to be moving to attack the ball instead of waiting. You’re a defender. You’ve got to be on the move and be ready to react. Those margins, getting that wrong, it has cost them."

And the 60-year-old, himself a title winner with Arsenal in the 1997/98 campaign, also questioned the apparent lack of a 'plan B' under Mikel Arteta, arguing that rival sides were working out how to combat his side. The pundit pointed to four key players he feels opposition sides are now targeting all too readily.

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As well as club record signing Declan Rice, Wright pointed to the treatment of Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard. "Bukayo Saka has got to hold the ball up. These are the things they have to work on, because people will go tight on Saka, they will go tight on Gabriel Martinelli and they will go tight on Martin Odegaard," Wright added.

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Ian Wright has been critical of Arsenal players after the Fulham defeat (BBC)

‘"Then they’ll restrict the passing from the defence into Odegaard so he can’t turn and then pass to Saka. What’s happened is that people know that, if you stop Odegaard, you’re probably going to stop the service to those guys.

"If you stop Declan Rice and get in his face, he is going to pass sideways. That is what people have worked out. So what is our Plan B?"

Regardless, Arteta's side undoubtedly now need to stem the tide. Having been top of the table on Christmas Day, they start 2024 in fourth place, and will be five points off leaders Liverpool should the Reds beat Newcastle on New Year's Day.

But while it is Jurgen Klopp's side who next visit the Emirates on January 7, that's for a third-round FA Cup tie. Arsenal won't resume their top-flight campaign until January 20 with the visit of Crystal Palace.

Fraser Watson