Wright Blasts Arsenal Ace as ‘Invisible’ Teammate Should Have Been ‘Subbed After Half an Hour’

In the wake of Arsenal’s unexpected 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, club legend Ian Wright has been quick to voice his concerns over the performance of certain players. The defeat at Villa Park ended Arsenal’s impressive 18-game unbeaten run and cut their lead at the top of the Premier League, with Manchester City breathing down their necks, just two points adrift.

Wright has pinpointed game management as a key factor in the loss, arguing that substitutions by Villa manager Unai Emery should have been a wake-up call for Mikel Arteta’s side. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Wright insisted, “With Malen and Buendia coming on in attacking roles, Arsenal should have recognised the shift in momentum and tightened up defensively.”

Addressing the game’s pivotal moments, Wright was critical of Noni Madueke’s decision-making in the dying embers of the match. He agreed with Celtic boss Martin O’Neil, who lambasted Madueke for opting to shoot instead of running down the clock. Wright noted, “At this stage of the game, with Villa pressing and adding forwards, you need to be smart—take the ball to the corner and secure the point.”

In a further critique, former Newcastle man Shaka Hislop weighed in on Eberechi Eze’s performance, suggesting he was a passenger for much of the first half. After previously shining against Tottenham, Eze seemingly lacked influence against Villa, prompting Hislop to question why Arteta waited until half-time to address what he described as a “non-existent” display. “Everything Arsenal produced in that first half came through Bukayo Saka,” noted Hislop, “Eze should have been replaced after just 30 minutes.”

With the pressure now mounting, Arsenal are looking to rebound swiftly as they prepare to face Wolves, who languish at the foot of the table. Arteta will undoubtedly be scrutinising his squad’s approach in both team selection and tactical acumen, eager to avert any further slip-ups in their title bid.