‘I’d be devastated’ – Wright shocked by what Arsenal star failed to do against Chelsea
Ian Wright thinks Viktor Gyokeres should have been “screaming” as Arsenal missed a big chance late on to beat Chelsea in their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
It was the home side who took the lead on Sunday, despite Moises Caicedo being sent off on 38 minutes, with Trevoh Chalobah scoring a header from a corner to put Enzo Maresca’s men one goal up.
But Arsenal equalised only 11 minutes later when Mikel Merino headed in a Bukayo Saka cross to get back on level terms with 31 minutes left to play.
The Gunners missed a couple of good opportunities to take all three points with one chance particularly frustrasting Wright in second half injury time.
Timber missed a headed chance to secure the win with Gyokeres, who was coming in behind him, in a better position to score if the Netherlands international had left it to him.
Wright told Premier League Productions: “Im thinking Gyokeres… if this is me, I’m going be screaming so loud anyone in front of me is gonna drop out [of the way].
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“That is what I have always been told, you have to shout and let them know you’re coming because then Timber moves his head out of the way and Gyokeres comes in and gets a clean header.
“I’d be devastated with that, he’s got to let him know, Viktor Gyokeres has to let Jurrien Timber know “I’m coming” because that is a massive opportunity missed.”
Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott reckons Gyokeres is “too nice sometimes” and should have demanded that Timber left him with the chance.
Walcott told Sky Sports: “This is when you get desperate towards the end of games and you want to commit loads of bodies forward.
“You always feel though if a right-back is in this position, I’d be asking questions if I was Gyokeres here and saying look this is my space this is why I’m on the pitch.
“But look, he’s been doing it all season but he’d be disappointed. Gyokeres would have been calling it no doubt but it just annoys me when players are out of position but I understand why Arsenal committed so many bodies.
“Gyokeres is too nice sometimes I think.”
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Reacting to the result, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said: “That was a big week and a really intense and emotional match today. You could sense from the beginning how much was at stake, two teams putting everything into every action.
“It was more of a battle in the first few minutes especially. There was a lot of interruption, a lot of intervention from the referee and that changed the context of the game. We had four yellow cards, they had [Moises] Caicedo out and in that moment we have to settle the game. There was an opportunity to do it at half-time, we didn’t use it because immediately in the first action we concede a foul, a wide free-kick, a corner and a goal.
“Then emotionally we have to overcome that situation after everything we’ve been through this week. The team tried its best, and scored a great goal.
“But then we lacked certain patience as well and certain quality in certain moments to generate more momentum, more action, more second balls and more chaos for them in and around the box. But I think overall, with everything that we’ve been through this week, I think it’s been a positive one – but I’m still disappointed that we didn’t get the three points.”
