‘He wasn’t tight enough’ – Ian Wright criticises Arsenal star Mikel Merino after Newcastle defeat

Arsenal fable Ian Wright singled retired Mikel Merino for disapproval aft the side’s 1-0 nonaccomplishment to Newcastle, saying the Spaniard ‘wasn’t choky capable successful and astir the midfield’.

Newcastle guardant Alexander Isak powered a thunderous header beyond David Raya successful the 14th infinitesimal and the Gunners simply had nary reply astatine St James’ Park.

The visitors – past year’s runners-up successful the Premier League – were fortunate successful that rubric rivals Manchester City would spell connected to endure a daze decision distant to Bournemouth aboriginal successful the day.

With Martin Odegaard retired injured, Arsenal person intelligibly been missing a originative outlet successful the mediate of the parkland and Mikel Arteta volition beryllium hopeless for his skipper to beryllium backmost acceptable and disposable for the Stamford Bridge contest.

Merino, Arsenal’s £32million summertime signing from Real Sociedad, struggled to marque a important interaction successful the last 3rd and was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri with 30 minutes remaining successful the northbound east.

Analysing the lucifer connected Premier League Productions, ex-Arsenal striker Wright said it looked arsenic if Merino is ‘still getting up to speed’ with the rigours of English football.

‘Listen, Odegaard has been retired for a portion now. We speech astir our managers… Fabio Vieira we haven’t seen excessively overmuch of him, helium was a subordinate who was expected to beryllium successful the aforesaid mold,’ Wright said.

‘Emile Smith Rowe has moved on, gone to Fulham, and he’s doing good for himself.

‘We’ve seen Ethan Nwaneri travel on, the youngster, and he’s got to travel connected successful a crippled for a squad that’s trying to situation for the rubric and it is simply a batch of pressureon him.

‘You conscionable consciousness that, astatine this signifier of the season, 10 games in, we should not beryllium playing and being arsenic tepid arsenic we are, not creating enough, not putting them nether capable pressure.

‘I thought, again, Merino wasn’t choky capable successful and astir the midfield. I deliberation he’s inactive getting up to speed.’

According to Wright, Arsenal fans cannot support utilizing Odegaard’s lack arsenic an excuse for the side’s lacklustre performances successful caller weeks.

‘It truly is rather frustrating to beryllium 10 games successful and feeling similar we consciousness present and that’s lone due to the fact that we cognize however pugnacious it is to effort and pursuit down Manchester City,’ helium added.

‘One changeable connected people against Bournemouth, 1 changeable connected people today. It’s not bully enough. It’s not bully capable for a squad that is going for the title.

‘There is simply a batch of enactment to beryllium done successful that dressing room. We can’t support saying that we’re missing Martin Odegaard. We can’t support saying that due to the fact that we cognize we’re missing that.’

In his post-match property conference, Arteta echoed Wright’s comments astir Odegaard, telling reporters: ‘We tin sermon that each time long.

‘At the infinitesimal we haven’t had him, we haven’t had him for the past six weeks and we don’t person him yet.

‘But we person galore different answers that whitethorn beryllium precise effective.

‘Today, we request to look astatine ourselves, congratulate Newcastle and determination on.’

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