Ian Wright says he was ‘disappointed to see’ what Arteta did during Arsenal win

Follow us on Google Discover

Ian Wright has admitted that he was ‘disappointed to see’ Mikel Arteta substitute Bukayo Saka during Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Arsenal made it three Premier League wins on the spin by grinding out a very decent 1-0 win away to the Champions League finalists.

The Gunners boss sprung a surprise on Chelsea by fielding Saka in a right wing-back role.

And although it was an excellent shift from the 19-year-old in an unfamiliar role, Arteta took him off for right-back Hector Bellerin on 66 minutes.

Saka has pretty comfortably been Arsenal’s most reliable and most consistent performer over the course of an otherwise dismal season for the North Londoners, and club legend Wright claims that he and Smith Rowe – who scored a first-half winner at Stamford Bridge – have been carrying the team under Arteta.

He said to Optus Sport during his post-match punditry: “See Saka being taken off – disappointed see him go. I think you can’t underestimate the levels those young players have got to to get Arsenal to wherever they are. It’s down to the Sakas and Smith Rowes.”

You can’t really fault Arteta on the tactical side of things because bringing on a ‘proper’ defender in the form of Bellerin didn’t really hurt Arsenal.

Yes, the Spanish right-back wound up going off injured, but Arteta’s side weren’t bothered down that flank, even when Calum Chambers came on, and therefore it’s difficult to criticise the coach for subbing Saka.