Ian Wright has shared his thoughts on centre-back Jakub Kiwior as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal suffered a 3-0 defeat to Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton on Sunday to all but end their Premier League title hopes.
The Arsenal legend has told Jakub Kiwior to ‘bulk up’ after he produced a defensive performance to forget against Roberto De Zerbi’s men, despite being a ‘very good player’, as he told Premier League Productions (14/05/23 at 6:40 pm).
Arsenal made a strong start to the game, but as soon as European-chasing Brighton got into their flow, then the Premier League title-chasing side couldn’t deal with one of the best attacking teams in the league.
The opening goal came just after the break when teenager, Julio Enciso, who is only 5ft7, scored a header from a few yards out.
Replays showed that a Brighton played stepped on the back of Kiwior’s heel, which resulted in his boot coming off, but rather than trying to clear the cross that was coming into the box seconds later, he proceeded to go down clutching his ankle and Enciso had a free header.
It was a moment to forget for Arsenal’s January capture, who was brought into the XI against Chelsea recently after Rob Holding struggled to fill the void left by William Saliba – it’s been previously suggested that the Frenchman has made everyone around him ‘better’ and his absence through injury has been felt.
Nonetheless, whilst Wright understands that Arsenal have a top-quality player on their hands, there were many aspects of the Poland defender’s performance that he didn’t like.
“I was thinking ‘oh my gosh’, there is something drastically wrong with him because he has stopped, gone down and he wouldn’t be able to play on,” said Wright. “I have never seen this before, with all due respect to him. If you are bad, then you go off – he is able to play on, so that foul can’t be bad enough for him to completely go on his knee and the guy has a free header.
“Now, get yourself back. Look at him. He’s got to be sprinting to get back in there.
“Ben White pulled out of position and Kiwior is over that side. He tries to close down, and then once it doesn’t happen he gets bodychecked, then he kind of gives up on it. I would say that’s inexperience playing at this level and this league.
“With Saliba out, and him coming in at this stage of the season, it’s massive for him to come in at such a pressured time of the season. When you look at stuff like that ‘maybe, he has come in early’. Simply because of those instances, from a footballing point of view, he is a very good player. I think we have a very good player there. Of course, he is going to have to bulk up.”
KIWIOR CRITICISED FOR PERFORMANCE AS ARSENAL LOSE TO BRIGHTON
This isn’t a good look from the new arrival and it probably didn’t go down well with his manager or his teammates in the dressing room.
If he was injured, and had gone off, then it would have been understandable. But he was able to play on for the rest of the match, so it just makes matters worse.
That first goal just opened the door for Brighton to cause Arsenal all sorts of issues and, not only claim the three points, but deservedly beat the Gunners 3-0 and all but end their Premier League title hopes.
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