Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport, Arsenal legend Ian Wright has insisted academy product Joe Willock deserves a chance to start for the first-team.
What did he say?
The Gunners starlet featured prominently under Unai Emery when the Spaniard was still in charge at the Emirates, making 23 appearances for the former PSG boss, scoring seven times.
However, since Emery’s sacking, and Mikel Arteta’s subsequent arrival as head coach, Willock has found game-time far more difficult to come by, playing just 56 minutes worth of Premier League football.
Now, Wright has insisted the 20-year-old is deserving of an opportunity to make his mark on the first-team, and that he should be “pushing people who are not performing”.
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He said: “I think Joe Willock, he came on again the other day, he needs more games now. He needs to be pushing people who are not performing.
“He needs his chance now, Joe Willock. There have been people who have been bought for a lot of money, who are not performing, at the minute offensively and we do need people to step up now. And I think Willock is somebody who’s ready to do that.”
Battling Mesut Ozil
Just like in the Europa League final last season, Willock was brought on for Mesut Ozil in the second-half against Burnley on Sunday afternoon. As per Sofascore, despite only playing 27 minutes, the England U21 international won five of his eight ground duels (four more than what his German counterpart managed when he was on the pitch for more than an hour).
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Willock also completed two out of three attempted dribbles, made two tackles, and provided one key pass, and showed enough in his cameo for Arteta to really take note for the future. He may have fallen out of the first-team picture in recent weeks, but if he continues to impress in the substitute appearances he is given, then he should be taking Ozil’s place sooner rather than later as Wright demands.
Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have been left hailing this loanee’s impressive goal-scoring performance.