Arsenal

Ian Wright: 'Arsenal players to blame'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 02 March 2018

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright says that the players - and not head coach Arsene Wenger - are to blame for the club's struggles.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has insisted that the players - and not head coach Arsene Wenger - are to blame for the club's struggles.

The pressure on Wenger has increased following back-to-back defeats to Manchester City in two separate competitions.

The Gunners went down 3-0 to the Citizens in the EFL Cup final on Sunday afternoon, before losing by the same scoreline in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.

Wright, however, has said that Wenger is not to blame for the club's current plight, with a number of players failing to take "accountability" for poor performances.

"[Arsenal's situation] is very difficult, but not surprising, because for many years they've had players that can't fight, dig in, lead and fight for themselves, the club and manager," Wright told Omnisport.

"The manager has had a lot of faith in a lot players and many of them have let him down and will continue to let him down, and that'll be his demise unfortunately. Not him, it's the players.

"They have taken his kindness and that management style as weakness, so in the end now there's no accountability, no consequence to playing badly or putting in abject performances.

"That's where we are at the moment. I'm sure it'll change at some stage because we're a great football club and that will turn around. But at the moment we're going through a terrible stage of trying to stay in touch with the top guys – we're nowhere near it."

Arsenal will look to bounce back when they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.