Ian Wright is convinced Viktor Gyokeres should have taken charge of the situation late on against Chelsea after Arsenal missed a ‘massive opportunity’ to win the game at Stamford Bridge.
The London rivals settled for a 1-1 draw on Sunday evening with Mikel Merino equalising for the Gunners just before the hour mark after Trevoh Chalobah’s opener.
Arsenal had a chance to win the game deep in injury time with Piero Hincapie clipping a cross in from the left with Gyokeres racing into the six yard area to get on the end of it.
Jurrien Timber got there ahead of him, however, heading the ball wide.
Timber opened the scoring in Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Bayern Munich midweek and may have felt was well placed to repeat the trick in west London.
But Arsenal legend Wright believes Gyokeres should have made it clear under no uncertain terms that it was his ball and ordered the Dutchman out of the way.
Wright expressed his surprise the Sweden international was not more commanding, admitting he would have been ‘devastated’ had he been denied chance in similar circumstances.
‘Im thinking Gyokeres… if this is me, I’m going be screaming so loud anyone in front of me is gonna drop out [of the way],’ Wright told Premier League Productions.
‘That is what I have always been told, you have to shout and let them know you’re coming because then Timber moves his head out of the way and Gyokeres comes in and gets a clean header.
‘I’d be devastated with that, he’s got to let him know, Viktor Gyokeres has to let Jurrien Timber know “I’m coming” because that is a massive opportunity missed.’
Another former Arsenal forward in Theo Walcott shared those sentiments, suggesting Gyokeres is sometimes guilty of being ‘too nice’.
‘This is when you get desperate towards the end of games and you want to commit loads of bodies forward,’ a frustrated Walcott told Sky Sports.
‘You always feel though if a right-back is in this position, I’d be asking questions if I was Gyokeres here and saying look this is my space this is why I’m on the pitch.
‘But look, he’s been doing it all season but he’d be disappointed. Gyokeres would have been calling it no doubt but it just annoys me when players are out of position but I understand why Arsenal committed so many bodies.
‘Gyokeres is too nice sometimes I think.’