Ian Wright had special praise for Gabriel Martinelli and Aaron Ramsdale after Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Newcastle, but blasted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for what he described as an ‘unforgivable’ miss in the first half.
Bukayo Saka broke the deadlock with a good finish in the 56th minute and Martinelli doubled Arsenal’s advantage with a superb volleyed effort just moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.
The Gunners held firm to secure maximum points and strengthen their hold on fifth place in the Premier League while Eddie Howe’s Newcastle remain rooted to the bottom of the table, still yet to win any game this campaign.
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It was a good response from Arsenal in the wake of their 4-0 loss at the hands of Liverpool last week, a result which ended a run of ten games without defeat in all competitions.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Wright was critical of Newcastle and felt they were their own worst enemy across a tough 90 minutes in London.
Watching back Martinelli’s outstanding strike, the legendary ex-Arsenal player said: ‘That’s very difficult when it’s coming over your right shoulder. ‘I’m thinking that at some stage the goalkeeper has got to at least get some kind of contact with him.
‘The goalkeeper, for me, has made that a little bit easier for him, he’s got to be there in his face because at some stage he’s got to take his eye off of where the goalkeeper is to concentrate on the connection.
‘The goalkeeper should be in his face knowing he’s got to take his eye off that and he wasn’t close enough. ‘It’s a great finish and a great ball from [Takehiro] Tomiyasu, but he’s got to be closer.’
Ramsdale kept the scoreline goalless with a flying stop to deny Jonjo Shelvey in the game and Wright said it was the latest in a long line of ‘fantastic’ saves from the Arsenal goalkeeper.
‘It’s a fantastic save. It was a great strike from Jonjo Shelvey, we know that he’s got this in his locker,’ he added. ‘He’s set it up nicely, but just the fingertips and it was just enough.
‘You could see it from behind the goal, he’s trying to look around someone and then he’s had to move. ‘Fantastic save, brilliant. It’s what he’s been doing a lot, to be honest, for Arsenal recently.’
Wright was pleased with Arsenal’s all-round display but ripped into Aubameyang during his half-time analysis, saying there was ‘no excuses’ for his point-blank miss in the 41st minute.
‘Poor finishing. That’s a great chance. It’s a fantastic ball,’ he went on. ‘It’s quite an easy save for the goalkeeper. For me, Emile Smith Rowe has to score first of all from where he is.
‘But this [Aubameyang’s miss], there’s no excuse for that. I don’t know what to say. ‘He’s a top goalscorer, he’s got himself in a position and he’s just leaning back.
‘He thinks it’s foregone in his mind, but he’s actually missed the goal. It’s hit the outside of the post.’ ‘For me, it’s an unforgivable miss.’
