"Didn't Do his Job" – Ian Wright Blames Two Chelsea Players for Arsenal Defeat

Chelsea suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, and two players have been singled out for blame. Former Arsenal star Ian Wright and ex-Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle both criticized Christopher Nkunku and Robert Sanchez for their costly mistakes that led to the only goal of the game.

Mikel Merino scored the winning goal for Arsenal in the 20th minute after making a clever run to the near post and flicking Martin Odegaard’s corner past Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. However, Wright believes Chelsea’s defending, especially Nkunku’s positioning, was to blame for the goal.

Nkunku was assigned to guard the near post but moved away at the wrong time, allowing Merino to get in front of him and score.

“It’s a great header, but Nkunku was put there for a reason,” Wright said on Premier League Productions. “His job was to block that space, and he didn’t do it. That cost Chelsea the game. Merino’s movement was good, but if Nkunku had stayed in position, he wouldn’t have scored.”

Hoddle also pointed out Nkunku’s error, saying, “He just needed to hold his position. He’s a striker, not a defender, but when you’re given a role, you have to do it properly. He let Merino run across him too easily.”

Wright and Hoddle also criticized Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez for being out of position during the goal. Instead of staying on his line and preparing to make a save, he got too involved with Arsenal players near the goal.

“Sanchez shouldn’t be there,” Wright said. “He had space but got caught up with an Arsenal player. If he had positioned himself correctly, he could have caught that ball easily.”

Hoddle added, “Goalkeepers should stay focused on the ball, not get involved in physical battles with players. If he had stayed in the right spot, he would have saved it.”

Wright also pointed out that Chelsea struggled in attack without key players like Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Noni Madueke. Their absence left Chelsea looking weak in the final third, unable to create clear chances against Arsenal’s defense.

“They missed Palmer badly,” Wright said. “Chelsea didn’t look dangerous without him, Jackson, and Madueke. Arsenal weren’t at their best, but Chelsea were just poor today.”

Hoddle agreed, saying, “Chelsea looked lost at times. They never had control of the game or put real pressure on Arsenal.”

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca defended his team despite the defeat, saying they stayed competitive until the end. “We were in the game until the final whistle,” he said. “The difference between us and Arsenal wasn’t big. With our injuries, we still fought hard.”

On Sanchez’s performance, Maresca said, “We are happy with both of our goalkeepers. Robert did well today.”

Chelsea hoped to strengthen their position in the top four, especially after Manchester City dropped points against Brighton. However, this loss marked their third defeat in five games, making their chances of securing a Champions League spot even more difficult.

Meanwhile, Arsenal remain second in the Premier League, 12 points behind leaders Liverpool.

With the international break coming up, Chelsea will have time to recover, get their injured players back, and prepare for the final stretch of the season. But if they continue making costly mistakes, their hopes of a strong finish could slip away.