Ian Wright believes that Nuno Tavares has got the potential to succeed at Arsenal and is hopeful the youngster is getting proper backing.
The north Londoners suffered a humiliating defeat to Crystal Palace on Monday night. It was an uncharacteristic performance from the players who looked unsettled for most of the game, but none more than Tavares.
The Portuguese international was handed a rare start after Kieran Tierney was ruled out of the game due to a knee injury. It was an opportunity for him to stake a claim to the starting spot, but he delivered a woeful performance.
The Eagle’s attackers caused all sorts of problems for the fullback and he was partly to blame for their opening goal. The defender was not strong enough aerially which enabled Joachim Anderson to head the ball back into a dangerous position.
Tavares was also at fault for Palace’s second goal. He didn’t track the run of Jordan Ayew. A mistimed challenge from Gabriel meant that the striker was through on goal, and he didn’t fail to double the home team’s advantage. After a horrendous outing, he was brought off by Mikel Arteta at halftime.
However, Ian Wright feels that the 21-year-old is capable of turning his fortunes around if he receives the right coaching. He added that the Portuguese’s attacking instincts could be vital in certain games. While speaking on Wrighty’s House the ex-Arsenal star said:
“There are things he’s working on but you look at someone like Tavares and you think to yourself, I just hope he’s getting that coaching that he needs at the minute.”
“We know that he’s fantastic, he’s a fantastic player. He can be attacking and we couldn’t get out [against Palace]. We have to take it on the chin.”
Arsenal Fever view:
Arsenal on Tuesday announced that Kieran Tierney missed the game due to discomfort in his left knee. He will now undergo surgery and it is likely that he will miss the remainder of the campaign.
This is a huge blow for the Gunners. Although Tavares had a shocking performance on Monday, Arteta could be forced to play him in the coming weeks. They don’t have another natural left-back who is capable of providing cover for the injured Tierney.
The former Benfica man is still young and could improve with time. He must be quick to recover from the setback as Arsenal are back in action on Saturday. They face Brighton at the Emirates and a positive result can have a huge impact on their Champions League ambitions.
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