Ian Wright blasts Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud and rages ‘maybe he wasn’t up for it’ following dreadful defeat against Watford
SunSport columnist lays into Frenchman who appeared to signal to the bench just two minutes into humiliation against Hornets
IAN WRIGHT has torn into Arsenal following their humiliating 2-1 loss at home to Watford.
Speaking to the Sun Football Podcast, he said: "That was as bad as a first 45 minutes I've seen. It's inexcusable.
"Arsene Wenger said before the game the players were ready and then afterwards he said the team wasn't ready.
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"The performances are showing that the team are not accountable.
"It's all about the start and Arsenal have nor started well for so many games now. I'm not expecting Arsenal to start well.
"I don't feel they get themselves up for certain games, there's not enough accountability. And it's just exactly what happens every season at this stage."
Wright also singled out Olivier Giroud for particular criticism.
The striker was recalled to the squad with the in-form Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck rested, but appeared to signal to the bench that he was injured after just two minutes.
Wright said of the Frenchman: "Was he injured or wasn't he injured?
"Two minutes into the game he signalled that he wasn't right. He knew that his ankle wasn't quite right.
"He started the game and Watford were up for it and maybe he felt like he wasn't as up for it as he should have been because he signalled to come off.
"It was the most pitiful 45 minutes I've ever seen from a centre-forward and he was rightly taken off.
"I would be absolutely livid with him because it's all about the start."
Another underperforming striker is Leicester's Jamie Vardy, but Wrighty believes the England star can shine again when his confidence returns.
"How can you go and break a Premier League record that lasted for as long as it did and now you look like you can't even hit the target?
"It's between the ears, it's a confidence thing. He's exactly the same player, he's making the same runs and he's kind of getting the same chances.
"We're seeing somebody whose confidence is shot to pieces."
But while we are seeing one Premier League star fade in Vardy, another seems to have been born in Gabriel Jesus.
Jesus shone during Man City's 4-0 win at West Ham and Wright believes the Brazilian's arrival could spell the end of Sergio Aguero's City career.
He said: "For City to be able to leave out Aguero and for them to bring in the 19 year-old Gabriel Jesus and for him to play like that, the future looks bright.
"When Nicolas Anelka came to Arsenal, I felt like it was a matter of time. I realised I didn't have long there.
"I recognised it was the beginning of the end. That's the equivalent of how Aguero might be feeling right now."
And following Peter Crouch's 100th Premier League goal, Wrighty revealed the nickname his children have given the 6'7" veteran striker.
He said: "Me and the missus and my kids were hanging out together with Peter Crouch during the Euros.
"My girls actually think he's Peter Pan! They couldn't believe how big he was!
"Any time they see him on the TV, they say 'it's Peter Pan.'
"So when I saw him score the 100th goal last night, I thought 'Peter Pan's done it!'"