‘I want to see him regularly now’ – Ian Wright calls for Arsenal team shake-up to get more out of ‘artist’ Odegaard
IAN WRIGHT heaped praise on Jorginho after the midfielder came into the Arsenal team against Chelsea and caught the eye.
January signing Jorginho, 31, started in place of Thomas Partey in the 3-1 victory over the Blues.
It was a first start in the Premier League since March 1 for the former Chelsea man.
And Arsenal legend Wright, 59, wants to see the Italian international in the team more often going forward.
Wright praised Jorginho for his controlling influence on the game, and helping get the ball to the “artist” Martin Odegaard.
The pundit said on his Wrighty’s House podcast: “We have recruited well and the guys have come in and scored goals. Odegaard has 14 Premier League goals from midfield, that’s the standard he’s set and they’ve got to get love for that.
“Can I also say something about Jorginho.
“I really would like to see Jorginho play in the team regularly now.
“I’m sorry, the way he controls the game for us, him and [Oleksandr] Zinchenko in there as well, but then once it gets to [Martin] Odegaard, the man is like an artist, [it’s] beautiful.”
Jorginho was recruited in January for a bargain £12million after the Gunners failed in their pursuit of Brighton ace Moises Caicedo.
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And while Wright would like to see Jorginho in the team more going forward, the ex-striker admitted star winger Bukayo Saka could benefit with “a little bit of a rest”.
The Gunners effectively need to win their four remaining games to have any hope of winning the Premier League title, but Wright suggested Saka may be in need of a rest before the season ends.
Saka has scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists in the Prem this season, but has one goal and one assist in his last six games.
Wright said: “I’d like to maybe see if [Bukayo] Saka can get a little bit of a rest. Maybe my mouth is going too quick for my brain.
“But the fact is in this situation we can’t lose any more games, we need everybody out there. But I just worry for him.”