Ian Wright says he's "very disappointed" with Arsenal technical director Edu's attempts at making excuses for Willian's start to life with the Gunners.
Edu has pleaded for fans to be a little more patient with the former Chelsea man and allow for him to settle at the club, despite promising that he would make an immediate impact when he signed in August.
Willian's poor displays have been one of the reasons for Arsenal's woes this season, with the club currently down in 15th in the table, and Wright says Edu shouldn't be defending him.
"Can I say something? Because there’s something I read with Edu, who I was with during the Rapid Vienna game. We had a chat and he’s very energetic," said Wright on the Wrighty's House podcast.
"But I was very disappointed with something I read with Edu talking about Willian needing time. I can’t have that – and I’d say it to him if I saw him – because we don’t want to be peddling that.
"We’ve brought Willian in to hit the ground running and when he came in I read what you [Edu] said about a player that we need an immediate impact from.
"We’ve signed him for three years which was very dubious for a lot of people. I went, 'okay, Willian is good enough, a serial winner, and you look at the experience he brings'.
"To hear, 'we need to give him more time'… I needed something to squeeze because that’s not why he bought him.
"Willian needs that chat where someone says, 'my friend, listen, you’re here to hit the ground running'.
"I’m not throwing him under the bus but I’m trying to explain that Edu cannot come out and say these things when Arsenal are in a position where we’ve signed the player for three years and he needs to hit the ground running.
"It should be a dream move for him but maybe he hasn’t been energised. But he’s come into a dressing room that needs him to be the man.
"Now Edu’s saying he needs time.
"No, you shouldn’t be saying that. Someone needs to get him in that office and speak to him and say, 'you’re meant to be doing it now'.
"I’m not saying this to pile on, I’m saying it because Edu has respect and we need more out of the players.
"We need more because you coming out and saying that is going to make people think, 'time?'
"You’ve given him three years so he’s not the person who should have time.
"We need a lot more from him. I need a lot more from Edu and I don’t want him saying that kind of stuff. That upsets me."
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