Arsenal: Ian Wright questions Mikel Arteta decisions amid growing Viktor Gyokeres concerns | OneFootball

The manager again showed a hesitance to attack in the second half

Arsenal started strongly against an injury-hit Liverpool side, but Conor Bradley came closest when he hit the crossbar in the first half.

Arteta sent on Gabriel Jesus and Noni Madeueke after the break but too little effect as both teams shared the spoils, and Wright was disappointed by the head coach's hesitance to act in the second half.

"You have to credit Liverpool for their second-half performance, but in the first half, Arsenal created enough chances and got the ball in the box enough that meant you have to take an opportunity," Wright said on Premier League Productions.

I would have liked to have seen Jesus earlier and Madueke a bit earlier to get a bit more pace into the game

Ian Wright

"You have to take those opportunities because you might not get too many more. Liverpool had the better chances in the second half but it’s another one for Arsenal to learn from. I am happy they got a point rather than nothing, it was a tough game and it means they’re still in pole position [in the title race].

"But you have to be more ruthless in the first half with the chances you’re creating. If they score those chances there’s no nerves in the second half. You have to take those chances and finish teams off. The closing down wasn’t there in the second half. As soon as Liverpool got the ball we dropped off. That wasn’t working very well.

"The subs could have been made a bit earlier to get a bit more energy. I would have liked to have seen Jesus earlier and Madueke a bit earlier as well to get a bit more pace, a bit more buzz into the game.

"We looked like a team that wanted to finish it in the second half, you could feel nerves. There was some nerves there, they didn’t want to lose the game. But the attitude you’ve got to have is to win games and then if you don’t you take the point, but we can’t be safe and we felt a bit safe and nervous there."

For the seventh time this season, Viktor Gyokeres failed to have a single shot

John Walton/PA Wire

Summer signing Viktor Gyokeres again struggled as the focal point of Arsenal's attack. In a game in which Arsenal created chances, the £65million striker failed to have a single shot.

Wright continued: "In those moments when the game’s tight, you’re not going to get many chances, that’s what we thought we bought and that’s what you need.

"Look at the balls that went across goal. When you’re paying that kind of money, they have to be there. That’s what makes the difference in games like this because we created enough in the first half to get something but we didn’t have someone to take the chance.

"Then in the second half you get more and more nervous because of everything Arsenal are trying to do. You could feel them getting more nervous and deeper and you can’t do that. We need to finish games off a bit more comfortably than we are at the minute."