Theo Walcott believes that Arsenal should have challenged Chelsea for the signing of Pedro Neto this summer after his impressive display at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
After Gabriel Martinelli had put the Gunners ahead in the second half, Neto’s vicious long-range striker arrowed into the bottom corner to secure a point for the home side.
The goal marked the Portuguese winger’s first in the Premier League for the Blues having already scored in the Conference League and Carabao Cup earlier in the campaign.
And having signed from Wolves for £54million this summer, the 24-year-old now appears to have nailed down a spot in Enzo Maresca’s starting XI with this his third full ninety in as many league matches.
While Arsenal were following Neto for many years, Mikel Arteta eventually chose to look elsewhere due to reservations over the winger’s injury record.
But former Arsenal forward Walcott believes the north London side may come to regret that decision and thinks Neto could have provided some much-needed depth given their recent troubles with injury.
‘When we talk about Neto – he’s the sort of player who Arsenal maybe could have signed to have given that compeittion to others players,’ he said on Match of the Day 2.
‘That’s kind of what they need right now, to provide that competition.’
A switch to the right-hand side unlocked Neto in the second half and Troy Deeney believes the Portuguese international should start on that side moving forward.
‘When you put him out on the right-hand side, becaue he has that pace, Timber has to back off because he doesn’t know if he is going to run or cross it,’ he said.
‘If you’re a full-back, you’re thinking “he could kick it and run so I can’t get too close”, but if you get really close to him, he can drop his shoulder and run in behind.
‘With how he is doing, coming in off the right onto that left foot; he can shoot, he can cross but also he has got that raw speed which is going to back defenders off and you can see just what an acquisition he’s been for Chelsea.’
While the away point and improved performance may be cause for optimism for Arsenal, the Gunners are now winless in their last four league games and a concerning nine points adrift of Liverpool at the top of the table.
A more favourable run of fixtures greets Arteta’s side after the international break, and Walcott thinks the week off has come at the perfect time for his former club.
‘They’ve had a period of time without their leader Martin Odegaard, they’ve played six of last season’s top ten and five of them have been away,’ he said.
‘They are now at at stage where they don’t want Liverpool to get too far away – that’s for certain – but they have their main players back. I know (Bukayo) Saka and Declan (Rice) limped off but they’ve got the international break now, I feel it’s come at a good time for them.
Deeney, however, was less confident, suggesting they cannot afford anymore slip ups if they are to be serious contendors in the title race.
‘I would say they are in a situation where every game is massivley important,’ the former Watford striker said.
‘If they lose one more time I think they are out of it (the title race) because otherwise they are going to have to beat Liverpool away and (Manchester) City as well.’
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