Eberechi Eze: The £67m Arsenal Enigma
In a thrilling Premier League encounter last November, Eberechi Eze stole the show with a hat-trick, leading Arsenal to a dominant 4-1 victory over their rivals, Tottenham. However, fast forward to the present, and Eze's path to regular playing time has become increasingly challenging.
Despite his impressive goal-scoring feat, Eze has managed a mere 23 minutes of playing time across the Gunners' last six league matches, sitting on the bench unused for four of those games. Signed from Crystal Palace for a hefty £67 million, Eze was brought in to infuse creativity into Arsenal's attack, with his free-flowing shooting style and ability to unlock defenses adding a unique flair to the forward line.
The recent 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, where Arsenal kept both teams at bay without conceding a single shot on target, only highlight the enigma surrounding Eze's limited playing time. If he's not given the opportunity to showcase his skills when Arsenal need a breakthrough, questions about his role in Mikel Arteta's team will persist.
Eze's season statistics paint a mixed picture: five goals and four assists in 26 games, but no goals since that memorable hat-trick against Spurs. His only starts since the turn of the year have been in the FA Cup victory over Portsmouth and the Champions League triumph against Inter Milan.
In the Champions League match at San Siro, Eze played a pivotal 64 minutes, contributing significantly to the Gunners' opening goal in a 3-1 win. However, it wasn't a performance that left a lasting impression.
One of the primary reasons for Eze's struggle to regain a starting spot is the return of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. Fit again since late November, Odegaard has started eight of the ten Premier League games since his comeback, occupying a similar position to Eze on the pitch.
If Arteta were to start both players together, as seen in the West Ham game in October, it would mean either Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi would have to be benched - an unlikely scenario given their importance to the team.
Eze can also operate from the left wing, a position where he excelled for Crystal Palace, albeit from a narrower number 10 role. However, his path to this position is blocked by the outstanding form of Leandro Trossard, one of Arsenal's standout players this season.
Arteta has acknowledged this challenge, but it doesn't mean Eze can't shine elsewhere on the pitch. He's also been deployed on the right side of Arsenal's midfield three.
"He's that intelligent and that good as a footballer that he can occupy any space. I'm more driven to decide where he plays in relation to the players around him than his position," Arteta stated before the 0-0 draw with Liverpool.
Eze's starts from the left wing have been limited, and the last time Arteta played him there, against Aston Villa on 6 December, Eze was at fault for their opening goal after failing to track right-back Matty Cash.
Arteta has praised Eze's exceptional attitude during his time on the sidelines, noting that his desire has only intensified.
At the start of the year, the manager revealed that Eze had played more football than in any previous season at this stage. While this is true in terms of his Premier League career, it's worth noting that he had played more games by this point during his time with QPR in the Championship in 2019-20.
Arsenal's season has been nothing short of exceptional, with a seven-point lead in the Premier League and a perfect record in the Champions League. They also hold a 3-2 lead over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final and are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Eze continues to get game time, albeit not consistently in the Premier League. A favorite of manager Thomas Tuchel, Eze hopes to make England's World Cup squad, but the Three Lions boss has made it clear that being a good team player isn't enough.
This thought will surely be at the forefront of Eze's mind if he's given the rare opportunity to start against Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. He'll need to remind everyone why Arsenal invested £67 million in him.
