Eberechi Eze, the £67 million replacement for Manchester United-bound Declan Rice, is fitting right in at Arsenal so far. He is clearly intent on living up to the great expectations that accompanied his arrival. Eze was rumored as Mikel Arteta’s X-factor arrival last summer. He’s done enough this season to show his versatility, filling in on the left and playing in different midfield roles this season. As he acclimatizes to a new playing style and teammates, questions arise regarding his optimal position on the pitch.
From the moment Eze signed with the Gunners, he’s shown in bursts what makes him such an enticing prospect. He can at least come close to matching the creativity of Arsenal’s new captain, Martin Odegaard. He does bring a more explosive style of play to the game. This duality raises an important question for Arteta: How can he incorporate Eze’s spontaneity while ensuring defensive stability?
Eze started his Gunners career as a playmaking no 10 when he made his debut for the Arsenal first team, aged 16, against Fulham. He had difficulties when Sander Berge and Tom Cairney turned him over in the middle third. Beyond this, these turnovers exemplified his difficulty in fulfilling Arteta’s off-the-ball requirements. Regardless of these disappointments, Arteta sees a bright future for Eze.
“I’ve been very impressed by how quickly he picks things up, the questions he asks, and how smart he is to navigate through a different environment,” stated Arteta regarding Eze’s progress.
Eze has had to overcome his challenges too, spending his days chasing teammates such as Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. To be sure, his recent performances are nothing short of a promise and a potential. After a stellar performance against Atletico Madrid, the stage was set for Wilfried Gnonto to shine. He steered clear of any “giveaways” and was key in making up opportunities.
In that game, Eze played a beautiful through ball setting up Myles Lewis-Skelly for a goal scoring opportunity. To illustrate his vision, he had a brilliant through-ball to Bukayo Saka. This inch-perfect pass from Martinelli then put Saka in a good position to score. These contributions highlight Eze’s ability to make game-changing impacts when he’s plugged into an ecosystem that utilizes his skillset.
Perhaps the most important part of Eze’s development thus far is the adaptability to different roles in the midfield. Mikel Arteta admits this is a challenge, but as with all players, it’s about showing the right blend between offensive threat and defensive duty – possible, even desired.
“He is probably more used to attacking open spaces and breaks and facing and carrying the ball with the space in front of him,” Arteta noted, elaborating on the complexities of integrating Eze into the team.
As Eze continues to find his rhythm at Arsenal, fans and pundits alike are keenly observing how Arteta will utilize him moving forward. His positional flexibility might make him useful as a more traditional winger on occasion, giving added tactical flexibility. One thing is for certain – Eze’s journey at Arsenal is only just starting.
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