Eberechi Eze has been told that Mikel Arteta ‘doesn’t fancy him’ after the Arsenal star was hooked against Brentford. Eze, 27, was subbed at half-time on his first Premier League start in two months.
His replacement, Martin Odegaard, sparked an improved performance from Arsenal, who took the lead shortly after. The Gunners soon conceded, though, and had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Eze’s ineffective display saw him come in for criticism. The midfielder has struggled to find his feet since joining his boyhood club, scoring five goals and providing just two assists following his £67.5million move from Crystal Palace in August.
Three of Eze’s goals came against Tottenham in November, netting a memorable hat-trick in the North London derby. But the England international didn’t kick on over the winter and there’s now wider a debate over his performances.
Speaking after the match, former Tottenham striker Peter Crouch told TNT Sports: “I believe he hadn’t started in the last nine or something like that, so he got a start today and you think ‘right go and impress Unfortunately he just felt off the boil, he couldn’t get on the ball in the first half.
“It was difficult for Arsenal in general. I felt for him. And he doesn’t give you what Odegaard gives you in pressing and he doesn’t affect it when he hasn’t got the ball.
“He was a bit of a passenger, if I’m being honest, we called it half an hour in that he was going to come off because for some reason it feels at the moment he [Arteta] doesn’t fancy him. That is going to damage his England’s chances.”
Arsenal legend Martin Keown disagreed with Crouch and is ‘sure’ that Eze will come good. “To say he doesn’t fancy him, I think it’s more a case the player doesn’t quite know understand the structure in the same way that Odegaard does,” Keown responded.
“Odegaard knows exactly where to be when the opposition have the ball and then picking up those little spaces, little passes and building play. That’s something Odegaard does well and Eze hasn’t quite picked that up yet. It will come in time, I’m sure it will.”