£60m Arsenal star told he’ll now barely play as Mikel Arteta hails ‘special’ Gunners teammate – ‘he’s a sub’
Arsenal star Eberechi Eze has been told that he is barely going to play this season, while Mikel Arteta has hailed one of his teammates.
England international Eze joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace in last summer’s transfer window for around £60m.
Since the start of last season, Eze has only impressed in fits and starts, and he is now only a bit-part player for the Premier League holders.
On Sunday afternoon against Nottingham Forest, Eze started on the left flank but was taken off at half-time after doing very little, and ex-Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has explained why the talented attacker is unlikely to play much for Arsenal moving forward.
“In the way he sets up his No.10, I don’t see Eze getting a lot of action there,” Pardew said on talkSPORT.
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“There’s a real defensive side to that No.10 position he likes that Martin Odegaard does and Eze doesn’t do.
“I think Arteta doesn’t feel comfortable with that.”
He continued: “In certain games, against lesser opposition, Eze will be given that No.10 position.
“But I’ve seen him on that left side for Crystal Palace a few times and it’s just not him. He’s never going to go down the left-hand side and whip crosses in, he wants to come and play centrally. He’s going to make the game too narrow and therefore you’ve not got enough width, so it’s a problem.
“Arteta took him off rightly, in my opinion, as it just wasn’t working.
“In the first instance, though, perhaps he shouldn’t have started him there, and used him as an impact as a No.10. And I think that will be his role at Arsenal, if they need a goal.
“I don’t think Eze is going to be a starter for Arsenal, I think he’s a sub and if they need a moment, then the manager can give him the last 10-15 minutes of games.”
READ MORE: Arsenal star ‘devastated’ by Mikel Arteta decision in victory over Nottingham Forest
Mikel Arteta reserves praise for “special” Arsenal star
Arsenal did not improve too much after Eze went off, but substitute Noni Madueke fired home a late winner as Arteta’s side beat Nottm Forest 1-0.
Speaking post-match, Arteta reserved praise for “special character” Madueke after reports linking him with an exit from Arsenal.
“Noni, look at me, a smile on my face because he’s a special character,” Arteta said.
“He’s someone very much loved in and around the dressing room, the way he connects, talks to people.
“He’s just a special guy. I think I saw an interview where they were asking a few of our players, ‘Who would you call if you have a problem?’.
“And some of them said Noni, which I was surprised [by].
“But I think it’s a massive credit and explains the kind of person that he is. He’s in a good moment.
“I think after the break, he’s showing something else, another level of anger, another level of conviction as well in his actions, and he’s becoming now decisive in matches, which is what we expect for a player like him.”
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