Eberechi Eze was not good enough for Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid

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Eberechi Eze was deployed as Arsenal’s number ten against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, and he didn’t offer enough for the Gunners.

The England international struggled against Fulham on Saturday evening, and despite Mikel Arteta’s side cruising to victory against the Spanish outfit, things didn’t really improve for the playmaker.

Arsenal signed Eze for £67.5 million in the summer to provide Martin Odegaard with cover and competition.

With Odegaard out injured, this is the time where the North Londoners need the former Crystal Palace man to step up, and he hasn’t done so far.

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Eberechi Eze wasn’t good enough against Atletico Madrid

Odegaard is expected to be out until after the next international break, and thus, Eze will be starting as the Gunners’ most advanced midfielder for the foreseeable future.

He’ll need to produce a lot more than he has managed to do so in his first two outings since the Norwegian’s injury.

Deployed behind Viktor Gyokeres, and alongside Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, Eze was quiet throughout his time on the pitch.

Aside from a deflected long-range effort that crashed the bar early on, and a mis-hit shot that led to Gyokeres’ second goal, the 27-year-old failed to influence proceedings consistently.

Eze found it difficult to get into the game, with one of Pablo Barrios or Koke often marking him out of contention for posession.

Arteta wasn’t satisfied with his number ten, substituting him for Ethan Nwaneri in the 72nd minute.

Ethan Nwaneri should start ahead of Eberechi Eze against Crystal Palace

Eze is still adapting and needs time to settle in a calm environment.

Unfortunately for him, Palace await Arsenal on the weekend. Playing against his former club, which gave him so much, would be an occasion full of emotion which could easily get the better of him.

For this reason, Nwaneri should start over Eze against the Eagles. The Hale End star has been bright in his limited outings thus far this season, providing some of the attributes that Odegaard supplies to the Gunners in possession.

The teenager has merited a starting berth for at least one game during the captain’s absence, and the clash with Eze’s former club feels like the apt time to give him it.

Eze’s moment will come, but for now he has to be patient.