Mikel Arteta did something majorly wrong during Arsenal’s draw with Manchester City in Ian Wright’s eyes.
The Arsenal manager is under pressure early into the season as the Gunners have yet to look at their best.
Such was anticipated, given the influx of change in the Arsenal squad over the summer transfer window, with a period of adaptation required.
That being said, in some instances, Arteta has been shooting himself in the foot, most notably as Arsenal’s team selection continues to be questioned.
Against Manchester City, it was no different, as no one could understand why Arteta didn’t start Eberechi Eze.
Joe Hart said Ian Wright was furious that Mikel Arteta didn’t start Eberechi Eze vs Man City
Gary Neville gave a brutal review of Arteta’s team selection against City, calling the boss out for not being bold enough to take risks.
The Sky Sports pundit wasn’t the only one to be surprised by Arteta, most notably, choosing Leandro Trossard over Eze, as the decision enraged Ian Wright.
As featured on BBC’s Football Daily podcast, Joe Hart described how the Arsenal legend reacted to Eze being left out of the starting XI.
“I was with Ian Wright on the channel I was working on, and he was going absolutely wild. He was going wild over the fact that Eze hadn’t started.”
Eze struggled against Athletic Club in his first-ever Champions League game, and then Trossard was introduced and scored, which would’ve influenced Arteta’s decision.
What was perplexing, however, was that even without Martin Odegaard, Arteta did not start Eze in his favoured number ten role, instead opting for Mikel Merino.
It’s unsurprising that Wright was unhappy with the selection, as many shared the opinion that the Arsenal manager made an error.
Eze has earned the right to play in attacking midfield at Arsenal
Eze was the mastermind behind Gabriel Martinelli’s goal against Man City, with his influence coming from the central area.
After the game, Arteta confirmed that Eze will play more as a number ten, but it’s now on the manager to give his summer signing the chance to do so.
Odegaard is still missing due to a shoulder injury, but once he returns, Arteta has a difficult call to make between the two players.
For Eze, it has to be said that the Englishman is at an advantage, having recorded two assists in 144 Premier League minutes for Arsenal.
A selection headache between two top-class players is a dilemma Arteta will love to have, but it’s clear to see that there is pressure on the boss to properly manage his resources.
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