Eberechi Eze will hold his head high after his first season as an Arsenal player and could end up being a title winner along the way.
Eze was signed for big money in the summer and while some might suggest he’s struggled to show the form he did at Crystal Palace, he’s still very much contributed.
The England star has been dropped by Mikel Arteta and also had injuries to contend with.
However, according to Arteta, that has only served to help him see just what Eze is all about.
Mikel Arteta praises Eberechi Eze’s passion for football
Mikel Arteta has been open all season about how he sees Eze’s role in the team and in fairness, he has given him ample playing time.
Nevertheless, it was what Eze did when he was out of the team that’s left Arteta so impressed.
“One of them, I didn’t know that he was so determined, so obsessed & so willing to push his body. I didn’t know that part of him & it really surprised me in a really powerful way, how much he loves the game,” Arteta said in his pre-match presser today.
“When you take somebody’s opportunity to play, you really see their reaction. His was… wow, how involved he was in & around the team, the energy that he brings every day in the building.”
“Then, we used that time as well to identify areas where he can impact the game, get his opinion wide & open about where he sees himself, where he’s more comfortable, what he sees about the team & I think we used that time in a really good way.”
Eberechi Eze’s first season stats as an Arsenal player
Eberechi Eze will count his first season as an Arsenal player as a success.
As well as hitting a hat-trick against Tottenham, he then followed that up with a double as well, propelling himself into the top scorers for Arsenal in North London Derby history.
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Nine goals in all competitions is a decent enough return in his first season, although the three assists need to be improved upon.
In terms of passing, Eze has an 87% pass completion rate for the season, which, when looking at how often he receives the ball surrounded by defenders, is impressive.
Ultimately, Eze has done enough in his first season to impress. The trick now is for him to keep improving and show he can produce consistently over long periods of time.
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