Arsenal are flying in the Premier League and the Champions League tables, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any issues within their squad.
The Gunners have had so many injuries already this season, and those issues have shown no signs of stopping in recent weeks.
Despite the fitness troubles, Arsenal have been able to field a strong team more often than not because of their incredible squad depth.
That is good, but it comes with its own set of problems as well. Eberechi Eze is facing one of them.
Rate Eberechi Eze’s performances for Arsenal out of 10! Have you been impressed or should he be doing more?
Ally McCoist compares Eberechi Eze’s problem at Arsenal to Hugo Ekitike’s at Liverpool
Eze and Hugo Ekitike were among the biggest signings of the summer transfer window.
The Englishman was Arsenal’s most expensive arrival, while the French striker, even though he cost a lot of money, ranked third in Liverpool’s expenditure list.
Both players have produced magical moments for their respective clubs already this season, but neither is a guaranteed starter.
Eze has Martin Odegaard ahead of him in his preferred role, while Ekitike has had to make way for Alexander Isak at Liverpool.
Ally McCoist has highlighted the issue the two players are facing, and he has identified a potential solution as well.
When asked if Ekitike and Isak could co-exist, he said on The Breakdown on TNT Sports: “We say the same thing at Arsenal.
“Eze, sticking him out on the left side, if Calafiori goes down the outside rather than the inside, Eze can go and play in a bit, that’s where Ekitike can play.”
Imagine it’s the Champions League final tomorrow and you could only start one player out of Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard. Who are you picking and why?
Playing Eberechi Eze on the left makes sense, but it won’t work at Arsenal
Eze not being able to play as a number 10 every game because of Odegaard’s presence is a problem as that is his best role.
Playing him on the left theoretically does make sense, but it won’t really work at Arsenal.
That’s because Riccardo Calafiori or Myles Lewis-Skelly rarely ever overlap the left winger. They almost always invert, which means that the wide player will have to stick to the touchline.
Eze is more than capable of dribbling his way out of that area and having an impact centrally, but he can’t do it every time, especially when multiple players are marking him.
That is why a wide role for Eze, as we saw against Aston Villa, is not ideal. He needs to play more centrally, and it’s up to Mikel Arteta to figure out how he is going to do that in the coming months.
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