Eberechi Eze has fallen out of form of late, a dip that has come at a terrible time for the Arsenal star.
Arsenal fans weren’t impressed with Eze against Wolves, as the Englishman was one of many members of Mikel Arteta’s squad to underwhelm.
The competition within the Arsenal squad is intense, with one position in particular considered a foregone conclusion: the number 10 role.
Eze and Martin Odegaard are struggling to impress fans, making Arteta’s decision even harder, but it’s not only the Arsenal manager’s feedback that Eze will be wary of.
- READ MORE: Mikel Arteta keeps doing something at Arsenal and it’s making Eberechi Eze look really underwhelming
Theo Walcott’s comments about Morgan Rogers prove how under pressure Eberechi Eze is ahead of the World Cup
With the 2026 World Cup in sight, Arsenal’s England representatives will be eager to impress Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel has already shared some doubts about Eze, which is one concern about his future in the number 10 position heading into the summer tournament.
The other concern, however, is far greater, as the Arsenal playmaker’s competitors are turning their level up.
Prove me wrong: Eberechi Eze will not make England’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Theo Walcott shared huge praise for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers on BBC Match of the Day, who he thinks is Tuchel’s starter right now.
“He scored two fantastic goals and, for me, he is not just going to be in the squad next summer, he is a dead cert to be a starter for England at the World Cup – 100%,” Walcott said.
What the Arsenal icon said next will trigger alarm bells to sound in Eze’s ears, as Walcott reminded England’s other number 10s that someone will miss out altogether.
“He does everything, he’s not just a goal threat. I like all [the number 10s], but one of them is going to have to miss out on the squad itself – and Rogers, for me, has to start.”
The issue for Eze is that the race is not merely between himself and Rogers, with England’s options stacked with world-class talent; Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden to name a few.
It’s a test for Eze, but it’s only good news for Arsenal, who could expect to see a greater level of performance from their summer signing, though that’s not exactly what Arteta will encourage.
Mikel Arteta suggests the World Cup could cause problems at Arsenal
The World Cup is on every player’s mind, which is natural, but Arteta doesn’t want to know.
Speaking at his pre-match conference before Arsenal’s win over Wolves, the boss shared his thoughts about his players focusing on earning a World Cup call-up next summer.
Picture this: England have just announced their World Cup squad, how many Arsenal players have made the cut and who misses out?
“That’s a really bad approach, in my opinion,” Arteta said before explaining his comment.
“The approach has to be: what do I have to do to be in the team as much as possible? The rest will be a consequence. If somebody prioritises something for the World Cup, I think we have a big problem there.”
The manager is right, eyeing short-term success for a place at the tournament isn’t the right attitude, but can it be prevented?
There’s no greater honour than representing your nation at the World Cup, giving players an additional narrative every time they step out onto the pitch.
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