Eberechi Eze hits a new level of form in the spring and summer months, which spells bad news for Martin Odegaard ahead of his injury return.
Arsenal’s Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen proved a lot about Eze’s suitability in Mikel Arteta’s system.
It’s been a testing season for Eze with regard to the task of adapting to Arsenal’s tactics, vacating a small pond as a big fish to become a smaller fish in a bigger pond.
It just so happened that Eze made the pond of his dreams home, and he’s finally delivering at the level that Arteta demands.
The timing of such is perfect, as things are ticking at a time of the season that the playmaker typically loves.
Agree or disagree: Eberechi Eze just scored Arsenal’s goal of the season
Eberechi Eze’s form leading into summer spells bad news for Martin Odegaard
Odegaard hasn’t played for Arsenal since the North London Derby win almost a month ago.
The captain has a lot of work to do when he returns, but even his best efforts might not be enough to get back into the starting XI.
The Telegraph’s Sam Dean just shared a statistic that portrays exactly what Arsenal can expect from Eze at this time of year.
In the previous four seasons, Eze has averaged 0.5 goals per game in March, April and May.
To contextualise, he averages 0.19 in the same metric in the autumn and winter months.
Crystal Palace fans had warned Arsenal fans of how incredible Eze becomes when the season hits crunch time, and it came to fruition against Bayer Leverkusen.
Aside from his ridiculous goal, which showcased the confidence and swagger Eze is now playing with, his entire gameplay massively improved.
Arteta noticed Eze’s change, speaking highly of the midfielder’s adaptation after the win.
Run-in Eze is no joke, and while it arrives at a perfect time for Arsenal, who are still fighting on all four fronts, it spells a rather ominous message out to Odegaard.
If the summer signing keeps his form going, it’s difficult to see where the Norwegian fits into the starting XI.
TRUE or FALSE: Eberechi Eze has just taken Martin Odegaard’s spot at Arsenal… 👀
Every one of Arsenal’s remaining games will be treated as a cup final, which is where goals are most important, something Eze eclipses Odegaard in.
In the Premier League this season, Eze averages 1.6 shots per game, the second-highest at Arsenal behind Bukayo Saka.
Odegaard’s average is far lower at 1.0, suggesting that when it comes to having the confidence to take on and execute shots in must-win moments, Eze is Arteta’s best bet.
The numbers point to Eze, as does the eye-test, as when he’s at his best, the former Crystal Palace man is one of the most exciting Arsenal players to watch.
Spring and summer belong to Eze, making Arteta’s number ten call far simpler heading into the run-in.
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