Arteta Dismisses Need for External Motivation as Eze Settles at Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has firmly stated that Eberechi Eze requires no additional encouragement to excel for Arsenal, with the manager admitting he is still in the process of understanding the former Crystal Palace playmaker on multiple levels. The Gunners boss emphasised that motivation should be intrinsic for any top professional.
Derby Heroics Contrast With Inconsistent Form
Eze made history in November by becoming the first player to score a Premier League hat-trick in a north London derby. He was again instrumental last Sunday, netting twice in Arsenal's comprehensive 4-1 victory over Tottenham. However, the 27-year-old's performances between those standout derby displays have been variable, prompting Arteta to acknowledge the ongoing adaptation period.
"Motivation has never been an issue," Arteta declared. "I believe that if you have to motivate a player then you have a big problem. Motivation is just talk, for someone to inspire you for a minute of an hour."
The manager elaborated that Eze's primary drive stems from his decision to join the club. "I think the biggest motivation he has is the reason why he came to this club. He really feels attached and belonging here. The rest is moments that you have in your career. When you move to a different club, navigating that and making sure you do everything that you possibly can to make it work."
Scrutiny and Adaptation Following December Mistake
Eze faced considerable scrutiny after an error contributed to December's 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa. Since the mid-December victory over Wolves, he has started only two Premier League matches. Historically, Eze's attacking output has improved during the latter stages of the season, a pattern Arteta is keen to see continue as Arsenal pursue an unprecedented quadruple.
Arteta also revealed he has not completely ruled out deploying Eze on the left wing again in the future. "He can do. Now he has got many more months and games and understanding of what the games require for him to make the difference. I hope that it's the case and that he smashes it from here until the end of the season."
Gyokeres' Impact and Arteta's Philosophical Take on Comparisons
The victory over Tottenham also featured a brace from the in-form Viktor Gyokeres, taking the Swedish striker's tally to 15 goals across all competitions this season. This follows a slow start after his summer move from Sporting Lisbon.
When reminded that Gyokeres' current total is just one goal shy of Didier Drogba's output in his debut Chelsea season, Arteta offered a philosophical perspective on such comparisons.
"It's always the case about who you compare with," Arteta mused. "I have a beautiful apartment, but this guy has the biggest mansion in the world. So my apartment is terrible. But I can be so proud that I worked so hard to get it and pay the debts of my apartment and refurbish it and have a beautiful kitchen. I go to his house and I get depressed. So it depends on the eyes that you look at it."
He concluded on Gyokeres: "So I think what (Viktor's) doing is improvable, yes. But I think his contribution, I think it's been important so far."
