Eze's Arsenal Struggle: £67.5m Signing Faces Uphill Battle for Starting Role
Eberechi Eze has encountered significant difficulties in establishing himself as a regular starter at Arsenal following his high-profile £67.5 million transfer from Crystal Palace. The England international, who initially made a promising impact with a memorable hat-trick against Tottenham in late November, has since experienced a dramatic decline in form and playing time under manager Mikel Arteta.
Patience Tested as Opportunities Dwindle
Eze recently revealed his personal motto during an interview, stating "It's not about now. It's the long game" when speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast. This philosophy reflects his career journey, having been released by Arsenal at age 13 before eventually finding success at Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace. However, patience is being severely tested as the 27-year-old has now gone 18 appearances across all competitions without scoring since that Tottenham victory.
The forward's situation has deteriorated to the point where he's been restricted to a bit-part role in Premier League matches. After an ineffective first-half performance against Brentford last week - his first league start in nearly two months - Eze was substituted at halftime. In Arsenal's midweek match against Wolves, Bukayo Saka was preferred in the number 10 role that Eze might typically occupy.
Statistical Decline and Positional Challenges
The statistics reveal a concerning drop in productivity since Eze's move to North London. Last season at Crystal Palace, he attempted 4.6 dribbles per match and completed exactly half of those attempts - significantly more than any current Arsenal player. This season, that figure has plummeted to just 2.8 dribbles attempted per match, with only 1.6 being successful.
Chance creation has seen an even more dramatic decline. During his final two seasons at Palace, Eze created 54 and 58 chances respectively (averaging 2.4 and 2 per match) as the team's primary creative hub. This season at Arsenal, he has created just nine chances total, averaging only 0.7 per match. Some supporters have drawn parallels with Jack Grealish's initial struggles at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, suggesting Eze might be similarly constrained by Arteta's tactical system.
Positional Uncertainty and Defensive Concerns
Eze has not been deployed on the left-hand side of Arsenal's attack since December's last-minute defeat to Aston Villa - the position where he thrived at Crystal Palace and has frequently played for England. His defensive lapse during that Villa match, where he failed to track Matty Cash's run leading to an equalizer, is believed to have damaged his standing in Arteta's meticulously organized system.
Arteta has typically preferred Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli for the left-wing position, while Eze's natural tendency to drop deeper in search of space often conflicts with Declan Rice's forward runs from midfield. The manager recently commented on Eze's situation, noting "In the last few weeks he has had more consistency in one position and is just trying to understand those relationships where he is more comfortable where he can impact the game more in relation to the opponent."
Spring Form Could Prove Crucial for Title Challenge
Despite his current struggles, Eze possesses a remarkable record of late-season productivity that could prove invaluable as Arsenal's title challenge reaches its climax. Incredibly, 18 of his 38 Premier League goals have come between weeks 30 and 38 of previous campaigns - precisely when matches matter most in the title race.
Arsenal's creative output has become a concern, with only Saka and Rice featuring in the Premier League's top 25 for chances created. The team ranks fourth behind Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City in chance creation statistics, with Guardiola's side having scored 17 more goals from open play than their North London rivals.
With Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard returning from injury and competing for places, and Eze also hoping to secure a spot in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, the coming weeks represent a critical period for the talented playmaker. His ability to rediscover his Crystal Palace form during the season's decisive final stretch could provide Arsenal with the creative spark needed to overcome Manchester City's challenge and secure their first Premier League title since 2004.
