According to Mikel Arteta, the purpose of recruiting Eberechi Eze was to have a significant impact on the pitch for Arsenal.
New signing makes his mark in the Cup
Arsenal move past Port Vale and advance to the fourth round of Carabao Cup. But, the performance didn’t fully reflect their dominance. With nine changes to the starting XI, the Gunners were expected to put the League One side to the sword. Yet, the margin stayed small.
Eberechi Eze hardly needed any time to prove exactly why he was signed. He scored within eight minutes after Myles Lewis-Skelly set him up with a great assist. It was the first time that he scored a goal in Arsenal colours. He very well could’ve had two, but the home keeper kept him out right before the break.
The Gunners, even with the reshuffling, controlled the ball comfortably. But, the finishing was not sharp enough from the fans point-of-view.
Eze’s performance was eye-catching. He had 55 ball touches, completing almost 90 percent of his passes, while winning some wonderful battles in midfield. The Englishman was also working in the defence. He managed to win duels and tackle while completing every long ball that he attempted. His performance was exactly what Mikel Arteta imagined when he moved heaven and earth to get him in.
Arteta gives verdict on Eze
After the game, Arteta was direct about why Eze was brought into the fold. The Arsenal boss explained that the club invested in the 27-year-old because he changes matches, plain and simple. It’s not about numbers on paper but the ability to tilt games in Arsenal’s favour.
The head coach even confessed he thought Eze could have gotten another couple of goals on the night. He showed the high standards he asks of his most expensive summer signing.
Since arriving from Crystal Palace, Eze has been recycled across wide areas as well as through the number 10 position. This is a sign of his versatility that is fitting with Arsenal’s fluid style. The £48m signing has slotted in seamlessly, and with time his chemistry with teammates will only sharpen.
Author’s Opinion:
Eze is capable of winning close matches for Arsenal. If he continues to play like this, he will be a difference-maker in PL and in UCL as well.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
