Eberechi Eze has encountered significant difficulties in cementing his place at Arsenal since his high-profile £67.5 million transfer from Crystal Palace. The England international, who returned to his boyhood club with great expectations, has seen his goal contributions diminish dramatically after an initial promising start that included a memorable hat-trick against Tottenham in late November.
A Patient Approach Amidst Limited Opportunities
In a recent interview, Eze revealed his personal motto: "It's not about now. It's the long game." This philosophy reflects his career journey, having been released by Arsenal at age thirteen before eventually finding success at Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace. However, patience is being tested as the playmaker has made eighteen appearances across all competitions without scoring since that Spurs victory, finding himself increasingly marginalized in Mikel Arteta's tactical plans.
Statistical Decline in Key Areas
The numbers reveal a stark contrast between Eze's performances at Palace and his current output at Arsenal. Last season, he attempted 4.6 dribbles per match with a 50% success rate—significantly higher than any current Arsenal player. This season, those figures have plummeted to just 2.8 attempts with only 1.6 successful dribbles per game.
His creative output has suffered even more dramatically. During his final two seasons at Palace, Eze created 54 and 58 chances respectively (averaging 2.4 and 2 per match). This season, he has managed just nine chances created total, averaging a mere 0.7 per appearance. Some observers have noted parallels with how Jack Grealish initially struggled to adapt to Pep Guardiola's system at Manchester City after his move from Aston Villa.
Positional Challenges and Managerial Preferences
Eze has not started on the left side of Arsenal's attack since December's defeat to Aston Villa—the position where he excelled at Palace and frequently plays for England. During that Villa match, he was at fault for Matty Cash's equalizer when he failed to track the full-back's run, an error that reportedly damaged his standing in Arteta's meticulously organized system.
Arteta has consistently preferred Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli in that left-sided role, while Eze's tendency to drop deeper in search of space often conflicts with Declan Rice's forward runs. The manager recently commented on Eze's situation, stating: "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."
Competition for Places Intensifies
With Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard returning from injury and Bukayo Saka being preferred in the number ten role recently, Eze faces mounting competition for limited starting positions. His half-time substitution against Brentford last week—his first league start in nearly two months—and his anxious performance after coming on against Wolves demonstrate his current peripheral status.
The Late-Season Factor That Could Change Everything
Despite his struggles, Eze possesses one potentially crucial attribute for Arsenal's title challenge: a remarkable record of scoring important late-season goals. Of his 38 Premier League goals, an incredible 18 have come between weeks 30 and 38 of previous campaigns—precisely when championship races are decided.
This historical pattern could prove vital as Arsenal seek their first league title since 2004, especially with Manchester City applying intense pressure in the current title race. The Gunners have only two players (Saka and Rice) in the Premier League's top 25 for chances created, and they trail City by 17 goals scored from open play.
Finding Freedom Within Structure
After his summer move, Eze told Arsenal legend Ian Wright: "As long as I'm on the pitch and I'm given the opportunity to play and express myself in that environment then it doesn't matter where I play. Of course [the manager] has ideas and things he wants. But for me, I'm free, man."
That sense of freedom has been conspicuously absent in recent performances, most notably when he snatched at a late chance to win against Wolves. As Arsenal's title hopes hang in the balance, Arteta must decide whether to trust Eze's proven ability to deliver during the season's decisive moments or continue with more established options in his system.
