Eberechi Eze is Starting to Look Like a Really Poor Arsenal Signing

· GiveMeSport

Eberechi Eze only played 66 minutes of Arsenal's 1-0 Champions League win at Napoli on Wednesday evening following a poor display in Italy

Eberechi Eze will likely find himself watching on from the sidelines on Saturday evening when Arsenal return to Premier League action against Sunderland.

The England international unfortunately passed up his audition to start at the Stadium of Light with a disappointing showing in Arsenal's 1-0 Champions League win against Napoli on Wednesday night.

A substitute in all four of the Gunners' 2026/27 games prior to their first Champions League outing of the campaign, the 28-year-old was in desperate need of a start to try and play his way into Mikel Arteta's XI on a permanent basis.

The chance came his way on Wednesday evening in Naples, taking the place of new signing Christos Tzolis on the left wing.

However, Eze would only be on the pitch for 66 minutes before he was replaced by the new man for the remainder of the game.

It was a huge missed opportunity for Eze, with the player just not having a say on the game in the final third in his game time.

The ex-Crystal Palace man did not score well at all in the player ratings from the game, receiving a mark of four out of ten in the Daily Express .

They wrote:

> "Dubbed as the solution to Arsenal's left-wing problem, but it's safe to say there are still more questions than answers. Far too safe and predictable whenever he was on the ball"

"Far too safe and predictable" was something he definitely was not at Crystal Palace , with the player regularly getting fans off their feet and tying players in knots with his footwork and ability on the ball.

His outstanding form at Selhurst Park ultimately led to his £67.5million move to Arsenal but, despite winning the Premier League in his first season at the Emirates Stadium, the ex-QPR man has been unable to replicate his Crystal Palace form on a regular basis.

That is why it is vital that he takes his opportunity when it arrives, something he certainly did not do in Naples on Wednesday evening.

Eberechi Eze's performance vs Napoli (via FotMob )

- Minutes: 66 - Accurate passes: 21/22 - Chances created: 2 - Big chances created: 1 - Shots on target: 0 - Shots off target: 1 - Blocked shots: 1 - Touches in opposition box: 3 - Successful dribbles: 0/2

Martin Odegaard's brilliant start to the season continued on Wednesday with the Gunners captain scoring the winner in Italy.

The Norwegian's form is ultimately bad news for Eze as it means the attacking midfield role is not up for grabs with Odegaard a must in the position.

On Odegaard's performance, Arteta said:

> " That's what we need, the players with that mindset to decide the game , and to play with that personality, that an action might not happen, it's the next one, the next one, and keep insisting, keep taking chances and risks. > > "He's getting into those positions much more in recent games, and now you feel he has this emotional state that he knows that the ball can go in, and he scored an incredible goal tonight."

As a result, Eze may have to settle for minutes on the left wing but that is certainly not a guarantee going on his showing against Napoli and also Tzolis' start to life in an Arsenal shirt.

Barring the five goals he scored against Tottenham last season and some strong displays here and there, Eze's start to life at Arsenal has been rather underwhelming to say the least.

Arteta and Arsenal need more from their £67.5m man going forward or else he may have to settle for a bit-part role in the months ahead as the Premier League champions look to bring more silverware back to the Emirates Stadium.

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