Mikel Arteta referenced “very unusual giveaways that caused transitions” in his evaluation of Arsenal’s first-half difficulties of their 1-0 win towards Fulham final weekend.
The Arsenal supervisor didn’t give any names however there have been a couple of he might have chosen from. Gabriel Magalhaes was uncharacteristically sloppy on a few events. As was Leandro Trossard.
Eberechi Eze was one other offender.
Eze’s £67m arrival from Saturday’s opponents Crystal Palace prompted an instantaneous clamour for Arteta to throw him into his staff. Understandably so. He’s in fact a gem of a participant. He has rightly earned reward for a few of his early performances.
However there have been reminders in that first half towards Fulham that he’s nonetheless within the early levels of adapting to the calls for of a brand new supervisor and enjoying fashion. Eze himself has admitted his “mind is being stretched” as he adjusts to his new environment.
The primary of the “unusual giveaways” Arteta referred to at Craven Cottage got here within the tenth minute, when Eze, enjoying as Arsenal’s No 10, was dispossessed by Sander Berge and Tom Cairney within the centre circle after eschewing a easy go to try a dribble.
Eze declines to go to Gabriel and tries to dribble round Berge
Eze is stopped by a mix of Cairney and Berge
The turnover allowed Josh King to flick the ball on to Raul Jimenez, giving Fulham a three-on-three assault which could have proved pricey for Arsenal had the striker’s tried through-ball to Harry Wilson not been barely overhit.
Fulham are capable of launch a three-on-three assault by way of Jimenez
Watching it again, there’s a notable distinction within the velocity with which Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori run again in comparison with Eze, who’s slower off the mark having had much less time to acclimatise to Arteta’s off-the-ball calls for.
Fulham pressured one other turnover in related circumstances 20 minutes later, when Eze once more opted towards a protected go, this time to Martin Zubimendi, solely to see his path blocked by King, who nicked the ball off him and drove deep into Arsenal’s half.
Eze has two gamers free to his left however opts to show inside
Eze is dispossessed by King, permitting Fulham to counter
King drives into house on the break as Eze makes an attempt to recuperate
He did get again, however once more there was a relative lack of depth about his try and regain possession, with King turning away from him simply and producing a cross-shot that nearly crept beneath the crossbar, leaving Eze holding a hand up in apology.
Eze tries to shut down King however leaves house for him to show
King turns again in direction of aim and accelerates away from Eze
Eze acknowledges his error by holding up his hand after Raya concedes the nook
The missteps may be put all the way down to the variation course of. His new aspect are a distinct proposition to his previous one. Arsenal had 63 per cent possession towards Fulham. Palace solely matched that determine in a single Premier League recreation final season.
Clearly, there’s much less room to manoeuvre when opponents arrange as Fulham did. “He is probably more used to attacking open spaces and breaks and facing and carrying the ball with the space in front of him,” mentioned Arteta after the sport.
As for the turnovers, the rationale they stood out is as a result of Arteta’s aspect normally excel at limiting counter-attacking alternatives. Solely Bournemouth allowed fewer quick breaks throughout the 2023/25 and 2024/25 Premier League seasons.
Curiously, Arsenal sit on the different finish of the dimensions this time period, having allowed extra quick breaks than another aspect, with 13.
Eze will not be solely culpable, in fact, and the excellent news for Arsenal is that he’s studying rapidly. In opposition to Atletico Madrid, he began in the identical place and produced an outstanding show freed from “giveaways” however nonetheless characterised by ability and inventive aptitude.
This time, he selected higher moments to drive ahead with the ball. Highlights of his efficiency included a cute go by way of the legs of Giuliano Simeone to create an opportunity for Myles Lewis-Skelly and a through-ball to place Bukayo Saka in on aim.
Eze embraces Gabriel throughout Arsenal’s win over Atletico Madrid
Eze was in fact introduced in by Arsenal so as to add that X-factor. He was engaging to them exactly as a result of he’s totally different. Arteta’s problem is simply to strike the appropriate stability; to include his spontaneity with out compromise defensively.
The Atletico recreation was a step in the appropriate route and it ought to be famous that Eze is having to acclimatise to totally different positions in addition to a brand new set of team-mates and a brand new enjoying fashion.
Two months into his Arsenal profession, he has already been used on either side of midfield in addition to on the left of the entrance three.
Eze has performed on the left and on either side of midfield this season
“I’ve been very impressed by how quickly he picks things up, the questions he asks, and how smart he is to navigate through a different environment,” mentioned Arteta final month.
His versatility is a helpful asset which has allowed Arteta to gauge the place he may be most impactful. So what’s his greatest place?
Martin Odegaard’s accidents have opened house within the staff centrally. Eze has the flexibility to match Odegaard’s creativity there, whereas additionally bringing attributes of his personal, however the out-of-possession components of the position would possibly take some getting used to.
Odegaard is invaluable to Arsenal’s press and whereas Eze has averaged a virtually an identical variety of pressures because the begin of final season, there’s a hole in depth seen within the information for sprints. Odegaard additionally covers significantly extra floor on common.
The variations are rooted in fashion reasonably than work-rate. Eze is a extra explosive participant than Odegaard. He usually conserves his vitality to maximise his effectiveness on the ball.
However they help the argument that Eze’s future could lie on the left, albeit with licence to come back inside and occupy the identical areas during which he thrived for Crystal Palace in possession.
Eze’s warmth map for Crystal Palace final season within the Premier League
He isn’t a touchline-hugging huge participant however he may be efficient as a extra standard winger when wanted, as proven by his help for Viktor Gyokeres towards Nottingham Forest, when his low, left-wing cross gave the striker a simple end.
In fact, the necessities of every recreation are totally different. There will probably be events when Arsenal are higher served utilizing Eze as a part of their midfield three. However ranging from the left, reasonably than centrally, would additionally permit him to take dangers with much less probability of leaving Arsenal uncovered to breaks like those cited by Arteta towards Fulham.
As a result of finally, Eze must be inspired to comply with his instincts, to make use of his particular person brilliance to vary video games and break groups open. He’s adapting to Arsenal. However Arsenal are additionally adapting to him. The excellent news is that it’s taking place rapidly.
Watch Arsenal vs Crystal Palace stay on Sky Sports activities Premier League from 12.30pm on Tremendous Sunday; kick-off 2pm
