Mikel Arteta says Arsenal are ready to adjust Eberechi Eze’s role in order to maximize his influence after the summer signing netted his first goal for the club on Wednesday (September 24).
The £67.5m summer arrival from Crystal Palace struck inside eight minutes to set the Gunners on their way to a 2-0 win over Port Vale in the EFL Cup third round.
Eze finished coolly after Myles Lewis-Skelly flicked on Gabriel Martinelli’s pass, while Leandro Trossard added a late second to book a fourth-round matchup against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Eze’s growing role at Arsenal
Eze was deployed in the advanced role of a three-man midfield at Vale Park, but Arteta admitted afterwards that he intends to keep experimenting with the 27-year-old’s starting position to give him more freedom on the ball.
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“It depends on the players around him and in certain moments the space was closed, so we moved him somewhere else,” Arteta revealed to Sky Sports after the match.
“He is a player who has to be in touch with the ball, and we will find ways to do that.
“That’s why we got him for, to win football matches. He should have scored another two, I think.”
Eze himself described his first goal for his boyhood club as something very special, adding: “I’ve been waiting to score for this club for a long time and the first is very special.”
The forward was left out of Arteta’s starting lineup in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City, sparking concerns that the manager might restrict the freedom that made Eze so effective at Palace.
But Arteta’s latest comments should reassure Arsenal fans that he intends to give the 27-year-old the same license to thrive at the Emirates.
But despite Eze’s early strike, Arteta’s men were far from convincing against their League One opponents.
“The biggest thing is the reputation, and that’s a big thing,” Arteta added.
“We knew the crowd would be with them if we gave them anything. In the second half, there was a moment where they had throw-in after throw-in. We lacked control there.
“They played direct, and they wanted to attack the box; we wanted to avoid that. We had moments in the game where we were very dominant and very good.”
Arsenal head to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United on Sunday (September 28), with Eze’s standout display putting him in strong contention for a starting role.
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