Arsenal’s pursuit of major trophies has created a bloated squad where high-profile signing Eberechi Eze currently finds himself sidelined due to tactical rigidity and the consistent form of versatile teammates.
Following a busy summer transfer window, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces the growing challenge of managing an oversized squad.
Despite high-profile signings like Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Viktor Gyokeres, several stars are struggling for minutes.
This surplus of talent suggests a calculated gamble by the club to secure major silverware, even if it results in “natural attrition” and player departures during the upcoming summer window.
The spotlight has fallen specifically on Eberechi Eze, who has not featured in the Premier League since mid-December.
After failing to track a runner in a loss to Aston Villa, Eze appears to have lost Arteta’s immediate trust.
This “exile” is compounded by the return of captain Martin Odegaard and the consistent form of Leandro Trossard, leaving the former Crystal Palace talisman as an unused substitute in recent critical fixtures.
Eze’s transition highlights the tactical shift required when moving from a “main man” role to a structured system.
Much like Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City, Eze must adapt to a team that no longer orbits around his individual creativity.
“There is a good challenge for Eze to improve his out of possession game,” notes columnist Tim Stillman, emphasizing that even stars like Bukayo Saka must “roll up his sleeves and muck in.”
Current tactical preferences have favored “technical security” over Eze’s high-risk, high-reward style.
In recent wins against Everton and Brighton, Arteta opted for the defensive work rate of Gabriel Jesus and the pace of Gabriel Martinelli to protect narrow leads.
Trossard remains the preferred option due to his versatility, as he is “skilful without quite being a Madueke style one-on-one merchant” and can “match Eze when it comes to sticking the ball into the onion bag.”
The long-term concern remains whether a diverse range of player profiles risks the team’s balance.
While the squad’s depth provides insurance against injuries, it risks typecasting creative players for specific scenarios rather than allowing them to become every-game starters.
For Eze and other newcomers to reclaim their place, they must prove they can be trusted in all game states, matching the reliability of established leaders like Declan Rice.