Jamie Redknapp believes Eberechi Eze is being sidelined at Arsenal because Mikel Arteta prefers a pragmatic, defensive approach to closing out matches over the playmaker’s expansive attacking style.
Eberechi Eze remained an unused substitute during Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Bournemouth, marking his fourth consecutive game on the bench.
Despite a £67.5 million summer move to his boyhood club, the former Crystal Palace playmaker has struggled to secure minutes under Mikel Arteta.
This sidelined role comes despite Eze’s impressive form last season, where his eight goals and eight assists helped lead Palace to their first major honor in the FA Cup.
Jamie Redknapp suggested that Arteta’s tactical pragmatism is the primary reason for Eze’s limited involvement.
Following the Bournemouth win, Redknapp noted that Arteta prioritizes defensive stability when protecting a lead rather than seeking further goals.
The pundit explained: “He’s [Arteta] not looking around to bring on Eze or Myles Lewis-Skelly to go and win the game 4-2 or 5-2. He’s thinking, ‘I want to keep hold of what I’ve got’.”
This defensive-first approach has paid dividends, as Arsenal now sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League.
With the Gunners emerging as set-piece specialists and boasting a robust defensive record, a “supercomputer” has given them an 82 per cent chance of winning the title.
While the squad depth has been compared to Sir Alex Ferguson’s peak Manchester United teams, Eze’s role remains a point of contention for fans and pundits alike.