Eberechi Eze should make the Arsenal left-wing spot his "own" as the 2025-26 season continues, but two things may need to happen for him to usurp Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, Charles Watts has exclusively told Sports Mole.
The 27-year-old has largely filled in for the injured Martin Odegaard during the captain's absence with a knee problem, but the Norway international is expected to return imminently and will win his place back in the starting XI when fully fit.
If Eze continues centrally, the ex-Crystal Palace man will also be competing with Ethan Nwaneri for minutes, while he would also have to fight Trossard and Martinelli for minutes on the left, where he scored a fine goal for England against Serbia as a substitute.
Eze has now scored all three of his England goals as a substitute, but Watts does not believe that he would be better suited to an impact role and has backed him to become Arsenal's first-choice left-winger, if he continues to shine off the bench and if Trossard loses his way.
“Everyone's going to have to make an impact off the bench when everyone's fit, because there's going to be a lot of good players on the bench," Watts said. "If they want to force their way into the team, they're going to need to make an impact when they do get opportunities.
“Once Odegaard's back, Odegaard's going to play that role that Eze's been playing in. That’s just a given. Eze's done well filling in, but I don't think that's his best position – his best is more coming in off the left-hand side or playing in the sort of left central role.
Watts: 'Eberechi Eze can make Arsenal left-hand side his own'
Charles Watts YouTube image
“At the moment you've got Leandro Trossard playing in fantastic form and fully warranting his starting place. I don't see Eze pushing him out. You'd have to wait for a dip in form or for Eze to make massive impacts off the bench.
“As the season goes on, if Odegaard's back, I do think that Eze will eventually make that position on the left-hand side his own for more of the games than not. The way he came in off that left-hand side and scored that goal for England, you think ‘I can see that happening for Arsenal.’ And I do think that's his best position.”
Eze tended to produce his best work from the left half-spaces while on the books at Crystal Palace, so operating in a right-sided role is somewhat unfamiliar to the England international, whose compatriot Declan Rice normally acts as the left eight for Arsenal.
The £105m man has unexpectedly blossomed into a chief goal threat since leaving West Ham United, with Mikel Arteta aiming to make a complete midfielder out of Rice, who can carry the ball forward while Martin Zubimendi acts as the midfield screen.
However, in a situation where Arsenal are trying to break down a low block, Arteta could drop Rice into the six, start Odegaard his familiar right-sided slot and give Eze freedom in the left eight position in an attack-minded midfield.
Watts cannot see Arteta going down that avenue against the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, but he does believe that the Spaniard has that midfield 'on his mind', having trialled it during the West Ham United win where Odegaard sustained his knee problem.
Can Eberechi Eze work as Arsenal's left eight?
Arsenal's Eberechi Eze pictured on September 13, 2025
“We saw it in the game Odegaard got injured in - Rice was playing as a six and then Odegaard and Eze as joint eights," Watts added. "There'd been a lot of talk ahead of that game about whether we'd see it and we did see it. So it's definitely something that Mikel's got in his mind.
“It all depends on the game, the opponent, is it at the Emirates or away from home? I don't think it's something you'd do at the Etihad or Anfield, but it's definitely an option that's available to him. It’s just that versatility and unpredictability that Arteta has.
“Kai Havertz could play in that left eight position - there's so many different options that's going to keep opposition managers guessing when everyone gets fit. I keep saying when everyone gets fit - if that ever actually happens when it comes to Arsenal, it's probably doubtful!
“But you know what I mean - there's so many different options there for Arsenal and for Arteta to how he's going to line the team up.”
Eze will experience his first taste of North London derby action on Sunday afternoon, facing Tottenham Hotspur for the first time since snubbing a summer move to the Lilywhites in favour of the Gunners.
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