Alan Shearer names Arsenal player who looks 'lost' under Mikel Artetaplaceholder image
Alan Shearer names Arsenal player who looks 'lost' under Mikel Arteta | Getty Images
Arsenal have one of the strongest squads in the Premier League - but Alan Shearer feels Eberechi Eze looks lost at the Gunners
Alan Shearer believes that Eberechi Eze looks ‘lost’ at Arsenal and feels his lack of starts under Mikel Arteta in recent months will have a negative impact on his chances of going to the World Cup.
Eze has not scored or assisted in the Premier League since scoring a hat-trick in November against Tottenham in the North London derby. He has five goals and five assists in 34 appearances in all competitions since his move from Crystal Palace in August.
He was withdrawn at half-time in Thursday’s 0-0 draw with Brentford. Mikel Arteta insisted that decision was tactical as he said after “we needed another kind of profile” in order to deal with the way Brentford were pressing Arsenal during the game.
His start against the Bees was his first since mid-December in the 2-1 win over Wolves. He then spent the next four games on the bench before coming on as a substitute in all the following Premier League games.
Shearer said: “Mikel Arteta has got one or two things that he needs to iron out. I mean, the situation with Eze against Brentford was surprising a bit because he seems lost or at least he did in that game.
“He took him off at half time and they got a little bit better. They put more pressure on Brentford and then they got the goal. But I thought Brentford were worth their point at least.
“Eze looks lost. It's remarkable really, isn't it? The guy we're talking about who scored the hat-trick in the North London Derby. Everyone was thinking, wow, what a player he is and what a time he's going to have at Arsenal. The way he sort of walked out full of confidence in that Arsenal stadium when he got his move and he looked as if he was a natural fit and, and belonged there. But he looked lost against Brentford. He looked as if he needed the world to swallow him up. He didn't look comfortable at all.
“He won't be in the England squad if he's not going to be playing. I think that was his first start from mid-December last year as well. He's hardly had any starts as well and that has to change if he's going to get in the England squad.”
The former Crystal Palace man could be handed another chance on Sunday when Arsenal take on Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The Gunners have not progressed past the fourth round since 2020 but Sunday’s game gives them a huge chance to correct that record.
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