Arsenal summer signing Eberechi Eze once again shone against the club he nearly joined in 2025 - Tottenham Hotspur - but pundit Wayne Rooney 'disagrees' after what he has now heard about the England international.
The 27-year-old was handed just his second start in Arsenal's last 12 Premier League games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, having scored a hat-trick against Spurs in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.
The Gunners repeated that 4-1 scoreline on Sunday away from home, and while Eze couldn't match the treble he got in November, he netted a brace in Igor Tudor's debut match in charge of the hosts.
Eze started with captain Martin Odegaard only deemed fit enough for a spot on the substitutes' bench, which has led to claims that he could be the No.10 Mikel Arteta needs between now and the end of the season in the club's title quest.
Rooney 'Disagrees' With Eze Claims
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney
When asked if Eze has proved he can step up in big games and should be the first choice No.10 for the remainder of the campaign on the latest episode of the Wayne Rooney Show on the BBC, the England icon said:
"I disagree a bit, because I don't think he's been good enough this season. I think in the two Tottenham games, obviously he scored three in the first game, two today, but in other games I've watched, I don't think he's been good enough.
"I think a lot of that is not playing consistently, it's difficult to come in and out of the team, I get that. But, yeah, I think when you talk about character and mentality, if I was him I'd have been making it very difficult for the manager to leave it out and or trying to, anyway, with performances or how you're training him, and clearly he's not doing enough to warrant a place in the team consistently.
"Odegaard's the captain and it's difficult to leave the captain off the team, but you've got to make it almost impossible for Arteta. I think after the last Tottenham game, he ddidn't do enough when he played after that to stay in the team. And so you just hope now he plays better consistently over the next few games to stay in the team."
Eze's goals against Spurs on Sunday were his first since the hat-trick against the same opposition in November, so it's no surprise that Rooney believes he hasn't kicked on this term.
Eze Must Maintain This Level
ebe eze
After such an impressive display in north London, it will be interesting to see if Mikel Arteta picks him again next Sunday against Chelsea, or brings his captain back into the starting XI.
Eze deserves to retain his place and should he do so, he needs to put in a decisive display of creativity and goalscoring threat, and ideally produce a goal or assist - something he failed to do between the two Tottenham matches.
While the former Palace star may feel he has a particular point to prove against Spurs having nearly joined them during the summer, it's no good doing that twice a season and underwhelming elsewhere.
Eze has given himself the perfect platform to kick on in his Arsenal career, now he needs to take it and prove in training he deserves to keep his spot.
Is Eze a Better No.10 Than Odegaard?
Martin Odegaard and Mikel Arteta
GIVEMESPORT asked ChatGPT if it believes Eze is a better No.10 option for Arsenal than Odegaard right now, and this is what is said:
• Higher direct goal threat: Eze shoots more often and can score or decide tight games with his finishing around the box, offering unpredictability Arsenal sometimes lack.
• Explosive 1v1 play and dribbling: He beats defenders more frequently, stretching defences and creating chaos in attacking areas.
• Odegaard excels at control: But Arsenal’s captain remains superior in chance creation, passing consistency and pulling the strings deeper.
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