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Ebere Eze has been sent a concerning Arsenal message after Bukayo Saka was preferred in the No.10 role against Wolves
Paul Merson has delivered a harsh assessment of Ebere Eze's situation at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta favouring Bukayo Saka for the Premier League match against Wolves. Despite his hat-trick in the North London Derby, the summer recruit has found consistent game time and form elusive, a trend that continued with the journey to Molineux.
Eze put in a standout performance in the FA Cup fourth round victory over Wigan last Sunday, contributing two assists. However, earlier in the week he was substituted at half-time during the 1-1 stalemate with Brentford, with Martin Odegaard coming on to make an immediate impact.
Even though Odegaard is currently sidelined through injury, Eze only made the bench for the Wolves clash, with Saka selected to start in the No. 10 role, as he did against Wigan. Merson offered his perspective on this decision and speculated on Eze's reaction to being overlooked.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "That was Wigan, no disrespect, this is the Premier League. I don't get it, it's a hard position to play, people think that you can go just go where you want."
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"You're the one that's got to make things happen, there's a lot of pressure on you. If this goes wrong tonight, everybody looks at the No.10.
"With the way that Wolves play, there is not going to be a lot of space for him, he'll get a lot more space out on the wing. If I was Eze I'd be thinking 'am I going to play for Arsenal many more times this season?'
"I thought they were bringing Eze in as the X-factor, that No.10 to make things happen, his ball against Wigan the other day was through the eye of the needle.
"He can play that ball, he's got that in him, he's played there a lot more than Saka and as I've said it's not a position you just throw someone into.
"I hope Saka gets a hat-trick but it's not where you just throw someone in and say 'go and enjoy yourself', its a hard position.
"On the wing he's always looking that way (forwards), when he's playing at 10 he has everything behind him, it's a different game, he's got to have eyes in the back of his head to flick balls round, I hope I'm wrong but I expect it to be difficult for him tonight."
Saka vindicated his selection by opening the scoring within minutes, drifting into the penalty area unmarked to head home a Declan Rice delivery.
As for Eze, whilst he's faced scrutiny from Arteta and his Arsenal colleagues regarding his defensive work rate in recent months, the manager was effusive in his praise for the player's performance in a withdrawn midfield position.
He said: "Yes, some superb goals and his intentions, I think the risk that he took in the final third, the amount of shots that he tried to take as well, I think that's really positive. That's what I want from him."
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With both Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz unavailable, it appeared Eze would be given additional playing time, but Saka's selection indicates the ex-Crystal Palace player hasn't yet earned Arteta's complete confidence.
Havertz, Rice and various other players needed an adjustment period at the Emirates, and it appears Eze is going through a similar process.
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