Rio Ferdinand says Eberechi Eze has lost the selfishness that made him such a threat for Crystal Palace and the midfielder is ‘sacrificing parts of his game’ for the greater good at Arsenal.
Eze continued his outstanding start in north London derbies with a surprising double as Arsenal ran out comprehensive 4-1 victors on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
The brace took Eze’s personal tally to 5 goals in his last two matches against Spurs, three months on from his hat-trick heroics within the reverse fixture on the Emirates.
It meant the Gunners finished the weekend with a five-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, who had defeated Newcastle 2-1 24 hours earlier.
While Eze will little doubt be delighted along with his contribution, there continues to be debate and discussion surrounding the England’s international’s role in what has been a mixed debut season under Mikel Arteta.
Eze is yet to ascertain himself as a guaranteed starter at Arsenal, with Martin Odegaard’s fitness problems opening the door to his selection against Tottenham following a substitute appearance at Wolves.
And given the Gunners parted with such a big fee to Eze away from Selhurst Park last summer, questions have been asked amongst the fanbase regarding his somewhat underwhelming return across the campaign.
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But after Eze’s brace at Spurs, Arteta had nothing but praise for the best way the previous Palace man had fared in ‘adapting’ to a brand new sort of play.
‘He had that belief and I’m really joyful with him,’ the Arsenal head coach said.
‘He’s really attempting to mold and adapt into what we wish from him.’
Analysing Arsenal’s win on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel, Ferdinand said he was pleased that Eze was in a position to silence those who had been doubting him within the build-up to the derby.
However the legendary the ex-Manchester United and England defender believes Eze continues to be only a shadow of the player that helped Palace win the FA Cup last season.
‘I believed, up until the goal, he was quiet. He just had two moments in the sport,’ Ferdinand said of Eze’s performance.
‘I feel after the goal, he improved, but I used to be talking to my mates within the WhatsApp group about him and we were saying, “Why are we not seeing the most effective of Eze?”‘
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Ferdinand added: ‘I just think his actual starting position is simply too high. I do know he’s doing that to pin back the Spurs backline… I get that and why he’s doing it, however it’s actually going against him and having the ability to perform.
‘Eze must face the sport. He must see the sport, face it and begin probing.
‘[He needs to] play one-twos, draw opponents out of their positions, “Come and press me”, after which play beyond them and run, a bit like he did for the second goal when Bukayo Saka fluffed his lines a bit and it fell to him and he finished it.’
Ferdinand likened Eze’s situation to that encountered by Jack Grealish after the midfielder left boyhood team Aston Villa to hitch Manchester City in a British-record £100million move back in 2021.
Based on the six-time Premier League winner, it is commonly the case in title-chasing teams that X-factor players corresponding to Eze and Grealish are forced to ‘sacrifice parts of their game’.
‘I feel he’s a beautiful player and he’s a player that I’d pay to observe at once, 100 per cent with Eze,’ Ferdinand continued.
‘But I feel he’s playing more for the team than for himself and should you’re going to win championships, sometimes you’ve to sacrifice parts of your game to do this.
‘Jack Grealish, everyone can say what the want about Jack Grealish. He sacrificed parts of his game for the advantage of the [Manchester City] team. He didn’t look pretty much as good as he did at Aston Villa.
‘I don’t know if we’re seeing it to the identical extent but we’re still probably yet to see the Crystal Palace Eze in an Arsenal shirt.’
Eze can be eager to proceed his run within the side and pick up where he left off when Arsenal return to Premier League motion at home to Chelsea this weekend.
Odegaard’s possible return to full fitness – following a cameo appearance at Spurs – could give Arteta a variety headache heading into Sunday’s clash between first and fourth on the Emirates.
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