Eberechi Eze: Arsenal boss Arteta defends £67m signing after heavy criticsm

Eberechi Eze's summer arrival at the Emirates was heralded as the final piece of the puzzle for Arsenal, who were desperate for a new creative force to add to Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

However, after an impressive early spell, the former QPR man has fallen down the pecking order.

The £67.5 million summer signing from Crystal Palace struggled to influence proceedings against the Bees' physical, high-pressing style and was replaced at the break by Odegaard.

While pundits like Alan Shearer noted that Eze looked "lost" during the opening 45 minutes, Arteta used his post-match press conference to highlight the tactical context of the game.

"Well, I think he had moments, and it’s not easy when you move to a new club. It’s always like this," Arteta explained.

"When you play against a team that is like this and the ball is a lot of times not on the floor, and you have to be constantly breaking the play and do that, especially for attacking and creative players, it’s more difficult."

Arteta clarified that the decision to hook Eze was a matter of "profile," seeking the specific creative movement Odegaard provides to unlock a stubborn defense.

Despite the draw cutting Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to four points over Manchester City, the manager’s comments suggest he is maintaining patience with the 27-year-old.