Alan Shearer reveals how Mikel Arteta surprised him at the weekend
Alan Shearer admitted he was baffled by Mikel Arteta’s decision to start Eberechi Eze on the bench during Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool at the weekend. The attacker had joined the Gunners a week before the game and trained with his new teammates in the build-up to the fixture. Reports suggested he had already impressed in […] The post Alan Shearer reveals how Mikel Arteta surprised him at the weekend appeared first on Just Arsenal News.
RR aka Rishi-Raj
Alan Shearer admitted he was baffled by Mikel Arteta’s decision to start Eberechi Eze on the bench during Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool at the weekend.
The attacker had joined the Gunners a week before the game and trained with his new teammates in the build-up to the fixture. Reports suggested he had already impressed in training, which led many supporters to expect him to be named in the starting XI, especially with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard absent.
Shearer Questions Arteta’s Selection
To the surprise of many, Arteta opted to keep Eze among the substitutes and only introduced him in the closing stages of the game. By that point, Liverpool had already taken the lead and Eze was unable to make a decisive impact.
The situation puzzled Shearer, who pointed out that the player had already enjoyed a full pre-season with Crystal Palace and had been involved in competitive matches, including the Community Shield. As such, he argued there was no reason for the forward to be eased in gradually.
Speaking on the matter, Shearer said via Metro Sport:
“I was a little bit surprised with Arsenal not playing Eze.
Why does he need easing in? It’s not as if he hasn’t played, he’s played all season already and he’s already played Liverpool.
I was sat having a pint with Wrighty [Ian Wright] and Wrighty was saying, ‘Why’s he not playing?!’, it’s not as if he hasn’t played all season.”
Balancing Expectations for Eze
Despite the criticism, there remains an argument that easing Eze into the squad is a measured approach. Integrating a new signing into a system as structured as Arsenal’s requires time, and Arteta may have chosen caution in such a high-profile fixture.
Nevertheless, the decision drew scrutiny given the attacking absences and the expectation surrounding the new arrival. While Eze is unlikely to become an automatic starter immediately, he will be expected to compete strongly for a place in the line-up over the coming weeks, especially as Arsenal look to balance their domestic and European ambitions.
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The post Alan Shearer reveals how Mikel Arteta surprised him at the weekend appeared first on Just Arsenal News.
