Theo Walcott believes Eberechi Eze was guilty of a small but crucial mistake that could have caught Mikel Arteta's ire in the recent match against Coventry. The midfielder stepped onto the pitch late in the game, which Arsenal won convincingly 3-0.
Eze entered the fray with just 14 minutes remaining, replacing Christos Tzolis. In what proved to be one of the final moments, he opted to take a long-range free-kick, firing the ball well over the bar.
Walcott suggests that it is these finer details that Arteta particularly scrutinises amid fierce competition for spots in the starting XI:
“When you come on as a substitute, it’s your chance to show Mikel: ‘Don’t forget about me.’ I felt some players could have done a little more, even though it's just the first game of the season.
Eze took that shot at the end... I’m not sure Arteta will be pleased about that. It may seem trivial, but it’s precisely these details he will look at when assessing every player throughout the season.”
Meanwhile, the former Arsenal forward was left impressed by Tzolis' Premier League debut. The Greek winger joined from Club Brugge for £34 million this summer and made a starting impact against Coventry:
“I really like him. He reminds me of Alexis Sanchez. When he gets the ball, his first instinct is to move forward and take on defenders.
There’s something special in his movement with the ball. I think he’s a bit quicker than Trossard. He’s sort of a mix between Trossard and Alexis. I'm very impressed so far.”
Arsenal kicked off their title defence in style with a 3-0 win, featuring goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard.
