Jamie Redknapp has suggested that Mikel Arteta may be hesitant to use Eberechi Eze from the bench following Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
Bournemouth took an early lead in the 10th minute when Gabriel Magalhaes’ misplaced pass allowed Evanilson to score with David Raya out of goal.
Gabriel quickly equalised six minutes later, and a second-half double from Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead.
Junior Kroupi’s late strike created a tense finish, but Arsenal held on to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League, six points clear of Manchester City.
Eze has been left on the bench in Arsenal’s last four league games, raising questions about why the £67.5m summer signing is not receiving more playing time.
Redknapp said Arteta’s cautious approach in closing out matches could limit Eze’s opportunities if named as a substitute.
“They’re bringing on Merino towards the end of the game and he’s [Arteta] not looking around to bring on Eze or Myles Lewis-Skelly to go and win the game 4-2 or 5-2,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.
“He’s [Arteta] thinking, ‘I want to keep hold of what I’ve got’, that’s the sort of manager he is, I don’t think he’s going to be that expansive.”
Paul Merson compared Arsenal’s current squad depth to Sir Alex Ferguson’s peak Manchester United teams.
“The substitutions as well, they seem to just grind teams down, I thought they ground Villa down last week and I think today they did,” Merson said.
He added that Declan Rice’s influence in midfield allowed Arsenal to dictate play in the second half, with Bournemouth unable to challenge the midfield three effectively.
“Their squad is so strong, it’s so, so strong. The three substitutions that came on remind me of the old Sir Alex Ferguson Man United teams,” Merson said.
He concluded that Arteta needed to make the right calls, noting the difficult away ground, but praising Arsenal for leaving with a win.
