Arteta reveals how he cheered up 'grumpy' Eze before Bayern goal
Mikel Arteta has revealed he made a point of cheering up a 'grumpy' Eberechi Eze before sending him on to score against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
Eze was brought off the bench during Arsenal's Champions League clash with the German giants and made an instant impact, finding the net shortly after his introduction. According to Arteta, getting the forward into the right frame of mind beforehand involved a lighter touch than usual team talk.
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Speaking to the BBC, Arteta explained how he worked to lift Eze's mood before his introduction, describing the player as having been in a 'grumpy' state before being asked to make him laugh. The approach appeared to pay off almost immediately once Eze stepped onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium.
A valuable squad option
Eze's goal against Bayern Munich underlines the impact he has had as an option off the bench for Arsenal this season. His willingness and ability to change a game in a matter of minutes has become a useful tool for Arteta, particularly in high stakes European nights against elite opposition.
The composure to come on cold against one of the continent's traditional heavyweights and find the net speaks to both his quality and his temperament, even if his mood beforehand needed some lifting by his manager.
Saka injury concerns
The same BBC report carries a separate and more significant concern for Arsenal, with suggestions that Bukayo Saka could be out of action for as long as two months. No further detail on the nature of the injury or a specific return date has been confirmed.
A two month absence for a player of Saka's importance would represent a notable blow to Arsenal across both domestic and European competition in the coming weeks. Further clarity on the extent of the injury and an expected timeline for his return is likely to emerge in the days ahead as the club assesses the situation.
Arteta and his coaching staff will now have to manage the balance between squad depth and performance level without one of their most important attacking players for a significant stretch, with games continuing to come thick and fast across the Premier League and Champions League.
