Shaka Hislop says one player simply did not exist in Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa

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·8 décembre 2025

Shaka Hislop says one player simply did not exist in Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa

Shaka Hislop expressed disappointment with Eberechi Eze’s performance in Arsenal’s weekend defeat to Aston Villa, describing the midfielder as largely absent from the game. With Martin Odegaard returning to the side, Eze was displaced from his usual midfield role and deployed on the left of a front three. The adjustment appeared to hinder his influence, as Arsenal were unable to assert control in the fixture, ultimately losing a match they felt they could have approached more successfully had all players performed at their peak. For a team with title ambitions, dropping points to a side like Villa is particularly damaging, and some individual displays fell short of expectations.

Eze Struggles Against Villa

Eze had previously impressed in Arsenal’s win over Tottenham, scoring a hat-trick and earning widespread acclaim for his impact through the middle. However, against Villa, he struggled to replicate that level of performance, remaining subdued throughout the game. Hislop highlighted the severity of the issue, noting that Mikel Arteta was forced to make an early change due to the midfielder’s lack of influence. The Englishman’s inability to impose himself limited Arsenal’s attacking options, and the team became heavily reliant on Bukayo Saka for creativity and forward momentum.

Vidéos OneFootball

Eze & Saka (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Hislop Critiques Arsenal’s Midfield Dynamics

Speaking on ESPN, Hislop said, “From an Arsenal perspective, it feels like yesterday we were talking about Eberechi Eze and his performance against Spurs and how good he looked through the middle. He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest. Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half. Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.” The comments underline both the pressure on players in a title-chasing side and the expectation that key individuals consistently influence matches. For Eze, it was a rare underwhelming display, and he will be hoping to respond strongly in upcoming fixtures to reaffirm his role within the Arsenal squad.

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