Mikel Arteta explains Eberechi Eze’s half-time substitution as Arsenal draw at Brentford

Mikel Arteta has explained why Eberechi Eze was substituted at half-time during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Brentford as the England international’s struggles for the Gunners continued.

Eze managed just 17 touches in a disappointing attacking performance from Arsenal overall, with Arteta’s side having just one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

Eze was replaced by captain Martin Odegaard at the break, leading to an improved display from Arsenal in the second half, although Noni Madueke’s opener was cancelled out by Keane Lewis-Potter.

It meant Arsenal could only extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points, with Manchester City continuing to breathe down their necks, and Arteta said he had to do something different at half-time.

"Because with the way that they were pressing,” Arteta said. "I think we needed another kind of profile to generate many more problems for them around those areas and I think [Odegaard] came on in the pitch really well and the team had another gear and more threat to arrive to the areas that we wanted to do and that's the decision."

For Eze, meanwhile, the 27-year-old has still not scored or made an assist in the Premier League since his north London derby hat-trick against Tottenham in November. He was making his first Premier League start since mid-December, having also struggled for minutes in recent weeks.

"Well I think he had moments and it's not easy when you move to a new club, it's always like this and when you play against a team that is like this,” Arteta said. “The ball is a lot of times not on the floor and you have to be constantly breaking the play and do that, especially for attacking and creative players, it's more difficult.”

It could have been worse for Arsenal. Cristhian Mosquera stopped Igor Thiago in stoppage time, before Brentford’s top scorer then blazed over when clean through. However, Gabriel Martinelli might have won it for the visitors, only to be denied by Caoimhin Kelleher in a frantic end to the match.

Brentford were a constant threat from both corners and long throws, and Arteta said: “We scored the goal and the game was under total control.

“But against them, that’s not enough because they just need somebody making a foul that is unnecessary, a ball in the channel, they push you, the clearance is not good, a throw-in, and then you have to pray because they are exceptional at what they do.

“The chaos that is in, and around that ball is very, very difficult to defend. We said to the players: ‘If you want to win here, you’re going to have to defend the box with your life’. We didn’t do that on one of the actions, but they deserve credit, too.”