Arteta pointed to Forest’s deep defensive block as the primary reason for hooking Eze, insisting his side required a completely different approach.
“The way they were defending, the two units outside, the two midfielders were creating without having a real threat in behind of just forcing Munoz to a different type of game,” the Arsenal boss explained. “They were more comfortable. That’s what we have, different players with different qualities and adapt to what the game is delivering.”
When pressed on Eze’s visible frustration in the dugout, Arteta offered a pragmatic response while praising the forward’s recent European exploits. “Three days a go he scored a goal, he should have scored three and we were all happy,” he said. “This is football, one day is brilliant and especially with attacking players to play a team which defends with 10 players around the box, the nine dropping almost at the edge with that chemistry it’s extremely difficult to get in there. That’s why you need fresh legs, a different profile and try fresh things.”