According to a report by London Evening Standard on Wednesday October 21, 2026, the attention surrounding Arsenal's performance against Nottingham Forest is far from over. Eberechi Eze has been the target of criticism for his lack of impact in Sunday's Premier League match at the City Ground.

The England international started the game on the left wing for the first time this season, but he was replaced at halftime by Noni Madueke, who went on to score the winning goal for Arsenal.

As Arsenal sought a breakthrough, Mikel Arteta's post-match explanation that he "wanted something else" from that position underscored the necessity for improved performance on the left flank.

Joe Cole, a former Chelsea midfielder, has spoken out about Eze's predicament, saying that the £65 million acquisition needs to step up his game if he desires consistent playing time.

During his appearance on the Dressing Room Podcast, Cole drew parallels between Eze's situation and that of Martin Odegaard, the captain of Arsenal, who faced patience last season despite falling short of his usual standards.

According to Cole, Odegaard was not performing up to par last year despite receiving a lot of forgiveness for his previous contributions to the club.

He went on to say that Odegaard has made a strong comeback this season, proving right away that he is good enough to be a starter for an ambitious club like Arsenal.

According to Cole, attacking midfielders at Arsenal are required to perform at a high level all the time due to the intense competition for starting spots and the presence of talented teammates.

He said, "If you're going to play number 10 for Arsenal, you've got to be doing it better than anyone else in the league," referring to the intense competition among strikers.

Inspiring Eze to keep his cool, keep up his standards in training, and seize every opportunity that comes his way, Cole shared stories from his own playing career.

Maintain your cool, keep going, and train hard. After that, "do more" when the chance presents itself, as Cole advised.

Before earning another Premier League start two months later, Eze had been substituted at halftime before, most recently, in December's match against Aston Villa.

Nevertheless, the 27-year-old showcased his offensive abilities by scoring his first goal of the season in a recent match against Lille. Given the strong play of Odegaard and the competition from Madueke for the wing position, Eze needs to make the most of future opportunities.