Eberechi Eze's move to Arsenal has been a waste of everybody's time

Eberechi Eze should've been careful what he wished for. The boyhood Arsenal fan's eyes must've lit up with delight when he discovered the Gunners were willing to hijack Tottenham's move for him late in the transfer window. But fast forward eight months, was it really worth it?

It would've felt so just after the full-time whistle went in November's north London derby, when Eze netted a hat-trick in the 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium. Since then though, it would appear the playmaker has been an afterthought in Mikel Arteta's plans, with minutes, let alone goals, having been hard to come by.

That all came to fruition on Thursday night, when Arteta, in need of a goal, dragged Eze off at the break. The English international had been granted a starting berth for the first time since mid-December, but struggled to make an impact during a dour first half.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

It was a far cry from the dazzling showings he so often put on during his time at Crystal Palace. Widely considered one of the best players outside of the traditional big six, Eze was the crown in Palace's jewel and the man who netted the winning goal in last season's FA Cup final.

A move away from Selhurst Park felt necessary. But linking up with the agricultural Arteta might not have been the wisest move. It's felt like Arsenal is a place where fast-flowing football goes to die at times this season, which has been detrimental to Eze's game.

That isn't a criticism of Arteta, as such. Arsenal are probably going to win a trophy this season, which was the goal at the beginning of the season. But Eze, who seems to have lost his sparkle, is no longer a diamond, but rather a mere cog in that machine. And not even a key cog.

Would that have been the same at Spurs? Granted, he'll have a much better chance of winning silverware this season. But what about his England prospects? Given the attacking talent in the Three Lions' ranks, it's difficult to imagine Thomas Tuchel will have been too impressed by Eze's recent exploits.

There's still time for Eze to turn the situation around, given Arsenal's biggest games of the season are yet to come. That's only if Arteta hasn't given up on the 27-year-old, but based on the evidence of Thursday night, it looks as if he might have already made up his mind.