Perry Groves Tells Arteta to Bench Martin Ødegaard Despite Arsenal Win at Newcastle

Ex- Arsenal winger Perry Groves urged Mikel Arteta to bench Martin Ødegaard after Newcastle, praising Eberechi Eze’s impact.

Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Newcastle United has reignited debate about club captain Martin Ødegaard’s form and fitness. Despite assisting Gabriel Magalhães’ dramatic late winner at St James’ Park, Ødegaard overall display left questions unanswered, Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves urged Mikel Arteta to bench the Norwegian playmaker to help him rediscover his spark.

Ødegaard has been central to Arsenal’s success under Arteta, but his return from a recent shoulder injury has coincided with a noticeable dip in form. Speaking to Metro, Groves suggested that Ødegaard “hasn’t been himself” and is lacking the free-flowing creativity that once defined his role.

“He hasn’t been his free-flowing creative self,” Groves explained. “When you’re at a massive club, you have to lift your own performance—and sometimes sitting out helps reignite that hunger.”

Eberechi Eze’s Emergence

In Ødegaard’s absence, summer signing Eberechi Eze was given his first Premier League start in the No. 10 role. Lining up in a 4-2-3-1 with Declan Rice protecting the midfield, Eze impressed with his movement and vision. His energy helped Arsenal dominate early against Newcastle, drawing praise from Groves.

“Eze’s inclusion was spot on,” Groves said. “We could have been two or three up in the first half an hour.”

Eze’s strong debut has strengthened the case for Arteta to continue with him at the heart of Arsenal’s attack—at least for now.

Groves stressed that dropping Ødegaard should not be viewed as punishment but as smart use of Arsenal’s squad depth. With the Gunners competing in both the Premier League and Champions League, Arteta must rotate to maintain standards.

“Being on the bench inspires you to reach another level,” Groves noted. “The beauty of Arsenal’s squad depth is they can rotate without losing quality.”

Arteta’s Big Decision

Arteta praised his team’s resilience after the Newcastle win, singling out the impact of substitutes—including Ødegaard’s crucial corner that set up the winner. However, he stopped short of confirming whether Ødegaard will start against Olympiacos in the Champions League.

With competition heating up between Ødegaard and Eze, Arsenal’s midfield options look stronger than ever. Arteta now faces a key decision: stick with the in-form Eze, or restore his captain to the XI? Either way, the battle for places could keep Arsenal sharp in the weeks ahead.

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