Trouble is, the PL haven't got a say in stopping players going, that, is down to FIFA. Afcon a a bone-fide FIFA tournement.

This operation, will make the 'Charge Of The Light Brigade' seem like a simple military exercise.

As things stand there is no need to rush Eze, back , as the team is ticking over nicely, in most respects now. Letting in 24goals, has stopped us. from being top six mind, improve that and we are cooking on gas.
Along side of this is we have become a side that works harder on a much higher press.,
this doesn’t suit Eze, yet IMHO, he is on the ball a very talented player , off it ,more work to do, and this makes him one for later more than sooner. As happens in football it is a matter of style to a fair degree , at the minute to fit Viera,s style of play perfectly , he might not , even in the long run be best used in the same way he was under Roy..
More than anything else he had a very nasty injury, and right now he would probably be better putting the work in to improve his all round game away from the intensity of first team duty. He is young of enormous potential,.Everyone’s patience is needed, including his own.
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A few factors appear relevant.

Physically, Eze hasn't played for eight months or so, hasn't done a pre season and only returned to contact training a few weeks ago while everyone else has been playing Premier league football for months. Eze could have done a million sit ups and laps of the pool during rehab, it won't make him match fit, especially compared to everyone else mid-season.

Strategically, the team is doing really well without him so there is no obvious reason to push him back into the starting XI straight away. God knows we've had plenty of periods where we desperately needed a particular player back from injury to change our form (Zaha mostly) but this isn't one of them.

Selection-wise Gallagher is pulling up trees right now, and he's the obvious player Eze would replace. I know Eze and Gallagher could both play with one holding midfielder behind them, but I think Vieira prefers one attacking midfielder, one to hold and one to do a bit of both. If Eze plays, then either the midfield dynamics change or Gallagher drops deeper, and why do that at the moment?

Tactically, and as others have observed, Eze isn't one for chasing people down in the way Vieira perhaps likes. More to the point I think, Eze likes to hold onto the ball and that slows the passing down. I shouldn't think any of this is fatal. Vieira appears adaptable, and Eze will surely enjoy playing for him, so no big drama.

Overall, he'll play when the manager decides it's best for the team, and in time play very well I'm certain.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (21 Dec 2021 7.20pm)

Edited by TheBigToePunt (21 Dec 2021 7.22pm)

Well said

And Newcastle are giving us how much for him?

“That’s a joke son, I say, that’s a joke.” “Nice boy, but he’s sharp as a throw pillow.” “He’s so dumb he thinks a Mexican border pays rent” “ “Son… I say, son, some people are so narrow minded they can look through a keyhole with both eyes.”__ Forhorn Leghorn