Eduardo starting to look odd man out
Yet when Eduardo fluffed his lines time and again against Wolves on Saturday, there was only sympathy coming from the stands as it appeared two vital points were being thrown away in the chase for the title.
And it is that difference that should convince Arsene Wenger that this summer he should cut his losses on the Croat and bid him a fond, regretful farewell. Eduardo is a popular player at the club, yet it is becoming difficult to see any way in which his time in north London will be remembered for anything other than the horrific leg break he suffered at Birmingham 26 months ago.
It is that injury which engenders so much sympathy; the way his leg snapped under the challenge of Martin Taylor has guaranteed the 27-year-old has been allowed far more time to hit the heights than a number of his younger, less experienced team-mates.
Yet Eduardo has now played 34 first-team games since his return from the injury, and despite scoring 10 goals he seems to be no closer to regaining the form he was beginning to show before that terrible afternoon at St Andrew’s.
Talk that a deal for Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh has already been struck makes sense; the conclusion has to be that Eduardo will be the man to make way.
Eduardo had three chances against Wolves, the first after just six minutes as his smart volley was well save by Marcus Hahnemann.
That went down as a good save rather than poor finishing, but the same could not be said of his other two opportunities. Five minutes later the Croat found himself unmarked, on the penalty spot, as Tomas Rosicky crossed the ball directly to him. It was a golden chance, and one that was spurned in the most embarrassing fashion a he took a touch to bring the ball onto his least favoured right-foot only to barely make contact with the goal gaping. The striker ended up on his backside; the ball some 15 yards away from goal.
Eight minutes into the second-half and the story had not changed as he screwed a volley well wide of Hahnemann’s post from just outside the six-yard box. It was the sort of chance which, if Bendtner had missed it, would have brought howls of derision.
As it was, the Dane was Arsenal’s saviour. Chasing the game, Wenger had already introduced Bendtner and Samir Nasri; his last throw of the dice was to bring on Carlos Vela – and the man he replaced was Eduardo, one of just two strikers he had on the pitch. In many situations, the substitution of a striker when you are desperate for a goal would have brought vitriol tumbling from the terraces towards the manager – in this case, there was only polite applause.
Even with Robin van Persie having missed the majority of the season due to ankle ligament damage, Eduardo has not convinced Wenger of his ability to play in the middle.
And while Wenger watched the striker struggle against Wolves, it would have been very easy to think of Chamakh’s displays for Bordeaux, which has seen him score 14 goals so far this season.
He is also available on a free transfer, while Eduardo would command a transfer fee.
Wenger would sanction Eduardo’s departure with a heavy heart, and the wonder of what might have been. Football is a ruthless business, though, and Eduardo is simply not performing. He may well have flourished under Wenger if it hadn’t been for his injury, but Arsenal cannot afford another year of below-par performances from one of their principal strikers.
With regret from all concerned, it seems that it is time for Eduardo to leave the sanctity of north London and start afresh.
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