As Arsenal chase down a Premier League and Champions League double this season, Leandro Trossard’s contribution has been key.
The Belgian came off the bench to net the equaliser in their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday night to follow up his strike in Saturday’s routine 3-0 win at former side Brighton.
The 29-year-old has made a knack of popping up at the right place at the right time for Mikel Arteta’s side this season. It was his late strike against Manchester City in the Community Shield that took the game to penalties, with Arsenal securing shootout success in the 2023/24 curtain raiser. Of course, Trossard dispatched his penalty.
Meanwhile, Trossard scored the only goal in the 1-0 win at Everton in September, the equaliser at Chelsea in October, grabbed a goal and assist against Burnley in November and netted in the second leg success over Porto last month.
While the likes of Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka come in for praise, Trossard is again having a positive impact in the business end of the campaign. In the 15 months he’s been at the Emirates, Trossard has established himself as a key man under Mikel Arteta.
Crucial is the versatility he provides on the frontline. This is a trait that Arteta loves. If you can play a number of roles, then you’ll immediately have played your way into the Spaniard’s good books.
And yet he’ll still put in a consistent shift for the Gunners regardless to the extent that he can be considered a Swiss Army Knife of a forward for Arteta’s side, capable of opening up any defence in a number of ways.
Of the 69 players to have scored at least five goals, Trossard’s average of a goal every 143.5 minutes ranks 11th in the division, and better than the likes of Ollie Watkins, Son Heung-Min and Darwin Nunez.
An average of 3.5 shots per 90 ranks higher than any other Arsenal player in England’s top tier this term but there is more to Trossard’s game than just shooting on sight. He may have just one assist to his name but it’s not for want of trying as evident by an average of 1.4 key passes per 90, that the seventh best for the club, while 1.6 successful dribbles per 90 ranks third.
There’s an end product when he does beat a man and so often against tiring defences, this is vital. Additionally, the varied approach to his game means Trossard is a handy player to call upon when teams so often look to sit deep against the Gunners.
A 60.1 per cent possession return is the fifth highest in the division, with Arteta seeking to dominate proceedings where possible. Even so, Arsenal have still scored more goals (75) than any other Premier League team this season and crucial is the variety in attack that Arteta can utilise and this is what really stands out about Trossard and his ability to consistently perform. More often than not, he understands the assignment.
With a new deal in the offing, it’s nothing less than Trossard deserves for what has been a fairly remarkable stint in north London so far. Should Arsenal go all the way in either, or both, competitions, then much of that will be down to the Belgium international’s contributions from the outset or as a super-sub.
