Mikel Arteta highlighted the qualities of Leandro Trossard after Arsenal beat Wolves 2-1 on Saturday.
Leandro Trossard was named in the Arsenal starting XI picked to face Wolves in a Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. The Belgian was deployed in the left-eight midfield role, and could perhaps have been viewed as a surprise inclusion as Kai Havertz has excelled in that position in his last two outings.
However, with this fixture against Wolves marking the Gunners’ third match of this week, it was perhaps sensible of Mikel Arteta to make use of his squad and rotate, after Trossard did not even make it onto the pitch against Lens on Wednesday evening.
Trossard is a particularly useful player for Arteta to have in his squad, as he can play anywhere across the front line. Whilst it has been said that his best position is on the left flank, the 28-year-old has also proven to be an effective striker for the north London club this season, and did a solid job in the middle of the park against Wolves.
After the win against Wolves, Arteta was quick to praise Trossard’s versatility. As quoted by the club’s official website, the Spanish coach said, “that’s the beauty of having him, he can play as a nine, as an attacking midfielder, as a winger, he’s so intelligent and his work rate has gone through the roof, you see how he’s chasing people, how he’s pressing and he’s got this talent in small spaces to find openings and gaps, I am really happy with him.”
How important is Leandro Trossard to Arsenal?
Arteta will also be delighted with the 30-cap Belgium international’s end product. Since joining the club in a £27 million switch from Brighton and Hove Albion in the last January transfer window, Trossard has racked up seven goals and twelve assists in 38 appearances, across all competitions.
Whilst he may not be a nailed-on starter, Trossard still has a vital role to play at Arsenal. Given how many matches the club are likely to play this season, and how many positions he can cover, Trossard will certainly get plenty of game time and will be expected to make a crucial contribution in terms of goals and assists.
There is a question as to how long Trossard will be satisfied with a rotational role at the Emirates Stadium, though. He is good enough to be a regular starter for many other Premier League sides, and he is also in the prime years of career. Being a regular starter could also improve his prospects of becoming a more integral figure at international level, too. It has been suggested in the past that Trossard may in fact be unhappy at Arsenal.
It would seem, though, that the attacker is satisfied with his lot for now, which is great news for Arsenal and Arteta.
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