Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal still have a multitude of striker options at their disposal despite the injury to Kai Havertz.
Havertz sustained a serious knee problem in August and isn’t expected to return to action until November at the earliest.
Viktor Gyokeres has led the line in every game for the Gunners so far this season, although the Swede will not be able to play every single minute in every competition between now and Havertz’s return.
Thus, Arteta will have to source alternatives to the new signing, and he’s confident he has one other than last season’s makeshift hero Mikel Merino.
Mikel Arteta says Leandro Trossard is a striker option for Arsenal
Merino shone as a number nine for Arsenal during the run-in last season.
However, while the Spaniard played the majority of the games in the Champions League run, Leandro Trossard rotated into the side as the striker in many of the final league matches.
Speaking to the media on Monday ahead of the Gunners’ European clash with Athletic Club in Bilbao, Arteta named the Belgian as a possible rotation option for Gyokeres in the coming months.
“Against Forest at the end, Mikel [Merino] played as a nine,” the manager said.
“We have Leo [Trossard] who can play there, we have other options and other formations that we can adjust to that. At the moment, Viktor is doing really well, so I’m really happy with that.”
Arsenal play Port Vale in the League Cup next week, a match in which Arteta will surely hope to rotate heavily.
This game, and any further matches in this competition, could represent an opportunity for Trossard to start down the middle as the Gunners’ striker.
Given that the 30-year-old was a regular starter for Arteta’s side last season, it’s certainly a luxury for the head coach to have a player of this calibre as a third-choice striker option.
Arsenal’s record with Leandro Trossard as a striker
Arsenal actually have an excellent record with Trossard as a striker.
The Belgium international has started 17 games as a centre-forward for the Gunners in the Premier League, with the North Londoners winning eleven of these matches.
| Arsenal’s record with Leandro Trossard starting as a striker in the Premier League | |
| Matches | 17 |
| Wins | 11 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 1 |
| Goals For | 43 |
| Goals Against | 12 |
Losing just once in these 17 games, whilst scoring 43 goals and conceding 12, this is clearly a position Trossard can thrive in, while the team excels when he leads the line.
Excellent at dropping in and linking play, the former Brighton man impresses in this role if he has players who make runs beyond him.
It’s no surprise that Arteta will consider using the winger centrally in the coming weeks.
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