Many people have been wondering why Arteta hasn’t started Leandro Trossard in recent games. The Belgian has a goal and eight assists in six starts. Nonetheless, he has only been utilised as a sub in recent weeks.
There were calls for Arteta to change his starting lineup for the Manchester City game. With certain changes planned, there was a push for Trossard to start. He didn’t, as we all know, and Arteta hinted that he didn’t believe his lineup needed changing.
“We wanted to tweak a few things, but they were able to execute and scored an early goal,” said Arteta after the City defeat.
“You have to understand where we’re coming from—we have to be loyal to what has brought us all this way.
“[Before the game] I saw the team really at it, and really confident that they were going to do something.”
Anyway, it’s clear that the squad Arteta has been counting on to get him over the finish line has failed. He needs to make changes to the team he’s been using in recent weeks, and one alteration we should see is the return of Leandro Trossard to the starting lineup.
According to Charles Watts, Arsenal has been missing Trossard as much as they’ve been missing Saliba; it’s just that they don’t realise it. Watts feels Trossard should start Arsenal’s next game against Chelsea. “[Leandro] Trossard has to start against Chelsea,” wrote GOAL journalist Charles Watts.
Trossard has to start against Chelsea. For all the talk around the impact of Saliba's injury and Holding's inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI. They are a better team when he is on the pitch.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) April 26, 2023
“For all the talk around the impact of [William] Saliba’s injury and [Rob] Holding’s inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI.
“They are a better team when he is on the pitch.”
Trossard has to start against Chelsea. For all the talk around the impact of Saliba's injury and Holding's inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI. They are a better team when he is on the pitch.
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) April 26, 2023
I suppose wanting Trossard to begin is simple. But, one could wonder, “Where does he play?” I’m sure many people can think of a good reason why he should replace either Saka, Martinelli or Jesus. If the Belgian starts, I think he will bench Gabriel Jesus.
An attacking line of Saka, Trossard, and Martinelli could be too much for the teams still to play Arsenal. The advantage of using Trossard as a number 9 is that if it doesn’t work, Arteta can simply sub him off for Jesus.
What do you think about Trossard? Could he be the secret weapon for Arsenal to get back to winning ways?
Sam P
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Maybe, because he made a lot of assists when leading our front-line. He seemed to understand the interchanging roles better than Jesus and Martinelli, but he shouldn’t play RW
The problem with arteta atm is he is doingbwhat alot of inexperienced managers do and are afraid to mix up a winning formular. This suprises me alot since we all can see how devastating city are because pep trusts the whole squad not just the starting 11. We have seen haaaland and KDB be benched for no reason. When you have players that can rotate and slip into roles it allows for the extra touch.
1. Players get tired – saka looks tired to me and so does odegards
2. Players get complacent. It’s not apparent but I am sure there is some of that. Maybe jesus
3. Players get disheartened. Think of nelson, ESR, Tomiyasu, KT, Trossard potentially 5 Players who can get into any top 4 squad. they should be having alot more game time and would gel with the 1st team alot better and make things more smooth when we do have injuries etc.
I think if we fail to win the league this will be the thing that has made us un stuck. SAFwas the first manager to pick up OK this and PEP does it like a pro.
My last gripe is holding is crap. Put white in CB and Tomi in RB
Good point. There does seem to be some of that. But then Guardiola has a much more solid and proven squad to “Mix it up” from, so maybe that’s something that will come about more after another couple of transfer windows for Arsenal.
ShortBoy
Tomi has been out injured long-term, and will not be back until next season at the earliest. He’s the one player who would have been so important in re-jigging our back line in the absence of Saliba.
Good point Jax. Maybe a more defensive minded KT would help cover the CBs m. Zienchenco is great but against certain teams he leaves his defensive responsibility to the others. Simular to what we see with trent armold
Trossard should definitely start against Chelsea, if not in the front 3 he could be an able no.10, but he should start.
We must always try to win games objective and realistic planning than tweaking! Remember in our last few games Arsenal have scored to draw games from two goals down to a consolation goal in the Man City game only by late introduction of Trossard, his fighting spirit, assists, or goals. Our coaching crew should demonstrate flexibility to field Trossard, Thierney, Nelson among our first eleven to win us laurels for good!
Couldn’t agree more concerning Trossard.
The way we are playing we need to play a back 3 and go for a 3-4-3.
3: Holding Gabriel Tierney
4: White Partey Xhaka/Jorginho Zinchenko
3: Saka Trossard Martinelli
I know it means dropping Odegaard. But needs must.
It would be terrific if there was a way to have them both on the pitch together. Xhaka looks well tired, and Trossard could most likely take that spot & play a little further forward, although I’ve been hoping to see Smith Rowe get some time in that position also.
More informed people will let me know in the nicest JA way possible I’m sure.😉
‘Arsenal have not won any game in their history without trossard playing’
😂😂😂
A number of our players are running on empty including Saka, Martinelli and Xhaka, and Jesus has, quite frankly, been disappointing since his return.Time to bring some energy and freshness to our front three ,and against Chelsea, I would start with Trossard, Nketiah and ESR.
Trussardi is a handy player to have in the squad but what has he done to be elevated to superstar status. He is a squad player better than Nketian, but who else?
What has he done? are you being serious?just look at his stats.not only,look at his impact coming off the bench.do you think it is just a coincidence that as soon as he came on,we scored goals?
I’m with you, Joe but would argue he isn’t even better than Nketiah just a different type of player and if Eddie was allowed to just be a poacher he would bag 15-20 per season. Instead he has to be a mini-Jesus. Trossard is just a really slow, less good version of Eden Hazard.
Is it just me or did Jesus not play well at Anfield and the London Stadium
better then Saka did ?
@Dan You’re right about Jesus playing better than Saka, but the gaffer wouldn’t recognize that Saka is tired and needs benching. I guess he’s over reliant on him.
Trossard is a match winner. Jesus is too wasteful. Trossard is a starter. Jesus a rotational squad member. Trossard deserves to be in the Arsenal spine.
Bringing Jesus back and putting him straight in the team (that was coping well without him) was a huge mistake and for me, sends out the wrong message. It didn’t make us any better, in fact there is an argument, that i hold, he made certain elements worse. Jesus is a good player but he does not hold his position and it has created mayhem at times. Bad move for me, he should have been intehgrated slowly and given specific tasks. If i was Trossard, i would be pi55ed off. Trossard was doing better than Jesus was when he came back.
No, absolutely not! Trossard is good but no better than that. He is being massively overhyped simply because he has got a few assists, but that is likely to happen when playing with better players like Martinelli who can finish. But he is only good and good doesn’t win you titles. And he isn’t even a player for the future like Mudryk would have been because he’s already at or past his peak years.
Is that the Mudryk that has been found out to be out of his depth. The one that was bought under our noses and been wiped of the floor by Trossard. Im sorry yours is opinion, fact is Mudryc is a myth.
He’s had a few bit parts under Graham Potter who couldn’t get his team to score if he took them to a Thai brothel and gave them an open cheque book and a kg of Charlie, and a few games under Fat Frank that couldn’t coach a dog to sh*t in the park. Hardly fair to judge him based on the absolute shambles that is Chelsea football club. I guarantee he would be awesome at Arsenal.