Sport
Leandro Trossard has proved his value to Arsenal fans once again
If Arsenal are to go on and become Premier League champions for the first time since the Arsene Wenger era, they might well look back on Saturday’s narrow win over Fulham as one of their most significant of the whole season. It could prove to be a landmark moment for Mikel Arteta and his players.
The win over the Cottagers itself wasn’t the most eye-catching. Arsenal were the stronger side, by and large, but they had to grind out the result with Leandro Trossard bundling home the decisive goal from a corner kick. The Belgian, not for the first time this season, made a difference when it mattered most.
It wasn’t so long ago that Trossard appeared to be fighting for his Arsenal career. The 30-year-old was linked with a move away from Emirates Stadium. Indeed, Besiktas and Borussia Dortmund were both reportedly monitoring Trossard’s situation amid intense transfer speculation.
Instead, Trossard signed a new contract to stay in North London until 2027. This news divided the Arsenal support, many of whom believed Arteta needed a more reliable option on the left side of the forward line. Since then, though, Trossard has proved himself all over again.
Trossard scored his first goal of the season in the away win over Athletic Club to get Arsenal’s Champions League campaign up and running. He followed this up by finding the net against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup, but the winner away to Fulham was Trossard’s most consequential.
“Leo has this quality to create these magic moments when the team needs it the most,” said Arteta when asked about the impact Trossard made in scoring the winner against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, putting Arsenal four points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
“That intuition that he’s in the right place in the right moment is a huge quality for the team and a massive weapon for us. He’s been very, very good in recent weeks and now we have a lot of players in a really high emotional state and performance level, which is really good to see.”
When everyone is fit, Trossard might not be a starter for Arsenal. Martin Odegaard is the Gunners’ best central creator, meaning that Eberechi Eze could be pushed out to the left wing with the Norwegian back in the lineup. Gabriel Martinelli is another option on the left side of the pitch.
As someone who can make an impact off the bench or as a rotational player, Trossard is more than worth his place in the Arsenal squad. He might not be the most natural in one-on-one situations, nor is he the fastest. There are better orthodox wingers in the Emirates Stadium dressing room.
Inside the opposition box, though, Trossard comes alive, as he did for the winner at Craven Cottage on Saturday. He has the instincts of a centre forward when attacking crosses and balls in and around the six-yard area. In this sense, the Belgian gives Arsenal another tool to use in front of goal.
There was much debate around Trossard’s place in the Arsenal squad when the Gunners looked to be lacking one more attacking difference-maker to complement Bukayo Saka on the right. However, this is where the addition of Eze late in the summer transfer window satisfied the fanbase.
While Eze might have taken Trossard’s spot in Arsenal’s strongest lineup, his arrival in North London has possibly taken some pressure off the Belgian to be something he’s not. Trossard is now playing with more freedom in the knowledge that Arteta still trusts him to contribute over the course of the season.
