Over the summer time I wrote a bit about Leandro Trossard during which I argued that he had had a greater season than he’d been credited for. In 2023-24, as Arsenal fought tooth and nail with Manchester Metropolis for the title, successful 16 of their final 18 Premier League matches, Trossard loved a 2002 Freddie Ljungberg like run in entrance of objective.
Trossard scored 12 Premier League objectives in 2023-24, 9 of them have been scored within the second half of the season. That Arsenal crew had a robust invoice of well being and was replete with creativity and gamers who’re elite within the build-up section, Odegaard, Saka and Havertz. What they actually wanted was a finisher and that was the function Trossard performed.
Specifically he struck up understanding with Havertz and the vast majority of his objectives have been first time finishes, operating on to the ball within the space. The Belgian has two excellent toes and a really quick again raise, qualities that make him a wonderful shooter and finisher. Ambipedal gamers are likely to have good balance- the Ajax academy promotes two footedness in gamers not simply because it makes them harder to learn nevertheless it affords them a extra steady centre of gravity.
When Trossard shoots on his left foot, he doesn’t ’swing’ his leg like a whole lot of gamers after they shoot on their weaker foot. His approach stays true and his contact is steady. Most attackers both refuse to make use of their weaker foot and change again inside, or else they completely swing their leg and smash the again of the ball. Usually that may work nevertheless it means their ending lacks selection.
Trossard’s competence on his left foot means he retains his steadiness and he can apply totally different prospers when he connects with the ball. In opposition to each Slavia Praha and Burnley, Arsenal scored objectives from left-footed crosses by Trossard. His potential to make use of each toes makes him far harder for full-backs and defenders to learn.
Take a look at his successful objective in final season’s North London derby- one of many many ‘clutch’ objectives Trossard has scored for Arsenal. He may equally take that probability on his proper foot however he desires a low, straight end into the underside nook so he opts to make use of his left and he retains the ball low and arduous. Being an ambidepal merely means you might have extra golf equipment in your bag.
Trossard’s 2024-25 season was much less feted than his efforts the marketing campaign earlier. I felt this was as a result of Arsenal’s season total didn’t fireplace the creativeness as a lot. But additionally the emphasis of Trossard’s end-product modified. He had 12 objectives and an help within the Premier League in 2023-24. In 2024.25, he managed eight objectives and 7 assists.
His total finish product improved final season however there was a shift to creativity- although his XG really didn’t shift an excessive amount of, his 12 Premier League objectives in 2023-24 got here from 7.9XG and his eight in 2024-25 got here from 7.2XG, he ran a little bit ‘scorching’ in 2023-24 and that development corrected a little bit. Lengthy story quick, his output retained its stage amongst a slew of attacking accidents.
With Odegaard injured after which off form and Havertz and Saka lacking for lengthy spells, Trossard turned extra essential to Arsenal’s build-up and he was in a position to shift his emphasis accordingly. When he was signed from Brighton in January 2023, it was obvious that he performed various positions for the Seagulls.
At Arsenal, the overwhelming majority of his appearances have been on the left-wing, but the features he has carried out from that place have modified. Simply take a look at the fixed evolution at left-back- from Zinchenko to Tomiyasu to Lewis Skelly to Calafiori. Have you ever ever heard anybody recommend that he’s incompatible with sure full-backs?
The true worth of Trossard to Arsenal just isn’t essentially his positional versatility however his attribute versatility. He merely cuts his fabric to what’s rising round him. Arsenal made strikes to deal with their attacking depth over the summer time with Eze, Gyokeres and Madueke all signed at expense.
Like many followers, I felt Trossard’s footballing worth would lower this season (not a lot that I felt he could be surplus, thoughts). Arteta may need to think about the troublesome query as as to whether the crew suffers so many attacking accidents due to the quantity of bodily labour his forwards carry out out of possession. But Trossard’s availability has been exemplary thus far.
His worth this season has not simply been availability, nevertheless. As soon as once more, he has been in a position to form shift to what the crew wants him to be. Arsenal have three model new attacking gamers, two of whom in Eze and Gyokeres have began the vast majority of video games. Havertz and Odegaard have barely featured this season and Saka and Martinelli have been unavailable.
Trossard has concurrently assumed the shape Arsenal wanted him to but once more, whereas on the identical time offering a form of continuity and reference level that has prevented the crew from trying like a set of strangers in assault. I feel his qualities as a frontrunner (which has seen him often solid as a barely waspish presence within the squad) are additionally undervalued externally.
I recall being very grabbed by an interview Aaron Ramsdale gave in the summertime of 2023 when he talked about Trossard. ‘Trossard’s coming in to take somebody’s place, in his head. It would appear to be he’s coming to be a part of the squad, however deep down…he’s coming to take one of many entrance three participant’s place.’
His surliness is definitely a product of his competitiveness and but the function he has taken within the squad has been altruistic and malleable based on the crew’s wants. The pay rise he earned this summer time was deserved and I might wager he has just about already paid it again. If this crew achieves what it ought to by way of silverware, Trossard will certainly turn out to be a part of Arsenal folklore.
