Leandro Trossard was arguably our most important player against Athletic Club despite coming on in the 64th minute for Arsenal. Trossard came on for Viktor Gyökeres and played a false-nine role for the Gunners. The Belgian assisted the opener with a lovely ball over the top for Martinelli, before adding the second with a neat finish in the latter stages – Arsenal won the match 2-0 against Athletic Club, in their Champions League opener.
During his time at Arsenal so far, the former Brighton man has established himself as a very effective player from off the bench. In fact, his very first goal for Arsenal came in that fashion, in a 1-1 draw with Brentford in January 2023.
Trossard the King of Impact
As revealed by OptaJoe on X, since his debut in January 2023, no Premier League player has been involved in more goals from off the bench than Leandro Trossard in all competitions. The Belgian has 14 goal contributions over the course of that period, 10 goals and four assists, making him the most effective player in the league from off the bench. Considering the fierce competition on the left flank, the Belgian will be a vital asset at Mikel Arteta’s disposal ahead of a very tough campaign.
The Spaniard acknowledged the importance of the bench moving forward, saying in his post-match Presser: “That they are at least equally important, or more important. We have discussed that the finishers are going to be more important this season, sometimes more than the starters. We can change the game there, especially with the intensity that we play, especially when the team starts to drop off, and I’m very pleased to see that.”
Trossard & Martinelli (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Strength in Depth
Trossard’s impressive midweek appearance has put him in strong contention to feature more prominently against Manchester City. Gabriel Martinelli will also be in the manager’s mind following an equally impressive showing. This selection headache perfectly illustrates Arsenal’s new found strength in depth, something Mikel Arteta will be counting on ahead of a long and demanding campaign.
Your thoughts appreciated in the comments.
Benjamin Kenneth
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