Leandro Trossard came on to replace Gabriel Martinelli in the 65th minute of the match against Aston Villa. Two minutes later, with his first touch of the ball, the Belgian striker scored a free kick to open the score for the away team. Trossard's arrogant celebration afterward seemed to anger Aston Villa fans. On the contrary, it brought extreme joy to "Gunners" fans at Villa Park.
That goal was the 14th time Trossard scored for Arsenal in the Premier League. In particular, there were 6 times when he tore the opponent's net when he came on as a substitute. The 29-year-old star is the player with the highest scoring rate when coming on as a substitute at Arsenal (43%).
Trossard's goal did not come by chance. As soon as he was launched onto the field, this striker with a "sleep-deprived" face immediately found a favorable position in the opponent's penalty area. He continuously moved short distances to deceive the Villa defense.
"Everyone wants to be a starter, each person will have their own feelings about this. I always want to make a big impact on the field whether I'm starting or coming on as a substitute. The most important thing is that I completed my mission." " - Trossard shared after the match.
Trossard's ability to score goals or create breakthroughs coincides with times when Martinelli is in decline. Last season, there was a long period where Martinelli played harmlessly and Arteta appointed Trossard to start. In 7 starts last season, the Belgian striker scored 4 goals. More specifically, 3 of those goals were opening scoring situations that helped Arsenal untie the match, which is very important.
In the 2022-2023 season, Martinelli scored 15 goals in the Premier League. This number decreased to only 6 in the last campaign. From being an irreplaceable figure on the left wing, Martinelli is gradually losing his influence. This is the season when Arsenal is determined to win the championship, so Arteta will not make any exceptions.
Against Aston Villa , the final ball situations when the breakthrough came from Martinelli appeared harmless. He also fumbled in combinations with Bukayo Saka. In the second half, there were even situations where the Brazilian star appeared to be "shy" and did not dare to shoot. He hesitated and then lost the ball very ungracefully.
As for Trossard, not only did he score the opening goal, he also had a big hand in the goal that sealed Thomas Partey's 2-0 victory. It was Trossard's cunning run that helped Arsenal keep the momentum of the attack and not be called offside. Then, the ball bounced back from Saka's foot for Partey to shoot dangerously into the corner near goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's goal.
"That is the motivation every individual needs to develop. I know competition within the team will motivate everyone to play better. I am happy that I have made positive contributions to the club. Everyone "There should be competition, that's what Arsenal really needs" - Trossard shared.
In 18 months of playing for Arsenal, Trossard has 19 goals and 12 assists, and his performance remains stable. If Martinelli is temporarily out of form, Arteta should consider letting Trossard start as soon as possible.
