Arsenal may have dropped two points against Brentford but if there was a positive from a frustrating afternoon at the Emirates, it was Leandro Trossard’s goal-scoring cameo.
The former Brighton man, on as a replacement for Gabriel Martinelli, only needed four minutes to make his mark on the game, popping up at the back post to tap home Bukayo Saka’s excellent cross.
The goal – the Belgian’s first in Arsenal colours – rounded off a period of concerted pressure from the Gunners and should have been enough to secure the victory.
Unfortunately, Thomas Frank’s stubborn side wouldn’t be denied a share of the spoils with Ivan Toney equalising eight minutes later after Arsenal failed to deal with a set piece.
After the match, Arteta spoke in glowing terms about his January signing. “This is what we see every single day in training,” he told Arsenal.com.
“I think the contribution he’s had in the game, with the minutes that he has played, has been really good. And it’s great to have a player that when you put them in the game, you have a feeling that something is going to happen.
“He brings a lot of courage when the game is like this, to take the ball and go for it.”
In his press conference, he added: “We took Gabi off for Leo because when Leo’s in those spaces, he’s so good. He’s so composed, he’s constantly faking movements, playing forwards, he’s got a smell for where the ball is going to land, and we believe it was the right choice to get him on today.”
For Trossard, it was an afternoon of mixed emotions.
“I think overall we played well,” he told Arsenal.com. “In the first half they had some chances but in the second half we came more into the game, and obviously we scored that goal and then it’s a tough one to take when they scored the equaliser.
“It’s always a missed opportunity I think if you were leading, especially we knew what they wanted to do. We know their game plan, that they were strong on set pieces and that’s how we conceded the goal.
“Overall we have to lift our heads up and there is a game on Wednesday, and luckily it’s quite soon and we can go at it again.”
On his goal, he added: “I saw B [Bukayo Saka] on the ball, I knew I had to make it at the back post. It was a perfect cross and luckily I scored it.
“It was perfect for us to get the lead, and a perfect moment I think. But like I said, it’s nice to score, but it’s nicer if you can get the win of course.”
Arsenal don’t have long to dwell on a third consecutive match without a win. Manchester City visit the Emirates on Wednesday night in a mouthwatering top of the table clash.
“It’s always nice to play straight away in a couple of days and that’s what’s going to happen,” said Trossard. “I think we will be ready for it.”
Start Trossard and Tomi on Wednesday please
I’m ready for Tomi’s turn as starting RB.
Add Kieran for Xhaka – play Zinny in midfield.
Yes please Trossard instead of Eddie.
I strongly feel this is the way to go…Trossard for Martinelli, but then the average height of the team to defend set pieces would be concerning if we do this
I agree but he won’t do that.
Of our three January signings, I think Trossard will prove to be the most successful, but we’ll see. He should get a run out against City.
The simple scenario is this: you want to be the best, you beat the best. No excuses, let’s get the fk out there and show these cheating $ity fucks why we’re on top of the table. Beat them and we shut up all the voices and make a statement. This is not a game to be feared. This is a game to be excited about!
Yep. Spot on.
Plus we play at home….the noise from the home crowd would be vital to spur our boys on…we keep it tight for the first 30mins and we have a real chance …an early goal from either side will be absolutely demoralizing and a psychological blow during the game. I really Hope we score first.
Home support wasn’t enough against Brentford. We need to step up our performance. I’d loved to have gone into the city game with the confidence of a convincing win behind us but it’s not to be. I’d take a draw with them gladly.
At the start of today we were 6 points clear. End of day we are 3 points clear with game in hand. After the World Cup we were 5 points clear. Perspective is needed. We are favourites in my book Wednesday. COYG
Not bad Theoden.
Let’s beat those mercenaries and oil money grabbers on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!!
I honestly don’t mind how we win as long as we win.
But given a choice, I would LOVE for us to grab the points via a situation that enrages Pep to spontaneous combustion.
Cool, so where’s the courage to leave both him and Martinelli on the pitch? This is the second game in a row where he makes the sub very early, then we need a goal and the only attacking option on the bench is Vieira.
Agree with Daveo.For Arsenal to win the epl is like climbing Mt E.Once upon a time,MU were the FA’s blue eyed team .Now its Man C.
The match officials shd be held accountable for serious blunderz.Apologies are not acceptable
Make sure blundering var guys and match officials are banned from officiating Arsenal matchez agsin and fined 10grand gbp.
What is the point in having a deep bench if Arteta never rotates? absolutely ridiculous. I can’t even blame the players, they must be knackered.
Mate, I think all of know, much as we’d prefer otherwise, that our bench is far from ‘deep.’
Which, in turn, explains why the manager has continually put his faith in his Starting XI.
Arteta has had ample opportunities to rotate White/Saliba with Tomi yet refuses to do so for a game or two.
Because that starting XI has handed him 50 points in half a season and given the club the best start to a league campaign in its entire history.
If it ain’t broke you don’t fix it.
Now, however, it might be a good time to rest Martinelli and White on the bench and bring in Trossard and Tommi respectively.
I know I’m a piss poor manager even by FM standards but I’d seriously tinker with the team selection for the next game. It seems like our opponents have thoroughly analysed our game player by player and come up with ways to counter our strengths. The solution is to throw in a few different set and completely take them by surprise. Eg 1. Start Trossard for Eddie 2. Start Kieran at LB to supplement Gaby on the byline since Zinchenko tends to go inside more 3. Start Tomi for Benjamin Blanco 4. Sub Xhaka for Zinny if we’re chasing the… Read more »
Surely Eddie suits Tierney’s game? He’s a penalty box striker and KT has that drive to get the ball into dangerous areas from the edge of the box.
No way I’m playing this game without zinny. He’s critical in a possession game. I wouldn’t mind seeing tross start over Eddie, Gabi or xhaka for something different. But we need zinny for that possession advantage.
I like his directness. He picks up the ball and goes straight for goal; reminds me of Hleb. Much as I love him, Martinelli seems lately to have lost his bottle when he gets to the 18 yard box; he runs then checks himself and lays it back or inside. He seems afraid to take on the right back, which is strange, because that has always been one of his greatest strengths – he tore Alexander Arnold to pieces against Liverpool at the Emirates last season. Trossard, on the other hand, seems to be frightened of no one. I would… Read more »
I watched a Hleb highlight video the other day, boy, had forgotten what a player he was! Great comparison!
It feels like Martinelli is half the player without Jesus in the team and he does need to be rested, be good to have ESR fit again soon too.
Arsensls paszng game is too predictable and elaborate.This givez defenders time to regroup
Why not speed upthe attack and shoot
on sight.
The blunder by the var not to give an offside might be deliberate.It maybe to help the blues .
U never know
Yeah. Random shoot on sight. Zinchenko’s been doing a lot of that lately……and he’s no Charlie George.
He needs to be starting and Martinelli has to be dropped.
Martinelli was nowhere yesterday and was losing duels and giving away possession far too often.
All players have bad runs in the season, so it’s not a judgement on his talent and commitment which is faultless but may be sitting out a game or two would do him the world of good – isn’t that why you have large squads?
Three changes I would like to see –
1. When you want to score a goal, bring Trosaard for Xhaka and not Martinelli
2. Be flexible with Zinchenko and bring Tierney on for him as Tierney’s threat (crossing) is different from Zinchenko’s
3. Tomiyasu is a high quality footballer and it is wrong to keep him out. Play him at right back and shift White to CB
i honestly preferred him over mudryk from the moment we were linked with him. a known, proven premier league player whom just came from scoring three against liverpool? or an unknown player with only 2200 minutes of ukrainian football in his belt for x3 times as much as the first one? the choice was clear for me. im glad he’s being able to replicate the technical moves he was making at brighton, im sure he’ll have a huge impact for us this season and the ones to come as well.
It’s early days but one goal scored and being involved in the set up of another after three games as opposed to Mudryk scoring nothing and having been subbed off twice. He’s been good value for us while Mudrik…well who cares about that greedy Chelski cunt?
Go Trossard!
not mudryk’s fault if his team accepted chelsea’s offer and not ours, but yes, go trossard!
No one held a gun to his head. He chose to be Chelski scum and will for the next 8.5 years be listening to his fans sing songs dedicated to Putin’s favourite oligarch.
I like Edu and Arteta going for these kind of players now in the EPL…I remember watching Mane and Van Dyke at Soton and scratching my head why Wenger wasn’t going for them. Van Dyke/Koscielny would have been formidable, a weakness of Le Prof Arsenal post invincible era
Surely it’s only a matter of time before a club takes legal action against the PGMOL and/or Premier League? It’s one thing to blame human error when there was no VAR but now that cannot be an answer. There has to be a panel, like there is with own goals, to make a retrospective decision. If Arsenal lose the league by 2 points then what?
I don’t often find myself agreeing with you, but this is spot on. Trophies, relegation, entire careers hinge on the decisions made by these guys. And what has you bashing your head against a wall as a football fan in all of this is that the guy in question was ALREADY found not to be reliable with his decision not to allow Martinelli’s goal to stand at Old Trafford – and PGMOL THEMSELVES admitted he had got it wrong! So, it begs the question why for the love of God was this muppet still in a job at 3.00 pm… Read more »