Arteta backs ‘bit of a moaner’ Trossard to shine for Arsenal | OneFootball

Many pundits said Arsenal “dodged a bullet” when Chelsea pipped them to the signing of £88.5m forward Mykhailo Mudryk in January 2023. Instead, they signed Leandro Trossard from Brighton, for £27M, proving to be the signing of that transfer window.

The enigmatic Belgian has never been more important a player to manager Mikel Arteta than now, as they go into the New Year trying to keep pace with Premier League leaders Liverpool amid a mini-injury crisis at Arsenal.

There is little doubt Trossard, often used as a decisive substitute by Arteta, will be heavily involved at Brentford on New Year’s Day as the Spanish coach tries to juggle his side while attacking players Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling are the latest on his testing injury list.

‘Trossard again Olé, Olé’ is what the Arsenal fans sing when the mischievous forward scores or even makes a goal.  Arteta pointed out how his versatile forward also has that rare knack of being able to score important and decisive goals too. He stated: “Leo has the capacity to do something special in the final third.”

Trossard’s muted goal celebration when he scored the winner as a substitute at Aston Villa earlier in the season looked like a protest at being left out of the starting line-up. Arteta is both aware and unperturbed by his player’s attitude. In fact, he thinks it is a positive.

“Leo naturally is a bit of a moaner,” the Arsenal manager explained. “I like that because he’s very competitive and you have training sessions, he’s always busy with the referee’s decision, because he wants to win. That’s what I love.

“He always wants to be the best and when he’s not there, he’s not happy. But that’s what pushes him. That’s where he comes in the pitch, he can make an impact because he’s got that drive, that anger which says: ‘I’m gonna show you.’

“I love that about him.

“He’s a really good character. They all want to play. Always want to play. Leo has shown a lot more consistency in the last 12 months, he’s deserved that [chance to play more]. He’s had a lot of competition in his position. We have raised the level. If he plays at that level then he will play like anyone else.”

Arteta has few selection decisions to make for their New Year’s Day trip across London to face Brentford. The team almost picks itself aside from the left back role between Myles Lewis-Skelly, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleks Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney. Thomas Partey has missed out in midfield for the past couple of games and Mikel Merino is also itching to start.

Arteta added:  “For sure, the team has made another step. The team is evolving and adapting to new circumstances and now we have another one with more games with less players. So, let’s face it.

“Catching Liverpool? I don’t know and it doesn’t depend on us. We have to continue to be like a hammer, be there every day, every day and if someone wins all the matches then congratulate them and then go to the next season. But if they don’t – which in history it hasn’t happened – then we will be there.”