He got Arsenal up and running in the north London derby, having scored the winner in the previous meeting, and while Eberechi Eze grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick against Spurs, Leandro Trossard’s latest big goal remains hugely significant.
November has been a productive month for the Belgium international: he has registered at least a goal or an assist in every Gunners game this month and leads Arsenal’s goal-involvement numbers for the campaign. Two goals and three assists in his last four games have established him as a mainstay on the left, helping Arsenal stay consistent in their push for trophies.
Sunday’s derby opener — a clever run and composed finish from Mikel Merino’s pass — was another example of Trossard delivering in big matches. That knack for important strikes is nothing new: since joining from Brighton nearly three years ago he has a habit of influencing big occasions, with decisive contributions against the likes of Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool among others.
Trossard was a £27m alternative when Arsenal missed out on Mykhailo Mudryk, who moved to Chelsea for a much larger fee and has since been away from the game amid anti-doping charges. Despite suggestions this summer that Arsenal might cash in — he is over 30 and had two years left on his contract — the club moved in the opposite direction, rewarding him with a new deal. “For me, it was forbidden for him to leave. No chance,” Mikel Arteta said after the derby.
Part of the reason for Arsenal’s commitment to Trossard is his availability. He has played more games for Arsenal under Arteta than any other player since his arrival and was the only Arsenal forward to be included in all 38 Premier League matchday squads last season. Since joining, he’s missed only three Arsenal matches — two through knocks and one due to suspension after a controversial sending-off at Manchester City. That consistency of availability has been invaluable in a squad that can be very young and occasionally injury-hit.
Though he tops Arsenal’s appearance list since his arrival, he ranks lower for total minutes, which reflects how he has sometimes been used as an impact substitute — or “finisher,” as Arteta prefers to describe that role. Early in this season his first goal involvement came as a substitute against Athletic Club, but he has since made the transition to a regular starter: he’s started nine of Arsenal’s last ten games, including eight consecutive Premier League starts.
A major factor in his recent form has been positional consistency. Last season’s front-line injuries saw him deployed across the front three and even centrally for over 1,000 minutes, and he started the Carabao Cup semi-final as a right winger. This season he has mostly occupied the left wing, which he says is his best position. “At least I have some consistency there now,” he noted.
Trossard’s relationship with team-mates, especially Riccardo Calafiori, has also helped. Calafiori’s positional fluidity — popping up in midfield, on the right or even as a striker — creates unpredictability that complements players like Trossard. “That’s Ricci though! That unpredictability of him can hurt teams,” Trossard said, contrasting Calafiori’s roaming influence with Myles Lewis-Skelly’s more fixed midfield role. Trossard added that he and Calafiori have a strong understanding: sometimes he can play a blind pass knowing Calafiori will be in the right place.
Trossard’s recent contributions have made Arsenal more well-rounded. His December and November form, combined with his big-game pedigree and close links with team-mates, have moved the club closer to the titles they seek. Availability, positional clarity and an ability to deliver in key moments have been central to him winning back sceptics and reinforcing his importance to Arteta’s side.