Leandro Trossard started as a false nine for Arsenal as they won 1-0 at Leicester on Saturday; Belgian scored a fine goal that was disallowed for a foul by Ben White before setting up Gabriel Martinelli's winner; result keeps Arsenal top of the Premier League
Monday 27 February 2023 07:50, UK
Mikel Arteta praised Leandro Trossard's performance as the central striker in Arsenal's win at Leicester on Saturday after he claimed the assist for Gabriel Martinelli's winner.
The Belgian forward has played as a left winger since his arrival from Brighton last month but was deployed as a false nine in the 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium.
Trossard scored with an impressive bending effort in the first half that was disallowed following a VAR review but put that disappointment behind him to nutmeg Harry Souttar with a through ball that set Martinelli on his way to scoring the only goal of the game just after half-time.
"He was really good," said Arteta. "He got involved in many situations that could have ended in many big chances. He was involved in the incredible goal he scored that was disallowed. He was involved in the goal of Gabi with the pass he plays to him.
"He is so good in the small spaces. He’s got that creativity to open people up and I’m really happy with him."
It was unclear whether Trossard or Martinelli would start as the central striker against Leicester once Eddie Nketiah was named on the bench and Arteta explained he wanted to be flexible depending on how the Foxes played.
"We have the option to play Leo as the No 9 and we have the option to play Gabi as the No 9 and Leo on the left," said the manager.
"We wanted to see how the game developed and what Leicester wanted to do. I think his contribution was really good."
Trossard was joined in the starting XI by his fellow January signing Jorginho and Arteta is delighted with the way the pair have settled into his squad.
"They are two players that have experience in the league and are really well fitted for our way of playing," he said. "Both of them are really intelligent to understand what we demand and they have the personality to come here and play the way they play. This is what is required at this level."
Trossard was signed after Arsenal lost out to Chelsea for the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk, while Jorginho was targeted after Brighton turned down their bids for Moises Caicedo.
Arteta said he was "really happy" with the processes that led to the club signing the duo, adding: "We were very clear with what we wanted to do. We had an idea but we had to adapt and in the window that’s something you have to do.
"We didn’t feel sorry for ourselves and I think everybody, from ownership to the board - Edu [sporting director] especially - were really strong and doing what we had to do."
Sky Sports football features writer Nick Wright:
Martinelli's goal proved decisive for Arsenal against Leicester and his player-of-the-match display owed a lot to the presence of Trossard, rather than Nketiah, in the No 9 role.
Nketiah, rested at the King Power Stadium having picked up a knock, is an out-and-out striker who rarely strays beyond the width of the opposition box but Trossard is far more inclined to drift towards the flanks and, specifically, to the left.
That is good news for Martinelli, who loves to cut inside and interchange positions with his striker, much as he did for his winner on Saturday, when Trossard pulled wide and fed him on the inside, allowing him to finish beyond Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward.
Gabriel Jesus, like Trossard, is a roving centre-forward whose movement to the flanks helped Martinelli thrive in the opening months of the season, but the 21-year-old has proved far less effective when deployed alongside Nketiah.
Indeed, before his goal from the bench in last weekend's 4-2 win over Aston Villa, Martinelli had not found the net in eight games in all competitions, all of which Nketiah started.
Now, however, as Jesus continues his recovery from injury, Arteta knows he has another alternative in the absence of his main striker - and it is one which suits Martinelli.
Speaking on Soccer Saturday, former Arsenal player Paul Merson described their win over Leicester as a "great three points" given it kept them ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
"I thought first half, Arsenal were outstanding," said Merson. "When you're top of the league and you're going away from home again to a difficult place, you've got to start well and they started very well, passed the ball around and dominated.
"Then, coming out second half, you think they've got to start well again. They came out and did that. Great little ball by Trossard and it was a [Thierry] Henry-style finish from Martinelli.
"After that, I didn't think they were very good. They hung in there but didn't really get any passes together.
"Leicester came alive and started closing Arsenal down. They made it nervous for Arsenal but it's a great three points. Arsenal had to win the game to get that game in hand to count.
"Now Arsenal can win their game in hand and they are five points clear. That's a big head start with only 13 games to go and Bournemouth at home on Saturday."
