100% Duels Lost: Arteta Must Immediately Drop 3/10 Arsenal Ace from His Pl Starting XI
On Saturday evening, Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua faced off in a highly anticipated heavyweight bout. Meanwhile, on Sunday, nearly 200 miles away, another heavyweight clash took place at the Etihad Stadium as Arsenal squared off against Manchester City in a crucial title race fixture.
Just five seconds into the match, Kai Havertz knocked Rodri to the ground, reminiscent of Joshua’s early knockdowns, but this encounter would not see a quick finish.
Instead, both teams played out a match that, despite appearances, ended in a draw rather than a lopsided victory.
The game had its oddities. Erling Haaland struck first for City, and for a time, it appeared Guardiola’s side would dominate, similar to Dubois’ performance the previous night.
However, Arsenal responded through defenders Ricciardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes. Things took a turn when Leandro Trossard’s reckless red card left his team defending for the remainder of the match.
Arsenal held their ground impressively until John Stones found the back of the net in the closing moments, securing a 2-2 result for City.
The dramatic highs and lows left fans pointing fingers, with blame falling either on Trossard or referee Michael Oliver, depending on one’s view.
Leandro Trossard Performance Against Bournemouth
Since joining Arsenal from Brighton in a bargain £27m deal in January 2023, the Belgian has become a significant player for the Gunners.
Last season, only Bukayo Saka surpassed Trossard’s tally of 17 goals across all competitions for Arsenal. After scoring against Aston Villa in match week two, it seemed like Trossard was on track for another outstanding season in front of goal.
However, things haven’t gone as expected. This season, the winger’s form has been inconsistent, and his recent performances have been underwhelming. Playing out of position in a more central role due to Martin Odegaard’s injury, Trossard has struggled to make an impact.
His performance against Tottenham last week was lackluster, and he was equally, if not more, ineffective against Manchester City on Sunday.
Trossard missed a golden opportunity in the first half after Gabriel Martinelli set him up with a perfect cutback. Then, in a moment of frustration, he made a costly mistake.
Just weeks earlier, he had witnessed Declan Rice being sent off for ‘delaying the restart,’ and this weekend, Trossard found himself in a similar situation.
After Oliver had blown the whistle for a free kick, Trossard kicked the ball forward, resulting in a second yellow card and a red for his troubles. Like Rice, he paid the price for kicking the ball away, leaving no room for excuses this time.
Before the incident, he was already having a subpar afternoon, as he failed to win any of his individual duels. Additionally, he had fewer touches of the ball, registering just 11 compared to goalkeeper David Raya’s 52.
So, what comes next? Trossard will miss the midweek League Cup match against Bolton Wanderers due to suspension.
He will be available for selection for the upcoming match against Leicester next weekend. However, following his disappointing performance, which GOAL reporter Charles Watts rated as a mere 3/10, he is unlikely to retain his spot in the lineup.
Why Ethan Nwaneri Should Replace Leandro Trossard
With Odegaard still recovering from an ankle injury, the upcoming match against Bolton in a few days, along with the Premier League fixture against Leicester next weekend, provides an excellent opportunity to hand Ethan Nwaneri his first senior start for the club.
Nwaneri made his Premier League debut at the age of 15, coming off the bench during a game against Brentford in 2022. Now at 17, he is widely considered one of the most promising young talents in the country.
| Arsenal’s youngest debutants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Age at debut | Year & opponent faced |
| #1 Ethan Nwaneri | 15 years, 5 months, 28 days | 2022: Brentford |
| #2 Cesc Fabregas | 16 years, 5 months, 24 days | 2003: Rotherham |
| #3 Jack Wilshere | 16 years, 8 months, 12 days | 2008: Blackburn |
| #4 Jermaine Pennant | 16 years, 10 months, 15 days | 1999: Middlesbrough |
| #5 Paul Vaessen | 16 years, 11 months, 11 days | 1978: Lokomotive Leipzig |
| #6 Ryan Smith | 16 years, 11 months, 18 days | 2003: Rotherham |
| #7 Gedion Zelalem | 16 years, 11 months, 29 days | 2014: Coventry |
| #8 Armand Traore | 17 years, 16 days | 2006: West Brom |
| Data Source: Transfermarkt. | ||
A brief four-minute substitute appearance during the north London derby has been Nwaneri’s only involvement in the 2024/25 season so far. However, the club’s upcoming two fixtures could present the perfect opportunity to integrate and give more playing time to the young English talent.
What makes Nwaneri such an exciting prospect? He has the unique ability to create opportunities from nothing, a rare skill. For Arsenal supporters, it’s akin to what Odegaard brings to the team.
Whether it’s through his ability to find the back of the net or craft a chance for a teammate, Nwaneri seems to have all the tools necessary to make a significant impact and is poised to take on the Premier League.
Nwaneri’s ideal role would likely mirror Odegaard’s, playing off the right side but moving into central positions. This allowed him to rack up an impressive 18 goals and four assists during his youth campaign last season.
While it may not yet be a “now or never” moment for Nwaneri, it’s essential that he begins to get regular Premier League experience to establish himself further.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has praised him as an “outstanding internal solution,” which is exactly what he might become as Arsenal seek to address not only Trossard’s red card but also the significant loss of Odegaard.
Facing newly promoted Leicester, the England youth international could finally get the opportunity to make an impact. After Trossard’s reckless actions on Sunday, he certainly seems to have earned his shot.
In other Arsenal news, Mikel Arteta Says One Arsenal Star Was Never Actually Meant to Feature vs Man City
