“Hasn’t done anything to warrant a start” - Arsenal fans unhappy with 29-year-old star being named in line-up to face Leicester
Arsenal fans have been left unhappy with the decision of manager Mikel Arteta to hand forward Leandro Trossard a start against Leicester City. The Gunners return to Premier League action with the visit of the Foxes to the Emirates on Saturday (September 28), as they aim to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Arteta's side dropped points at the Etihad last week against Manchester City after playing out an interesting 2-2 draw in the game. They followed up that result with a 5-1 hammering of Bolton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, and face Leicester City next.
Arsenal made wholesale changes for the midweek tie against the League One side, with some of the changes enforced. One of them was having Leandro Trossard miss out through suspension, with Ethan Nwaneri starting in his place.
Mikel Arteta has now named Trossard in the starting XI for the game against the Foxes, with the 29-year-old set to feature in midfield once more. The decision has not gone down well with all of the club's fans, and they raised this point on X.
"Nwaneri over Trossard all day! Trossard has not done anything to warrant a start," was one comment.
A fan questioned the inclusion of the former Brighton & Hove Albion forward for the Gunners.
"Trossard ?," they wrote.
Another fan opined that teenage midfielder Nwaneri ought to have been handed a start instead of Trossard for the game.
"Nwaneri should play in place of Trossard," they wrote.
Another fan questioned the decision to start Trossard in midfield, as well.
"Nwaneri should be starting in midfield. Why is Arteta playing players in positions they don't even have a clue playing? Havertz and Trossard are very poor in midfield and this makes us frustrated," they posted.
A fan questioned the manager's choice in starting Trossard ahead of 17-year-old Nwaneri, calling it a "mistake".
"Every time I've seen Trossard in midfield I've not been impressed. Let's hope it's different today but I think it's a mistake that we aren't using Ethan Nwaneri," they wrote.
Leandro Trossard has scored just one goal in five league appearances for the Gunners this season. The Belgium international received a red card in the game against Arsenal for two first-half bookings, impacting his side's chances of picking up all three points. He has been deployed in midfield in each of his last three appearances due to the injury to club captain Martin Odegaard.
Goalkeeper returns for Arsenal as right-back misses out through injury
Arsenal have received a boost for the game against Leicester City as goalkeeper David Raya has been named between the sticks for the side. The Spaniard missed out on the midweek Carabao Cup game after picking up a knock against Manchester City last weekend.
Last season's Golden Glove winner Raya has been key for the Gunners this season, keeping three clean sheets in five games. While he returns, his side will be without ever-present right-back Ben White, who was not included in the squad to face the Foxes.
Dutch defender Jurrien Timber featured from the start against Manchester City, and keeps his place in the XI for this game. The Dutchman had to leave the City game late in with a cramp, but is back to the XI for Arsenal.