“It’s a position I can handle as well" - Arsenal forward believes he can shine in midfield role
Arsenal attacker Leandro Trossard is confident that he can be a key player for the team even as a midfielder.
Traossard was signed by the Gunners from Brighton & Hove Albion for £27 million in January. Since then the Belgium international has operated in various positions across attack, be it as a striker or winger.
His versatility has helped Mikel Arteta's side immensely. Trossard has seven goals and 12 assists in 37 appearances for the Gunners. The 28-year-old has been a key player this season as well, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 15 appearances across competitions.
Fans saw a new side of Trossard when he operated from the heart of midfield during the 1-0 Premier League win at Brentford on Saturday (November 25). While Kai Havertz scored an 89th-minute winner, Trossard's display was equally impressive.
The former Brighton star has said that he's confident of replicating Granit Xhaka for the Gunners, telling the club website:
“It’s a position I can handle as well. I’ve played there with the Belgian national team.”
He added:
“I need to be switched on. Because (my position) can change every week. It’s based on the game plan. Not every team plays the same system, and the manager thinks a lot about those things. So it’s up to me to keep going and pushing to have game time.”
Leandro Trossard speaks about Arsenal's performances in UEFA Champions League
Arsenal are back in the UEFA Champions League after six years. The Gunners are atop Group B with nine points from four games.
Trossard was quizzed ahead of the Gunners' clash with Lens on Wednesday (November 29) about how the team have coped with playing in Europe's top cup competition. He sounded confident (via the Gunners' website):
"I think very well. We are together as a group now, and we want to finish it off tomorrow. We want to be top of the group going into the next round, and I think we’ve done really well. We have such a good group and so much quality, so we can cope."
Arsenal play Lens at the Emirates. The Ligue 1 side secured a 2-1 win when the two teams met earlier this season in France on October 3. A draw would be enough for Arteta's side to secure a place in the last-16.