There’s a lot that goes on behind closed doors that never makes it to the media. No footballer is happy not playing football. Maybe Elneny, but that’s about it.
Players with real quality get snapped up. If Trossard doesn’t get enough game time across the competitions this season, there’s a high chance he’ll leave; he’s still only 28.
I do have wild takes, but they often come true. I just use past history to predict future events, it’s not a radical thing to suggest.
In my last role, I joined with the understanding that a Director/VP will be hired to lead the team and I would be the equivalent of a ‘squad’ player, my job was just to build the org.
When they started proceedings, I had already built the team, achieved good results and became Director as a result. During interview I said “I have no intention of managing people”, yet 8 months later, I was leading a team of 10 people & increased my salary by ~65%.
Maybe Trossard’s the same. AFC’s huge, so he wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to join us, but there’s no way he’s satisfied playing a measly role.
Do we want players at the club under 30, who are happy being permanent side pieces?
Their job should be to compete with the first team, otherwise why are they even here?
I thought he actually looked good himself (was sharp on the ball etc), but we just needed something different up front tactically at that moment, we definitely looked much better as soon as Eddie got on to the pitch.
He got one start already this season (and didn’t take that opportunity) - it is a long season and he will likely get more over the course of the season.
IMO, every player should be deemed a squad player forever and continuously in training and in games prove why they should be a starter
It is in his hands to change that - do you think Trossard would be an automatic starter for City? Is Grealish or Foden guaranteed a starting player.
Whole lot of your job roles and then “maybe” Trossard is like you? Well “maybe” he is nothing like you…
Is Trossard not competing with the first team? From where I am sitting, he is competing and making the bench with the occasional start, which will continue until he disposes another player from the starting line up/depending on tactics for a particular game. Or he decides he has had enough and goes to a team likely below the level of Arsenal
Not going to have a continuous back and forth on this, all I was getting at is you make regular statements as a fact/certainty when there is in fact no certainty or substance to the claim besides your “feeling”
When it comes to football, on a fan forum… unless you’re referencing data in every point you make (which nobody does), then almost everything said on these boards are a “feeling”.
Do I need to preface all my posts with “in my opinion”? Surely that’s obvious already no?
But yeah, I agree. I do make statements sound as fact. I don’t see anything wrong with that, I believe them to be true. If you disagree, that’s ok.
e.g. Havertz isn’t good enough right now to start week-in, week-out at Arsenal given our ambitions.
That’s partly my point though, if he performs well in training & games he should start more.
Vieira is playing out of his skin, yet Havertz still starts someone please explain.
I don’t think there’s a single player at AFC that would be a guaranteed starter at City. Grealish has been poor, given what City paid for him.
Players’ form throughout the season go through peaks and troughs. I’ve seen it mentioned on here/podcasts etc however, it’s going to be a massive boon if Mikel realises this with different players and is smart enough to play them when going through a good run of form.
Trossard showing some sharpness in the international break gives the manager something to think about (hopefully) and because a lot of our front line is interchangeable, it shouldn’t be a problem integrating him into the team. Lots of football to play between now and the end of the year now anyway, so he should be alright for minutes.
If Havertz is injured, i expect Fabio. Jesus, then Nketiah. If Saka, then Reiss. I think Trossard is mostly fighting for a start on the left but could come on as a sub in another spot depending on the game
There is a difference.
Pep has a history of rotating players, almost to a fault.
Arteta has not shown any tendency to rotate with his players unless he is forced.
Bottom line is that a league or CL winning squad needs first team quality sitting on the bench. Arteta needs to learn quickly how to rotate effectively. Lack of rotation / depth is what cost us the league last season. This season has to be different. You can argue Pep does it too much but Arteta definitely doesn’t do it enough, and he needs to improve this.
Using Trossard efficiently will be a critical component of any potential success. He has immense quality and we have the luxury of not needing him to start. Trossard, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Nketiah, Tomiyasu etc all need to get drafted in to start at the right times.
Christ, even when Spurs reached the CL final they benched Moura who deserved to start against Liverpool.
Yup, my gripe is solely around Arteta’s unwillingness to rotate. Arteta tends to have his favourites & the frustration around Trossard stems from that fact.
Otherwise, I do know it is a long season and there are enough games to distribute game time.
When we rotated in the fa cup and eu league last season people were moaning about not playing the best 11. You can never win in this new modern social media football thing.
Crucial point this and a massive weakness we’ve seen in our manager so far in his young career. I suppose there have to be some glaring weaknesses for a gaffer with no prior experience whatsoever. Last season he changed things far too late and ran several players into the ground.
Even with more depth and bench strength in the squad, I’m yet to see him switch things up at the right time and I’m still seeing some players overused and others underused.
But it’s early days in this season and he has time to prove he has improved in this area.
Jorginho, Trossard, Nketiah, Havertz, Vieira, Smith-Rowe, Tomiyasu, Raya, Nelson is a hell of a strong bench to call upon. Gutted we lost Timber because defensive depth is the biggest worry for us.
