Advertisement

Why Mikel Arteta raged at Leandro Trossard and it was not for penalty miss or Kai Havertz snub

Leandro Trossard of Arsenal misses a penalty during the UEFA Champions League match with Shakhtar Donetsk
-Credit: (Image: (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images))


Leandro Trossard was in the spotlight on Tuesday night, although not for reasons he will have liked. The Belgian has done admirably since slotting into the Arsenal team due to Martin Odegaard's injury absence.

But Tuesday night was not his best in a red shirt. The Belgian missed a penalty that would have put the Champions League clash with Shakhtar Donetsk to bed. As it happens it did not matter, with the Gunners holding on to win 1-0, but a two-goal lead would have negated any late nerves as the Ukrainian side pushed for an equaliser.

Trossard came further under the microscope because had Kai Havertz taken the spot-kick, as many people expected, he would have set a new Emirates Stadium record for goals in consecutive home matches at eight - if he scored it.

Manager Mikel Arteta said afterwards that it was an opportunity missed for Havertz and the team. He said: "They made that decision. The penalty takers are normally Bukayo and Martin. After that, we have two or three players who can take them and they made the decision. Unfortunately Leo missed it. As you said, it was an opportunity missed."

It makes it two games in a row for Arsenal where Trossard has become something of a scapegoat, with his inexplicable backpass on Saturday evening against Bournemouth leading to William Saliba's sending off.

football.london writer Tom Canton is among a growing number of people clamouring for Ethan Nwaneri to be trusted from the start in a match now and Trossard's last few games could sway Arteta into doing just that.

The Gunners boss was less then impressed with Trossard, not for the penalty miss, but for something else he did against Shakhtar. Before the spot-kick, Trossard gave away possession carelessly on the edge of his own box. Arteta was apoplectic.

The Arsenal boss turned round to his coaching staff and roared "That's two times," while raising two fingers to his bench. It came moments after Trossard had given the ball away cheaply.

Will Nwaneri get his moment in a big game with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday?