Leandro Trossard Emerges as Arsenal's Game-Changer - Premier League Hits and Misses

Change the content

Trossard is Arsenal's game-changer

Leandro Trossard continues to pop up at key moments for Arsenal. The Belgian scored a string of vital goals in big games last season, including against Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Porto and Bayern Munich. Now he has another.

Thomas Partey's long-range strike for Arsenal's second goal at Villa Park ensured Trossard's opener was not their winner, per se. But it was certainly the one that changed the game. Arsenal had been on the ropes. The momentum shifted with that swing of his right boot.

First-time finishes have long been his trademark. But this, with his very first touch of the game, only moments after replacing Gabriel Martinelli, took his efficiency to another level.

It was his 18th goal for the Gunners since the start of last season and, having been named only as a substitute in Arsenal's first two games of the season, it should ensure he is in the starting line-up when they host Brighton next weekend.

They might not be going into that game on the back of a win if it wasn't for him but Mikel Arteta knows he can expect the same from him whether he starts or not. "When you don't get picked there are certain ways to react," he said in his press conference. "Leo is upset but he's upset to show on the pitch how good he is. That's a huge quality.

"When you put him in the team he does exactly the same thing. That's a big message and a big example for the rest of the team and myself. He came on and made the difference. Big credit to him."
Nick Wright

Wasteful Watkins found wanting

Ollie Watkins ultimately provided the killer blow to Arsenal's title chances last season, when he scored the second in a 2-0 win for Villa at the Emirates in April. Now, he helped spark a life into the Gunners' new title bid.

David Raya will take the plaudits for his second half wonder save but Watkins should have really put Villa ahead in both halves.

The first effort he dragged carelessly wide when he even had time to set himself. Then the second saw him head straight at Raya with the goal gaping once again. Both chances amounted to 0.86 worth of xG. It was easier to score than one penalty, which is worth 0.79.

Watkins missed two big chances in the same game for the first time since defeat to Manchester United in February. The Villa forward, who produced heroics at Villa Park last season and continued them at the Euro 2024 semi-final, will put this latest display down to another off day.

But with two games without a goal to start this new season, Watkins needs to grab a goal in the next game or this could be psychologically challenging.
Sam Blitz

Hurzeler shows tactical flexibility against United

At full-time, after Brighton's victory against Manchester United, Fabian Hurzeler's side sat at the top of the league. Although short-lived, the impact that the 31-year-old manager is already having at Brighton can't be understated.

A last-gasp victory against United follows up an emphatic opening 3-0 win at Everton. The two games represent a flexibility already evident in Hurzeler's Brighton side. At Goodison Park, Sean Dyche's willingness to concede possession meant that Brighton were on the ball for long spells in the game.

That meant Brighton could do what we've seen from them in their recent past and draw their opponents out of position with sweeping moves from front to back. Two of their goals in that game were a result of that philosophy while they also scored from a breakaway with Kaoru Mitoma starting an attack from the edge of his own box to finish at the other end.

Conversely, the United game offered up a different challenge. With United buoyant after an opening weekend win of their own, Brighton took a different approach. A possession-heavy style against United from the off would have played into the hands of the opposition who had the likes of Marcus Rashford as a potential threat in behind.

Instead, Brighton were patient, allowing United to have more of the ball meaning that they could find more success on the counter. By the time Brighton scored their 32nd-minute opener, Mitoma had the least touches of any player on the field but that didn't prevent him from setting up Danny Welbeck.

Against Everton, Brighton had 62% possession while against United, Hurzeler's side had 48%. Despite having less possession though, just as they did against Everton, Hurzeler's side created more chances and had more shots than United.

At a time when managers place great emphasis on 'sticking to guns' and principles of play, Hurzeler has already shown he can be flexible tactically while still creating dangerous opportunities.
William Bitibiri

United show their weak away-day mentality again

Manchester United are naive. Since 2022-23, they have lost more Premier League games thanks to goals scored in the 90th minute and beyond than any other side (6); they'd only lost two such games in the first 30 campaigns in the competition combined.

Already this season, they conceded an 89th-minute equaliser to Manchester City in the Community Shield.

The momentum at the Amex had swung in the final 15 minutes. United and Erik ten Hag failed to recognise it. Scott McTominay was brought on for Bruno Fernandes rather than Casemiro, whose legs had faded.

Harry Maguire was needlessly changed for Matthijs de Ligt and United missed his aerial presence at the corner which led to Brighton's winner. Ten Hag insisted his side "take the point" in that scenario but neither he or his players tried to.

United are winless in their last 14 Premier League away games in which they've conceded first (D2 L12), since coming from behind at Everton in October 2022 (2-1) and that is coupled with Ten Hag's miserable away record which has more defeats (17) than wins (16) in the Premier League.

When United come under pressure on the road, they crumble and on this evidence, more pain will follow.
David Richardson

Ridiculous Haaland is the ultimate hat-trick hero

Erling Haaland is just 24-years-old. He has already scored 23 career hat-tricks, seven of them coming in the Premier League.

Sergio Aguero, he's coming for you.

The Argentinian holds the Premier League record for the most Premier League hat-tricks (12), but it surely won't last. Haaland has already more Premier League match balls than Ruud van Nistelrooy, Andy Cole and Luis Suarez. He has only played 68 games - that's a hat-trick every 9.7 games.

Having also scored against Chelsea in the season's opening game Haaland now has 67 goals in those 68 Premier League appearances. He could become a member of the Premier League 100-club this season - he only needs another 33.

Both Pep Guardiola and ' Paul Merson used the same adjective to describe him: "ridiculous".

He is exactly that.

"He's just won the Golden Boot today," declared Merson. And he's probably right. Only injury can stop this hurricane.
Lewis Jones

Odobert makes promising Spurs debut as 'special' Van de Ven wows again

It was fitting that Wilson Odobert's debut came as a surprise following his shock £30m arrival from Burnley.

Barely a week into life at Spurs, the Frenchman was thrown straight into the team as he started on the left wing and then delivered an exciting display that got the Spurs fans out of their seats.

The 19-year-old was electric in the first half and caused Everton plenty of problems. The numbers proved his threat as he made the most dribbles (7) and had the most touches in the opposition box (7) of any player.

Odobert is still raw as he gave away a loose pass in the second half that nearly resulted in Everton scoring, but his debut was "really exciting" according to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

The Australian also had praise for Micky van de Ven as he labelled him "a special footballer" after he delivered yet another exceptional performance. He is now a real fans' favourite.

The Dutchman's lightning speed makes him a cheat code as he helped unlock Spurs' fourth goal with a fabulous surging assist from his own box for Heung-Min Son to score.

There were major fears when the 23-year-old looked seriously injured in the first half as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium held its breath, but he was quickly back up and running - as are Spurs now after that disappointing opening draw at Leicester.
Declan Olley

Alarm bells already ringing for woeful Everton

Just two games into the new Premier League season and Everton are already in a world of pain.

Zero points, zero goals scored and seven goals conceded leave Sean Dyche's side rock bottom of the table after thrashings by Brighton and Tottenham.

The Toffees are making unwanted history having lost their first two games in a top-flight season by three or more goals for the first time. At the other end of the pitch, they have only had two shots on target so far - one in each of the defeats.

The alarm bells are already ringing at Goodison Park - their last season at the ground before they make the move to the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock. The club cannot begin life there with Championship football, which brings extra added pressure to this campaign.

If this dismal form continues, though, then second-tier football could well become a reality, with a belief the promoted teams this year are stronger than last season's.

However, Dyche remained defiant and upbeat in his post-match press conference that his side can turn things around with key players still to return.

But what Dyche does not need is his leading stars making silly mistakes, as goalkeeper Jordan Pickford did for Spurs' second with an embarrassing blunder.

It was an error that sums up Everton right now.
Declan Olley

Kilman shows the way for the Lopetegui era

Max Kilman demonstrated why Julen Lopetegui was keen to bring in his former charge from Wolves against Crystal Palace.

He perhaps too showed his new West Ham teammates just what their boss wants from them, often looking relaxed playing out from the back and ranked top among his teammates for touches, total passes and accurate passes.

Then, there was his assist for Jarrod Bowen's goal. Again, coming out from the back and spotting his captain in a great position. He had the time to do so, but it was a fine moment nonetheless.

Kilman continued to do well in his key defensive areas too, including duels and aerial duels, and is proving to be a reliable addition to the West Ham defence.

He played in every Premier League minute for Wolves last season, and you can see it happening again in the blue and claret of West Ham.
Charlotte Marsh

Crystal Palace must add to avoid another difficult campaign

First, a dose of realism. Two defeats from two games does not mean panic stations for Crystal Palace. In fact, given that three key players have already left - including two less than 24 hours before Saturday's kick-off - to have competed in the way they did is impressive.

But the Eagles do need reinforcements. They have the right manager, and he needs the right players. "When we lose seven and bring in three, maybe we need one or two," Oliver Glasner said. "Let's see what happens this week."

And the Crystal Palace manager was right when he said that his team were far from second best, but the results have been decided in mis-managed moments. The Eagles cannot afford too many in such an unforgiving league.

And for a team that were free scoring at times under Glasner last season, a Crystal Palace player is yet to score.

Perhaps both can be summed up by Eberechi Eze. He did well against West Ham, but he often didn't make the right pass when needed around the box. Without that telepathic connection with Michael Olise that was so important, especially in feeding Jean-Philippe Mateta, he needs to rebuild that with his new teammates.

Such was the optimism around Selhurst Park last season, a relegation battle should be out of the question - and absolutely still could be. But the hierarchy at the club need to move now to keep their team from playing catch-up.
Charlotte Marsh

Southampton's attack limp vs Forest - but it could get better

Two weeks into the new Premier League season and only four teams are yet to score their first goal. Southampton are one of them, having fallen to successive 1-0 defeats to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.

A baptism of fire on their return? Maybe. But probably more so a touch of encouragement that they are not too far away from reaching the same level as their peers.

Even so, they struggled in front of goal at home to Forest. They managed just five shots all game - which pales in comparison to the 19 they racked up at Newcastle - and created a measly 0.20 xG. In contrast, Forest were miles ahead with 2.31.

A frontline of Ben Brereton Diaz and Adam Armstrong should at least put the fear into some defences this season - but the pair did nothing of the sort this time around. One shot between them says it all.

Speaking post-match at St Mary's, Russell Martin suggested he would try to strengthen in the final third before the window closes, which will be music to Saints fans' ears.

The south coast club endured a sticky patch last season, when they lost four on the trot in September and Martin's future was called into question. Granted, they were among the favourites for promotion, but it was a run that fuelled the 22-match unbeaten run in the Championship that followed.

The Premier League is a different kettle of fish altogether, but a lot of this group have the experience of that under their belts, should they need to call upon it.
Dan Long

'Decisive' Smith Rowe reminds everyone of his prodigious talent

Fulham manager Marco Silva was full of praise for £34 million club-record signing Emile Smith Rowe after his goal helped Fulham beat Leicester 2-1 as the Cottagers got off the mark for the new season.

The west London club lost some big-name players during the summer, especially in midfield, but those departures will soon be forgotten if Smith Rowe can continue performing like he did at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

The some-time England international opened the scoring after a composed run and finish, incredibly his first Premier League goal in 32 games and 857 days since netting against Chelsea in April 2022.

"When we sign a player for that position we need them to be decisive, he got the conclusion to finish in the right way," said Silva after the match.

Smith Rowe understandably tired in the second half and was hooked after 69 minutes, but the exciting thing for Fulham fans is this was just the 24-year-old's second start alongside Sasa Lukic in an all-new central-midfield partnership, with Silva predicting he will only now get better.

"He's far from his best from a physical point of view, he's going to improve, he'll adapt more, it was nice to see him be decisive," said the Portuguese.
Richard Morgan