Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard has come under intense scrutiny following a disappointing individual performance during Belgium's surprising 1-1 draw away to Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifier.
A Night to Forget in Astana
Belgium, expected to secure a routine victory after their 6-0 thrashing of Kazakhstan in September, struggled immensely at the Astana Arena. The Red Devils fell behind to a goal from 17-year-old Dastan Satpayev before Hans Vanaken headed in an equaliser early in the second half. Despite this, the team ranked 115th in the world held on for a historic point.
Trossard, who has been in fine form for Arsenal this season, was deployed in a central striking role by manager Rudi Garcia. The tactical shift, however, failed to pay dividends. The 30-year-old was substituted in the 71st minute for Alexis Saelemaekers after failing to make a meaningful impact on the match.
By the Numbers: A Struggling Performance
The statistics from the match paint a bleak picture of Trossard's evening. According to data from FotMob, the £19 million Arsenal star created just one chance and was dispossessed a total of five times. His crossing accuracy was a mere 11%, and he won only 40% of his ground duels.
With two shots, he accumulated an expected goals (xG) figure of 0.37 but failed to find the net. The performance rating website WhoScored gave him a match rating of 6.5, the third-lowest of any starting Belgian player. In a harsh assessment, Football Insider labelled his showing as 'absolutely pathetic'.
Arteta's Striker Dilemma Deepens
Trossard's struggles in the number nine role will give his club manager, Mikel Arteta, significant food for thought. While Trossard has occasionally filled the central striker position for Arsenal, this performance highlights the potential limitations of that solution.
The issue is particularly pressing given the Gunners' current injury crisis up front. Victor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz are all sidelined, leaving Arteta with a major selection headache ahead of crucial domestic fixtures. The decision now may be between persevering with Trossard through the middle or turning to other options like Mikel Merino.
This disappointing international outing stands in stark contrast to Trossard's productive club form, where he has contributed four goals and four assists across all competitions this season and has generally excelled on the left wing.
