Leandro Trossard spoke to the media before Arsenal’s Champions League trip to Slavia Prague, covering his current form, leadership responsibilities in a young squad, and the toll of a congested fixture list.
He also responded to Mikel Arteta’s tongue-in-cheek comment about him being “grumpy” and shared thoughts on playing alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori.
On whether he’s playing some of the best football of his career…
It’s hard to answer that. I’m just happy with my contributions at the moment. I think I’m in a good moment as well with the team. Everything is going well, so I hope I can continue my form and also the form of the team.
On Arsenal being labelled favourites in Europe and at home, and whether things feel different within the camp…
Not so much a different feeling. I think in the last couple of years, we have been challenging for the title as well. We have the same mindset this season as well. We want to win it, and we know how hard it is, but I think we’re on the right track. There’s still a long way to go, but we want to win every game, and that’s our thought before every game as well, our mindset. That’s how we need to approach it.
On leading the team huddle in the second half at Burnley and taking on more responsibility in the group…
I think it’s a bit more about feeling. On the pitch, I’m always quite vocal. I would say I always try to help my teammates. It helps myself as well if you speak on the pitch in certain situations. I think it’s important in some games, it’s more necessary than in others. It was a tough away game, and that’s why I knew how hard it would be. At the end, we won that game, another clean sheet, so we were really happy with that.
On whether those huddle moments are spontaneous or planned…
Sometimes it is, but everyone can speak, everyone can have that chat if he wants to or if he feels to. I just felt like I had something to say about the game and how we needed to approach it, and that’s why I did it.
On why he chooses to wear long sleeves…
I always liked them, to be fair. Obviously, they’ve been away in football for a long while, but when I was younger, I wore them as well, so I was really happy when they were back. That’s why I wear them. I just like the fit of them, and as you said, it’s also a bit nostalgic as well.
On playing more games than anyone since joining Arsenal and what that says about his relationship with the manager…
First of all, by trying to keep fit for that period, I think it helps a lot. Obviously, giving back to him by my performances and the team. It’s hard to pinpoint things, but I like it a lot that he trusts me as well. On the pitch, I try to give back to the manager and the team.
On what it’s like being one of the older players in the squad…
I don’t think my role has changed a lot from last year. Obviously, the personality each player has won’t change, but obviously, we try to help the younger lads a little bit more, to welcome them, to speak a bit more. Other than that, I think everyone is speaking with each other, trying to help each other. I think we have that culture now in the team, where Mikel is the one who invented that culture within the squad. I think that’s a good thing.
On how his role changes when he plays as a central striker…
Depending on the game, it’s a big change as well. It also depends on the game state and what the manager wants me to do. So it’s hard to say how I would play or how. I’m going to play, but it’s all on the game plan.
On what it’s like to play two games in three days…
Obviously, it’s not ideal. I think a lot of players have spoken about this before, and I think I can speak for myself in that way as well, that ideall,y that’s not the case. We already have a tough schedule with a lot of games, and if you play two games in three days, recovery-wise, first of all, and then obviously for the fans, it’s not easy to travel always. But at this moment, you just have to deal with it, I guess, and that’s what we’re going to do now.
On players not having a say in the schedule and whether that’s frustrating…
Yeah, indeed, I would say so. Obviously, it’s up to the people who make the calendar at the start of the year. I think they should know that these kinds of things can happen [pile-ups], and with a lot of players already mentioning that there are a lot of games, I think they should. But we’re now in this phase where it hasn’t been, so as I said, we need to deal with it at this point and hopefully we can make the best out of it.
On whether the quality of games will suffer if they’re played so close together…
Yeah, that’s up to us then. Obviously, we want to win every game, and we’re going to try to win that game as well. We want to get further in the cup as well, but it’s not ideal, definitely. But then it’s up to the players to recover well, to use every tool there is to be ready and to play that game.
On Arteta saying last season that he can be grumpy, and whether that’s when he’s not playing or in general…
I don’t think so. I think I was playing at that moment [when he said it]. I think more in training or whatever, when I lose a game, I can get quite upset. I just have the mentality I want to win everything, if it’s football or not, if it’s games at home where I play with my family, my kids, whatever. So I think it’s a bit there. I would moan at the referee in training, and I would tell them off as well. I think that’s a bit of why he would say it, but that’s just my personality, and I think nothing is wrong with that.
On great teams needing different personalities, especially those who keep others on their toes…
Maybe, yeah. I think everyone needs to be on their toes, especially at this club. It’s such a big club, so many good players who can play, so everyone needs to be sharp.
On his preferred position…
I think at the moment it’s the left-wing position. At least I’ve had some consistency there now. I think I’ve shown that as well on the pitch. But I’m always available to play any kind of position in the front positions, so if the manager wants me to play there, I’ll play there, and I will try to do my best.
On playing on the same flank as Calafiori and what it’s like working with a roaming left-back…
That’s Ricky. I think that’s one of his strengths as well. He pops up everywhere.
He’s in the pockets as a striker. He has scored some great goals already, so I think that unpredictability of his can hurt teams as well. I have a good relationship with him at the moment, so I know what he can do and where he can pop up in what position. Sometimes I can play a ball blind to him, and I know he will be there.
On the difference when playing alongside Myles…
They’re just two different types of players. I think Myles will be more set in his position going into midfield, where he’s so strong and so good on the ball. Once he gets his body between the ball and the opponent, I think no one can get it off him. He can develop a lot more now. He’s so young still, but he has a great future ahead of him.
On whether he’d like to stay at Arsenal beyond 2027…
Yeah, I think so. Obviously, I still have two years left, and then we will see what the club wants as well. Where do they see me? Where am I at that point? I’m loving life at Arsenal. I’m really happy to be here. It’s such a great club. Obviously, we’re in a really good moment, and I hope I can win things with Arsenal.
The post Every word of Leandro Trossard’s pre-Slavia Prague press conference appeared first on Arseblog News – the Arsenal news site.
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