Two games down and two wins in the bag; the performances haven't been perfect, but Arsenal have started their Premier League campaign in the best way possible.
Mikel Arteta's side were made to fight for them, but they left Villa Park on Saturday evening with all three points in hand, in no small part thanks to the incredible display of David Raya in goal and the decisive decisions of Leandro Trossard off the left.
The Belgian started on the bench for the second game running, although based on his performance and that of Gabriel Martinelli, it seems almost certain that against his old side on Saturday, the 29-year-old will make his first start of the campaign.
However, this development begs the question. Does Trossard need a new rival on the wing? The answer may well be yes, and fortunately, recent reports have touted a brilliant international with a move to the Emirates this summer.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are still in the race for Federico Chiesa's signature this summer.
The report claims that while the winger is leaning towards a move to Barcelona at present, the Gunners are still interested in his services, and should something prevent his move to Spain, his agent will consider the North Londoners as an option once more.
Now, while the report claims that cross-city rivals Chelsea are in the same boat as the Premier League runners-up, the good news is that signing the Italian international shouldn't cost very much. A recent report from The Athletic claims that Juventus value him at just €15m, which converts to about £13m, due to his contract expiring next summer.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given the bargain price and Chiesa's undeniable ability, it's one well worth pursuing, especially as he could be the dream rival for Trossard this season.
How Chiesa compares to Trossard
Okay, so one of the first things to point out, and one of the main benefits to signing Chiesa as well, is that while right-wing is his most played position, he's made plenty of appearances all over the pitch, including 69 as a second striker, 61 at left-wing, 37 in right midfield, 17 at centre-forward, 11 in left midfield and even two in attacking midfield.
However, while this ability to play in plenty of areas of the pitch is undoubtedly something Arteta will appreciate, it's on the left where he'd probably have his best chance of playing more regular football, as we aren't sure there is a player on earth that the manager would start over Saka now.
With that said, if his best chance at first-team football is off the left, how does he stack up against Trossard, as it appears the Belgian would be his main rival at the moment?
Well, when it comes to their raw output from last season, the Arsenal man comes out ahead, but it is perhaps closer than some may have imagined.
For example, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 46 appearances, equating to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games.
In contrast, the Juventus ace scored ten goals and provided three assists in 37 matches, meaning he maintained a slightly worse but nonetheless impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.84 games.
Okay, what about their underlying numbers, then? Is it another slim victory for the 29-year-old when we examine what's happening under the hood?
Interestingly, the tables turn with their underlying numbers, and while it's still a closely fought thing, it's the "world-class" Italian, as described by journalist Zach Lowy, who just about comes out on top.
For example, the 26-year-old dynamo comes out ahead in several relevant metrics, including, but not limited to progressive carries, key passes, passes and crosses into the penalty area, passes into the final third, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.
A key pass is a pass that directly leads to a shot at the opponent's goal.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.49
0.58
Progressive Passes
2.87
4.15
Progressive Carries
4.55
3.61
Shots
3.03
3.27
Shots on Target
1.02
1.20
Passing Accuracy
69.9%
73.4%
Key Passes
2.21
1.31
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.84
1.58
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.74
0.22
Passes into the Final Third
1.72
1.53
Shot-Creating Actions
4.79
3.55
Goal-Creating Actions
0.37
0.33
Successful Take-Ons
1.43
1.37
Carries
26.4
32.3
Ultimately, while it might take some real effort to displace Trossard from the Gunners' starting lineup going forward, it looks like Chiesa could give him a run for his money while also providing cover in other positions across the pitch.
Therefore, Edu and Co must do what they can to bring the Juve ace to the Emirates this summer, as he could be the perfect winger to rival the Belgian this summer, and at the reported price, this feels like a no-brainer.
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1 ByJack Salveson HolmesAug 27, 2024