Leandro Trossard found himself at the center of controversy after being sent off during Arsenal’s match against Manchester City, putting his team in a tough spot. Trossard, who was filling in for the injured Martin Odegaard, struggled to make an impact in the starting role and ended up being dismissed for a second bookable offence.
The Belgian international is typically known for his effectiveness when coming off the bench, but this time, starting the match, he couldn’t deliver the same performance. He received two yellow cards in the first half, with the second one being particularly unnecessary and avoidable, causing frustration among fans and pundits alike.
Just before halftime, Trossard was penalized for kicking the ball away after the referee had blown the whistle for a foul he had committed. His decision to delay the restart of the game, especially after already being on a yellow card, was seen as a costly error.
Former footballer Michael Owen weighed in on the incident, stating that while the second yellow card might seem harsh in other circumstances, Trossard only had himself to blame for the situation. Owen noted that the foul itself was reckless, but it was the decision to kick the ball away after hearing the whistle that sealed his fate.
Speaking on Premier League Productions, Owen explained: “If somebody else had made that foul and then kicked the ball away, the referee might not have noticed it, but in this case, Trossard committed a reckless foul, he heard the whistle, and then he kicked the ball away. He’s got nobody to blame but himself.”
Trossard’s mistake came at a crucial moment in the match, and it severely affected Arsenal’s chances of securing a win against a strong Manchester City side. Playing with ten men for the entire second half, Arsenal had to adopt a more defensive approach, limiting their ability to attack and putting them under constant pressure from City.
Though Arsenal put up a valiant effort, the dismissal undoubtedly made their task more difficult, and Trossard’s absence was felt throughout the second half. It was a lapse in judgment that cost him and his team, and Trossard will be keen to learn from the incident to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
In the end, it was a lesson for the Belgian winger that sometimes the smallest decisions can have the biggest impact, and he’ll be working hard to ensure he doesn’t let his team down again.
