In just the space of a couple of weeks, there appears to have been a revolution at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s arrival has heralded an upturn in form, with just one defeat in his first four official games in charge. The atmosphere inside the Emirates on match-day has changed palpably, with supporters at full-time in the defeat to Chelsea choosing to stay behind to thank their team rather than mercilessly boo them off.
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And one man who has arguably symbolised the change in mood on and off the pitch, is Lucas Torreira. The former Sampdoria man arrived in the summer of 2018 and played a prominent role in Unai Emery’s first campaign in charge, making 50 appearances across all competitions. But the early weeks and months of this season saw the midfielder have his role changed by the manager, and it was an experiment that failed to produce any substantial reward.
“This year we are playing also sometimes with just one and he can achieve with his quality to get to the box and get closer to score. He is very intelligent about getting space around the box and taking chances. Then also, when we prepare the team to do high pressing, for us he is very important because he is very intelligent tactically, but he can play in the two positions.”
Whilst there was a method to the madness when it came to what he could potentially bring off the ball, the little Uruguay terrier looked like a lost pup whenever he had possession in that all-important number ten role. As per Understat, despite playing in a more advanced position, Torreira averaged less key passes per 90 minutes (0.5) and less expected assists per game (0.13).
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But since Arteta’s arrival, the pint-sized ace has been reverted back to the anchor man role, a position he played for the majority of the season last year (46). And since the change from the Gunners’ recently-appointed head coach, things have been lot different in terms of his influence on the game. In the three official games prior to the FA Cup clash against Leeds, Torreira has averaged close to three interceptions per game, more than one tackle per game and even more than two dribbles per game too.
So whilst Emery tried to think outside the box with his use of the Uruguayan, Arteta has brought simplicity back to Torreira’s game. And that has done him and Arsenal the world of good. The midfielder is back to doing what he does best, hunting down the opposition in front of the back four and winning the ball back.
Meanwhile, Arsenal fans have hailed this ace who Mikel Arteta could work wonders for.
