Leandro Trossard has admitted he was surprised by just how defensively Spurs played against Arsenal, with the club setting a new record low for expected goals.
Arsenal defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in Sunday’s north London derby, but the one goal the away side did get flattered their attacking display.
The expected goals statistics for the match only had Spurs at 0.06, meaning that with the chances they had, they’d only be expected to score a goal once every 16 or 17 matches.
Unfortunately, this turned out to be that one in 16, with Richarlison’s long-distance effort creeping into the net. But it was still Spurs’ lowest xG on record, and a sign of just how negatively they’d approached the game, combined with how well Arsenal played.
Speaking afterwards, Leandro Trossard was asked whether he was surprised by how defensively Spurs had set up to play.
“Yeah, maybe a bit,” Trossard admitted. “Because as I said, it’s still Spurs. But we have been facing a back five a lot of times this season, so we’re kind of used to it.
“At the end of the day I think it’s a really, really good performance from us, and we could have scored even more I think. But we’re really happy with the result.
“I think that’s the key, to be patient. Not to rush things if teams come here to sit down and try to defend as much. It’s just up to us, I think if everyone’s at it we can break down any team.”
Spurs’ defensive approach failed them at both ends, as despite naming five defenders in the starting lineup, they ended up conceding four goals. Trossard himself scored one and assisted another of those efforts.
The team now sit ninth in the Premier League table, and they could drop to 10th if Manchester United even pick up a point against Everton in their game in hand on Monday night.
As for Arsenal, the Gunners’ consistently proactive approach to matches has the team top of the league by six points, with attentions now turning to a Champions League match against League Phase leaders Bayern Munich.