There are a lot of things going very right at Arsenal at the moment, from the action on the pitch to the deals off of it.
Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have helped to completely transform the club from one that was lingering in midtable mediocrity a few years ago to one that is now fighting for major honours on all fronts.
However, as with all big clubs, the Gunners have been haunted by more than their fair share of former players in the past, including one who left just before Arteta joined, and is currently outscoring Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard.
Saka and Trossard's recent form
It has been a gruelling start to the season for Arsenal this year, with away games against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, and Aston Villa alongside an injury to club captain and chief creator Martin Odegaard. Yet, the Gunners are flying, and both Saka and Trossard are playing marvellously.
In the absence of the Norwegian, the North Londoner’s talismanic number seven has taken over captaincy duties, and so far, he has looked totally unphased by the added pressure, racking up two goals and five assists in just nine appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement once every 1.28 games.
The Belgian international hasn’t been quite as influential as the Englishman, but he has also stepped up in the wake of Odegaard’s injury, making eight appearances so far, in which he’s scored twice and provided one assist, which equates to a reasonable average of a goal involvement once every 2.66 games.
Overall, both Saka and Trossard have once again shown why they are critical members of this title-chasing Arsenal side this season, yet neither one has scored as many goals as a former Gunner who left the club five years ago.
Danny Welbeck's form this season
Yes, the former Arsenal player in question is none other than Danny Welbeck, who may not have hit the heights some were hoping he would in North London but nonetheless remains a popular figure among the fans.
The Englishman joined the Gunners for around £16m in September 2014 from traditional rivals Manchester United, and hile he certainly showed glimpses of quality for the North Londoners, including that goal against his old club, injuries ruined his chance to establish himself as one of the most important players in the team.
For example, while Rio Ferdinand dubbed him a “top signing,” the Manchester-born poacher made just 126 appearances for the first team in five years, scoring 32 goals, providing 13 assists, and missing a whopping 153 games for club and country.
He moved to Watford on a free in August 2019, where he spent one season before joining Brighton & Hove Albion in October 2020, where he is still plying his trade today, and doing it well.
Appearances
7
9
8
Goals
3
2
2
Assists
1
5
1
Goal Involvements per Match
0.57
0.77
0.37
For example, in just seven appearances for the Seagulls this season, the 33-year-old has scored three goals, provided one assist and generally looked like a brilliant top-flight striker again.
Ultimately, letting Welbeck leave on a free in 2019 was the best decision for all parties. It got him off the books at Arsenal and gave him the chance to rebuild his career, and so long as he stops scoring against the Gunners, he’ll likely remain a popular figure in N5.
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