Leandro Trossard Could Be the Spark Brighton Need to Banish Relegation Worries

Six games into the season and guess how many times Brighton have left the pitch having had less of the ball than the opposition? Yep - zero. Zilch. Nada. Graham Potter’s men know how to keep hold of a football.

Even in convincing 3-0 and 3-1 defeats to Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, the Seagulls enjoyed the lion’s share of the play. However, having the ball and being effective with the ball are two very different things (a phrase Tony Pulis has tattooed on his chest if internet forums are to be believed).

Brighton could never be accused of not looking neat and tidy, though at times in Potter’s maiden full season at the club they lacked a cutting edge in the final third, subsequently notching just 39 goals from their 38 league games.

However, while the addition of Adam Lallana is certainly a step in the right direction, the early season form of Leandro Trossard is cause to suggest the club’s creativity crisis could be a thing of the past.

Having arrived from Genk in June 2019 for a deal in the region of £15m, big things were expected of Trossard with his skilful style of play and favoured left-wing position drawing comparisons with his native Belgian Eden Hazard (well, from hopeful Brighton fans at least).

Despite only Neal Maupay scoring more than Trossard for Brighton last season, the 25-year-old regularly found himself a victim of Potter’s insistent squad rotation – completing the full 90 minutes on just ten occasions in the league – as he struggled to really find his feet in English football.

However, the 25-year-old has started the season in superb form and with a prolonged spell in the team he could prove to be the spark Brighton occasionally seem to lack.

His opening day goal in the defeat to Chelsea was ultimately overlooked by many, with Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga’s inability to thwart yet another long-range effort stealing the headlines. However, the strike from the Belgian deserved much more credit, taking a touch to get the ball from under his feet before unleashing a venomous drive which dipped just in front of the Chelsea number one.

Trossard followed up his effort with a beautifully weighted assist as he laid Maupay’s second of the afternoon on a plate for him at St James’ Park, proving he’s as capable with his right foot as he is with his left.

While the Brighton man will of course be delighted to have opened his goal and assist accounts for the season, his performances on the whole have been brilliant. A comfortable carrier of the ball who can drive at teams and change the pace of a game in an instant, the former Genk man has all the technical attributes required to become a standout player in the Premier League while also possessing the work ethic needed to excel in a team managed by Potter.

Trossard’s performances have evidently not gone unnoticed by the Brighton coaching staff, with the 25-year-old being afforded the full 90 minutes in all of the Seagulls’ three Premier League fixtures so far.

Many questioned Potter’s decision to afford Trossard so few prolonged spells in the Brighton starting XI last season, but with a year in English football under his belt, Potter seems ready to unleash his secret weapon and we could be about to see something special.