Lucas Torreira: Arsenal’s unheralded hero

The Arsenal of Arsene Wenger’s time was known for having plenty of skill and flair throughout the pitch but always lacked a stoic spine that allowed them to play without defensive repercussions.

When Unai Emery took over direction of the club, he looked to resolve that issue with the summer signing of Lucas Torreira from Italian club, Sampdoria.

Standing at only 1.67 (5’5”) meters tall, Torreira hardly cuts an imposing figure on the pitch. However, as the midfield general for Emery’s new look Arsenal squad the Uruguayan has been a revelation in his debut year in the Premier League.

Since not being a part of the starting XI in Arsenal’s season opening losses against Manchester City and Chelsea, Torreira has been a key leader of a side that has not lost a Premier League match since.

The 22-year-old has been able to make a difference for the Gunners through sheer force of will.  The Uruguayan appears to be everywhere throughout the pitch, throwing himself into challenges, pressuring opponents off the ball, and providing the defensive stability that allows Arsenal’s fullbacks to bound forward without the Gunners being quite so vulnerable.

He is the kind of player that Arsenal have been missing since the likes of Patrick Viera and Gilberto Silva: A combative, tenacious central midfielder.  If that seems like a lofty comparison, it speaks to how long it has been since the three-time Premier League winners had such a player.

In order to put into context how important Torreira has been for Arsenal this season, its important to view his contributions through two prisms: Defensive Stability and His ability to make his teammates better.

Defensive Stability

For a proper comparison of Torreira’s defensive play, you would be best served to close your eyes and imagine a picnic. Imagine a fly buzzing around your face and even though you’ve attempted to shoo it away several times, it keeps coming back and landing on you over and over again.  That is how opposing sides feel about the Uruguayan midfielder.

His constant energy and ability to slip into passing lanes to disrupt his opponent’s attacks have been frustratingly effective as evidence by his rate of 2.27 interceptions per 90 minutes of play.  For comparison’s sake, he has bested the great Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante in this regard, who has registered a 1.17 interceptions per 90 minutes.

His ability to frustrate opponents has also led him to a somewhat surprising statistical achievement of being one of the most fouled players in the Premier League.  Torreira, currently ranks third, among all players in fouls won, which is somewhat surprising considering fouls won is a statistic that mostly attacking players garner.

His intelligent and persistent have been key to leading Arsenal back into the race for the Champions League spots and has performed best in the matches that matter most for the Gunners this season, having earned Man of the Match plaudits against marquee opponents Tottenham and Liverpool, as well as Arsenal’s Player of the Month of November.

Torreira the Teammate

While Torreira’s contributions defensively have been wonderful, perhaps one of the great contributions the Uruguayan has brought to the Gunners is his ability to make his teammates around him better.  The biggest beneficiary of this has been his fellow midfielder, Granit Xhaka.

Last year, Xhaka struggled to balance his defensive responsibilities and his natural playmaking instincts. With Torreira roving the midfield, it has lightened a bit of the load for Xhaka and allowed him to slide into his natural and instinctual role as a deep lying playmaker.

The Swiss midfielder has been granted the freedom to control play on the pitch better and now that he no longer feels the heavy burden to be a key defensive figure, his defending has also quietly improved this season.

Torreira’s competence and energy has not just helped Xhaka but has been a calming presence throughout the pitch.  In basketball, there is often a player who is referred to as a “glue guy”.

The “glue guy” is a player who fills in gaps that the playmaking stars leave behind, that allows the stars to shine, while in turn, bringing the team together. Arsenal is a team full of marquee, star players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil but it is the contribution of a tireless player like Lucas Torreira that will allow the Gunners to shine this season.