Unai Emery hails Lucas Torreira's 'quality and hunger' as midfielder continues to break expectations at Arsenal

Torreira Arsenal's hero against Huddersfield.
AFP/Getty Images
James Benge8 December 2018

Lucas Torreira continues to “break expectations” for Unai Emery’s Arsenal side as the man signed to finally bring some much-needed bite to midfield develops into an all-action dynamo who can contribute in both boxes.

After scoring Arsenal’s fourth in their north London derby win on Sunday the Uruguayan got his second at the Emirates in six days, an acrobatic scissor kick earning the Gunners a hard-fought and barely deserved 1-0 win over Huddersfield.

His acrobatic goal may have been the decisive moment but Torreira’s influence was no less apparent across the rest of the pitch as he made two tackles, won a team-high 77 per cent of his duels and brought dynamism to a three-man midfield as Arsenal secured a crucial three points that, for the time being, took them above both Tottenham and Chelsea in the Premier League table.

Torreira’s contribution is no longer flying under the radar, if it ever was in the first place. No starter gets a louder cheer when their name is read out at the Emirates and his name was bellowed by the home crowd after the 83rd minute winner.

In Pictures | Arsenal vs Huddersfield | 08/12/18

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The 22-year-old revealed earlier this week that his head coach had been challenging him to make a greater contribution in attacking areas and the strides he has taken have not gone unnoticed by Emery.

“Last week [Torreira] scored and today also. He has quality,” he told Standard Sport. "His interpretation on the pitch, tactically, in attacking moments and defensive, he’s very fast in his mind and his feet.

"He can do very good work in defensive moments and like today and last week get into the box and score.

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“We want to break every expectation with the players. He’s improving, he works every day with big commitment and good behaviour.

"He has the commitment every day to learn English for our meeting in the dressing room. That’s the first step: the commitment and behaviour. Then he has quality and hunger.”

Torreira’s late winner masked a disappointing performance from a tired Arsenal, who looked a shadow of the side who had blown away Tottenham and outclassed Manchester United.

The three points came at a cost with Sokratis Papasthopoulos and Shkodran Mustafi picking up bookings that mean they will be suspended for Sunday’s Premier League match at Southampton.

Nacho Monreal made his return from two months out with a hamstring injury when he replaced a limping Mustafi whilst club captain Laurent Koscielny, on the bench this afternoon, is set to play his first minutes since May after recovering from his Achilles tear.

After a draining week Emery and his staff will do their best to put selection considerations to one side for the time being.

“The injuries, the yellow cards come with the matches,” he said. "The most important thing now is two days off for every player, for us also, and coming back Tuesday thinking Thursday in the Europa League and Southampton.

“The players are ok, we’re going to prepare with them.”

Asked how he would solve his defensive issues Emery added: "I need to give my mind two days off!

“Now I don’t know how we’re going to play next week. But we have players. Today [Stephan] Lichtsteiner played at centre-back, in Manchester also. Koscielny is coming, also Nacho Monreal.”

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