Lucas Torreira is the midfielder Arsenal fans have been craving since the days of Patrick Vieira

Janet May 27, 2021
Lucas Torreira is the midfielder Arsenal fans have been craving since the days of Patrick Vieira
Five minutes into the north London derby and Lucas Torreira had clattered Dele Alli. That challenge set the tone.Camera perspective cleverly showed Alli towering over his fellow midfielder, but in the end, it was Torreira who stood tallest.Lucas Torreira is dwarfed by Dele Alli4
Lucas Torreira is dwarfed by Dele Alli
The tenacious Uruguayan had the final say, netting the fourth goal to seal a 4-2 win. It was his first for Arsenal and he celebrated with the same intense manner in which he plays. Wild eyed and bare chested, he roared with delight, sliding on his knees, his passion was obvious.Torreira has only been with Arsenal a matter of months, but he is already a fan favourite and embodies much of what they are becoming under Unai Emery.For too long, the Gunners were considered nice, teams did not fear them. Arsene Wenger would bemoan a decision or a bad result, but the style which had won so many plaudits over the years, began to favour substance.Torreira celebrates his goal against Spurs4
Torreira celebrates his goal against Spurs
The team is and was too nice, former defender Bacary Sagna said. They never liked to argue. We were just too nice to each other, we were like friends.While they lacked a ruthless streak for a sustained period under the Frenchman, Emery has installed it and Torreira has played a major role in that.Arsenal are unbeaten in 21 matches. They are yet to lose when Torreira has started and having begun the first five matches as a substitute, he is now a fixture in their side. At 22million, he is rightly considered a bargain and a strong contender for signing of the season.For years, Arsenal longed for a combative central midfielder. Patrick Vieira has been gone for 13 years, Gilberto Silva a decade.Torreira and Vieira could not be more different in terms of size and stature but their drive and determination is exactly the same, said Gunners legend Martin Keown.He recognises that to win titles, you need to squeeze every drop of tenacity and passion from the squad.Patrick Vieira left in 2005 and has never truly been replaced at Arsenal4
Patrick Vieira left in 2005 and has never truly been replaced at Arsenal
Those are the qualities that every successful Arsenal team has possessed. In Torreira, Emery has a little dynamo on the pitch who sets the standard.Standing just five foot five, the comparison is not a physical one, but Torreira shares much of the qualities that helped define Vieira. In this case size does not matter.Keown is not the only former club legend to show his appreciation for Torreira.“[Torreira is] the guy we have been looking for in the past three or four seasons,” Ian Wright recently said. “Arsenal supporters wanted to know when are we going to sign a defensive midfielder. We have got the guy we needed.The midfielder celebrates his goal against Huddersfield Town4
The midfielder celebrates his goal against Huddersfield Town
“He was magnificent [against Tottenham]. The way he plays, he is everywhere on the pitch. He gets into positions where he can get into people.”Wright’s former striker partner, Kevin Campbell thinks Torreira has improved his team-mates.“I believe hes made such an impact, not only is he such a good player, I think hes impacted Granit Xhaka and those around him,” he said.While much of his defensive work can go unnoticed and his diminutive frame sometimes makes it appear as if he is buzzing around in a senseless manner, Torreira is more than just a ball winner.He followed up his goal against Spurs with an assist in the 2-2 draw at Manchester United. His pass rate is usually around the 90 per cent mark.An overhead kick proved decisive in a 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town.Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno praised him following the match on Saturday: Hes incredible, hes a fighter, hes so important for our game, for the whole defence and he did another perfect game today.His former club Sampdoria also got in on the act and sent Arsenal a message on social media.“Note to all Arsenal fans: please don’t clog up our match tweets today thanking us for Lucas Torreira.” they said on their Twitter page.And thankful they should be, because at last their problem has been solved. If having to endure the likes of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny to land someone of Torreiras calibre has been lengthy, than their patience has finally been rewarded. And here’s what some fans have been tweeting about the ‘signing of the season’.“If the fans are comparing me and my game to Patrick Vieira, that’s amazing,” Torreira told Sky Sports. “It makes me very proud but I need to grow a bit before I can be as tall as him!“But he’s an amazing player, I remember getting up in the mornings in Uruguay to watch him. I feel very happy and am looking to help the team.”
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