PITA’s Arsenal Player of the Month – July 2023

Our hiatus was brief. PITA’s Player of the Month award is back!

We started this award this time last year, and Arsenal’s busy start to their summer means four games made up their July.

As a result, players required just two starts to qualify for the maiden award of the 2023/24 season. If you’re unfamiliar with how this works, it’s very simple, but let me explain. The ratings dished out by our team for the Gunners’ games in the month are tallied up and divided by the number of starts to get an average. The player with the highest average rating is named our POTM.

I told you it was simple.

PITA’s Arsenal Player of the Month – July 2023

So, without further ado, let’s see who’s been named PITA’s Arsenal POTM for July 2023.

3. Gabriel Jesus (Average rating – 7.25)

Jesus dominated this award at the start of his Arsenal career and was named our first-ever POTM this time last year. He hasn’t won this time around, though, but he has made the podium.

The Brazilian just made two starts in July, earning minutes off the bench against FC Nurnberg and Man Utd (the two games Arsenal failed to win), and scored just once, but his overall play was superb.

Jesus was particularly impressive in the win over Barcelona with his off-the-ball running and movement in behind. His deft finish against the MLS All-Stars, meanwhile, was genius.

2. Bukayo Saka (Average rating – 7.375)

Pipping Jesus to second spot is the club’s main man. Saka’s 2022/23 season was quite incredible despite a rather slow conclusion, with Mikel Arteta starting him in every single Premier League game bar one.

The superstar winger was used relentlessly last season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Saka endure a similar workload in 2023/24. The Gunners are yet to sign a player capable of seriously competing with the England international for minutes down the right.

Nevertheless, Saka scored the club’s first goal of the summer against Nurnberg and he was brilliant in the opening 45 minutes in the win over Barça – penalty miss notwithstanding.

1. Leandro Trossard (Average rating – 8.0)

I think all of you would agree that Trossard has been the star of pre-season so far, and he may well have already played himself into Arteta’s starting XI for the Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest.

The Belgian evolved into the Gunners’ assist king during the second half of last season after signing for the club in January, but this summer has been all about Trossard’s goalscoring capacity. He was on target in the rout over the MLS All-Stars and proved the difference-maker against Barcelona with two wonderful second-half strikes.

Trossard is proving himself to be more than merely a valuable squad player, but a star in his own right. His efforts for the club so far would suggest that a POTM award was due, but he hadn’t really come close until now. Long may his rich vein of form continue!