Alexandre Lacazette

Absolutely love reading the truth in your posts :clap:, well Iā€™d prefer it wasnā€™t the truth as Arsenal would be better for it but you know what I mean.

1 Like

His strengths are his intelligent movement, anticipation and finishing. Currently, he plays as the lone CF in a possession-based system which requires him to play with his back to goal and leaves him no room to run in behind.

Add to that the fact our central midfield area is broken which is the fundamental basis for a possession-based system. So not only has Lacazette been played out of position, the system we are using is fucking garbage anyway. Heā€™s not being found, heā€™s not getting many opportunities to shoot at goal and his confidence is shot to shit.

I view this as Wengerā€™s utter nadir as our manager, so Iā€™ll give a player who has only recently joined the benefit of the doubt. Iā€™m fairly confident a different manager would get a lot more out of him.

12 Likes

The thing I do worry about is how much penalties padded his statistic in previous seasons.

Something like 10 of his 28 goals last season for Lyon were penalties, so in reality he scored 18 goals last season. 18 in 36 games or whatever is decent, but not set-the-world-on-fire decent.

Iā€™m just worried that even when we do sort out our midfield, heā€™ll never be as prolific as weā€™d hoped heā€™d be.

6 Likes

Also Ligue 1 does not have the same level of defending as the PL.

Wenger often buys strikers from Ligue 1 or 2 who turn out not to be good enough,because they look great against not very good defences.

Iā€™m not suggesting Lacazette is as poor as Chamakh, Park, Gervinho, etc, who all looked good in the French league, because I still think he could be a lot better under a different manager, but, like Giroud, he has had the luxury of playing in front of the best midfielders in Europe and is still struggling.

2 Likes

What I will say in Lacaā€™s defence is that he is playing in the worst Arsenal team seen in over 20 years.

That can account for a lot.

3 Likes

Even when he was scoring, he was always taken off before the end of game :roll_eyes:

I agree with the semtiment of the post but I wouldnā€™t totally pin the blame on Wenger and his lack of system. Itā€™s pretty clear Lacazette doesnā€™t have the individual ability to overcome the deficiencies of the poor set up, thatā€™s why it bothers me when people cream themselves over his basic link up, itā€™s symptomatic of him dropping deeper at the expense of more goal scoring opportunities for himself.

Iā€™ve always argued he should focus on poaching goals by working the oppositionā€™s defensive line with constant smart movement. Itā€™s clear he doesnā€™t posses the pace to run in behind on a consistent basis. It was genuinely shocking when I realise how limited his pace was.

Itā€™s pretty clear Auba wonā€™t burden himself with link up play. He knows his strengths and will focus totally on poaching hence why heā€™ll always start ahead of Laca and the idea of real competition between the two is a non starter. Seen enough to realise heā€™s a tangible threat in behind even with very limited space.

As for Lacazetteā€™s finishing ability, since the start of his dry period which started after Utd (h) heā€™s had 23 shots on goal spread out over 11 league games and 783ā€™ mins. 11 of those shots were on target and he returned 1 goal during that period. Thatā€™s a poor return for a guy whose strengths is his finishing, his ability to finish chances isnā€™t affected by the quality of the team or the deficiencies in Wengerā€™s system, Itā€™s on him alone

Not sure what he can offer to this club under another manager with Auba still in the squad. Even in a Lyon system which suited him he wasnā€™t particularly prolific goalscorer penalties removed nor did he ever have a high shot per game ratio over a season which top strikers hitting 25+ league goal normally have. The only way Lacazette justifies his expense to this club is through a high scoring rate, if thatā€™s not there then question marks on him as a player are more than valid.

3 Likes

If you are the best player on your team and the system is built around you, you will be good.
When the team play to your strengths, you will look good.

I believe Laca is a good forward, just takes time for him, Ozil, Auba, Miki, Jack to get used to play to each other.

1 Like

The fact is, Laca is quite a miserly striker.

He wonā€™t create many chances for himself, but the ones he does see, he will finish (the ones at the weekend notwithstanding)

The opposite of Cavani, who will miss a shit ton, but make enough chances that he will score.

For me, his play in tight spaces and his dribbling is his best quality, which is why Iā€™d like to see him out wide with Aubameyang in the middle of one of them does have to make way for the other when they play together.

2 Likes

Heā€™s a confidence player, I remember he scored in the first minute on his debut, confidence was running through his veins, he really just needs a lift and heā€™ll be banging in the goals again

2 Likes

You didnā€™t give him a chance though, did you? You were on his case massively from day one

2 Likes

I suppose he should have said I wanted to be proven wrong.

Great news!

on how Alex Lacazetteā€™s recovery is goingā€¦
Heā€™s doing well. I think he will be ahead of his planned recovery. It should be four weeks from now, maybe three and a half weeks, so his response has been good.

1 Like

Even though Welbeck couldnā€™t hit water if he fell out of a boat, he showed you what kind of positions a forward player should be getting into when heā€™s actually producing some movement. He was through on goal 5 or 6 times today. Something Laca canā€™t accomplish in 5 or 6 matches. Also of note, Welbz got much shittier service than Laca normally does.

Might have something to do with the fact he was playing Oystersons at home, lolā€¦Lacazette has a good record at home against the midtablers and bottom feeders (higher level clubs than Oystersons)ā€¦of actually, you know, scoring. But keep up the agenda Curty-poo!

2 Likes

Always thought Laca had great positioningā€¦

@Aussiegooner, still convinced Laca is shit after watching Welbeck yesterday?

Go back and read my posts I said heā€™s substantially better than Welbeck prior to any of this, also never said heā€™s shit just severely overrated by some.

2 Likes

Fair enough, then.

Anyone who compares Welbeck to Lacazette, must have some problemā€¦