The Gunner’s biggest ever signing, Alexandre Lacazette, was hailed as a goalscoring genius when he arrived from Lyon this summer, for a Arsenal record transfer fee of 52m GBP, after scoring 28 goals in just 30 League games in Ligue 1. He certainly lived up to that billing by scoring in each of his first three Premier League matches and amassed 8 goals very quickly.
But Wenger never let the French international play a full 90 minutes and he was actually started from the bench against Man United and scored a consolation goal for us while we lost 3-1 at the Emirates, but since then he has gone 8 games without another goal. Despite his quick start Arsene Wenger doesn’t think he has adapted to English game yet and needs more time to get used to the rigorous tempo of the Premier League.
“It’s a difficult period, the first year, because the family comes over and it’s a bit less football-orientated,” Wenger said. “But you get used to it and he has played many games until now.
“I would say that the physical pressure on the strikers here in England has become absolutely massive. The physical demands and the intensity in the challenges is much bigger than in France.
“[I like] his intelligence, his team attitude and the quality and the speed of understanding with the other players. What he has worked on is to cope with the intensity of the challenges.
“In France you go down and it’s a free-kick. In England you go down and it’s no free-kick. That is much more difficult for the striker to get used to that.
“I think he resists better. This guy is used to scoring 30 goals per year so at the moment even if he says no, I am sure he is frustrated.”
Lacazette always looks dangerous when he gets the ball, but with the strength and pace of EPL defenders he doesn’t get much time on the ball as our opponents have learned his style of play, but Wenger thinks that he still does enough for the team even though he can’t seem to score any more.“Everybody goes through that spell. ” Le Prof said. “Alexandre Lacazette is a real team player and if he continues to give to the team what he’s giving at the moment, the team will give it back to him. At some stage, he will score very quickly. But because he’s not used to that, at the moment it’s a bit difficult for him to bear that, but I’m not worried about it, honestly.”
Wenger may not be worried about it, but Arsenal fans could have cause for concern as Lacazette was supposed to be the Gunners top striker that we had all been waiting for, to help us compete with the big boys in the race for the title. But right now he is looking out of his depth at the moment which reminds me of our acquisition of Olivier Giroud back in 2012. Olli was also the top scorer in Ligue 1 and came to us with a big reputation but only managed 11 League goals in his first season, and has never netted more than 16 in any of his five seasons in the EPL.
Are Arsenal fans beginning to think that we have got yet another Olivier Giroud in the team?
Darren N
Have you not seen the amount of free kicks Sterling.Hazard and Ali gain diving after a tackle.I know the refs don’t but not you as well.
Wenger has done nothing to build Laca’s confidence. And half of the stuff he says about Laca’s difficult to adjust to the PL is pure nonsesnse. Laca looks very strong and most times when he is subbed he looks like the most energetic player we have. Subbing a striker around the 70 minutes every game (more or less) is awful for his confidence. Benching him for the big games is terrible for his confidence. Wenger has totally mismanaged him.
70 mins is about the time the time that a fit agile striker finally gets some separation from that defender that’s been sticking to him all game. But prof knows best. Lets sub him off.
As if Wenger managed Giroud well
I’m not a Giroud fan.. In fact I don’t like him
But the amount of criticism Giroud receives is unfair
And don’t come up with the excuse that ” Lacazette doesnt get enough service “.. We didnt utilize Giroud’s strengths as well so that’s fair enough
The reason Laca is more appealing is bcoz he is more mobile & is our record signing.
IMO neither can say they are better than the other. FULL STOP
Thats true. Lacazette needs the following
1. To play the full 90mins straight
2. Get a midfield that actually want to play attacking football and not “lets keep the ball around the box. Its freaking frustrating
3. Needs intelligent great players like Sanchez and Ozil who ARENT trying to jump ship.
Unless something changes, Lacazette and whoever else we sign will NEVER extend their contracts with Arsenal. It literally has become the fastest way to get your work permit and then go WORK anywhere else. Has Wenger seen how the relegation battle this season involves close to 10 teams (we are in a permant sixth with a Burnley FIRMLY breathing down our neck. If wenger finishes his contract and goes upstairs, we will be in a relegation battle in TWO years…
Laca has a beard-so does Giroud.Other than the fact they are both French there is no comparison.Give this kid (yeah I know he’s 26 but that’s still young at my age) the service and he will be a top top player.Look at his movement and see how frustrated he gets as the ball continually goes from side to side and backwards.I see a lot of Ian Wright in this boy but even Wrighty would struggle with the way we are set up and play.When Sánchez is gone he will become our main man and just watch the difference.Remember those days when the football was slick and fast?Remember when we had pace all through the team and had players who knew how to use it?When we change manager a bring in a coach who gets the best from players by playing to their strength you will see a totally different Lacazette and Arsenal
When a pacey striker is force to play as target man, y got laca.
Buy laca is big mistake, wenger should buy a target man like mandzukic, costa, benzema, lewandoski, kane.
Laca is more suited in city and liverpool formation, who use 2 speedy winger, and counter attack.
Laca is speedy merchant, had y ever see his cought offside?
It’s not laca fault we are not creating that much chances, ozil is one who keeps creating chances.but ozil , Sanchez and even Ramsey are out in so many games that we lacked creativity in the middle. Apart from these players only jack looks a creative player in our mid.
In football most sides will have
a hundred possessions
each per game yet teams
rarely score more than twice
and some times teams don’t score at all.
What is the attraction of such a sport?
Surely not because of the number of goals scored.
And half the goals are deflections, own goals, defensive errors
scuffed miss hit flukes or come from bad refereeing decisions.
So why do we follow the sport at all?
Most fans are intensely spiteful toward other clubs their players and fans.
In earlier generations we went to war now we vent our frustrations
at our neighbours by being a fanatical football fan.
For a coupe of hours each Sunday Joe nobody can become
a passionate loyal warrior defending the honour of
his football nation in the cauldron of the colourful and vibrant stadium
or following on a screen 3 continents away.
When the team wins the fan praises his team “live for ever “.
but when the team loses the fan vents his fury at the over paid clumsy klutzs.
Then when the game ends the fan returns to the hum drum
of every day life and becomes Joe nobody again.
Opium for the masses comes to mind.
I think he’s better than Giroud
Grioud get picked before him in the French team. We would have won some of the games we lost had Grioud played.
laca is another giroud. idk about younger but he is definately shorter. he scored 10 penalty goals last season so he is another shorter form of Ronaldo too
Laca can’t make his own chances. Our current style of ‘crab’ football really doesn’t suit him. No one is getting to the line and cutting the ball back low into the area and no one is putting swift through passes to him to run onto. Him and Giroud are completely different, Laca is speedy, turns quickly and instinctive. Giroud is a target and good at hold up play, also good in the air. Play them both in 442 or 4132 and see what happens.
There is a reason why Giroud Is 1st choice for France
Deschamps is not a “Madman “, is he?
Lacazette is behind Griezmann and Giroud for France.
Its because The way France plays suits Giroud- target man- and not because he is better than Lacazette. Dont get that twisted
Lacazette is no Henry but he is better than Giroud.
However, how can Lacazette improve if he plays less minutes than other top strikers. Wenger is doing no favours to his confidence. Wenger never ceases to do silly things. I still can’t get over Wenger starting Welbeck over Lacazette and Giroud in our 4-0 thrashing by Liverpool. Wenger needs to go. Enough is enough innit
Just read Sanchez ain’t in the squad today…. please not United ?
lacazette has been mismanaged by wenger just like giroud was except giroud got full 90min instead of 70min. funny that we play sideway passing in a style that suits giroud when lacazette is on while when giroud comes on we play a more frantic football chasing a lead that would suit lacazette but not giroud.
IF that does not show you one of the many ridiculous decisions of wenger the great i dont know what would. Remember how we played with walcott up front flanked by alexis and ozil it would suit lacazette more than the boring play this season.
I owned two Akita a mature male sn a toddker female I would keep her apart from the nale becsuse he had her at times like a rag doll.This is until my vet said keave her the only way she can build resistance and muscles is if dhe gdts to be with him.This said Lacazette can’t learn to cope with thd EPL on the bench if he is the thr player that has already proved himself for club and country he will adapt and adjust his game to suit that is if wants to succeed .having Nabil Fekir ndxt to him in the attacking line uo wouldn’t hurt either they both know each others style