Martin Keown has claimed that Jack Wilshere and Alexandre Lacazette should have started for Arsenal in defeat to Manchester City.
The Gunners succumbed to a disappointing 3-1 loss at the Etihad yesterday, and Arsene Wenger’s selection has been a large focal point, with the Frenchman opting to leave record signing Alexandre Lacazette on the bench.
The former Lyon striker is our top scorer so far this season, and his exclusion has come under intense scrutiny, and former defender Keown insists that Wilshere should also have been included in the starting line-up.
Keown said: ‘Where was Arsenal’s midfield creativity?
‘They were not able to play the way they wanted in the final third and that is where Wilshere would have made a difference.
‘He commits defenders, he creates space, he finds that pass for Alexis Sanchez or Alexandre Lacazette.’
‘Does Wenger play Wilshere instead of Ozil, or in midfield in place of Xhaka?
‘I do not understand why Lacazette did not start. This was the second big game after the defeat at Liverpool that he has started on the bench. I don’t think he deserves that.
‘Any doubts about Arsenal’s record signing were erased when he came on and scored.’
The two would most definitely have boosted our attacking threat, but it appears as though Wenger was more worried about his players defensive duties, but surely you would think Wilshere would have helped more than Ozil in tracking back.
The England international is strongly tipped to be England’s creative spark come the summer World Cup, but the question still remains over his fitness and strength, but what is the point in nursing his rejuvenation if we can’t play him when we need him?
Should Jack and Lacazette have started against City? Would Jack bring more to our side in place of Xhaka or Ozil?
Pat J
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Not starting Lacazette was insane!!! Nothing new thought, Perez suffered same fate
We’ve got bigger problems than what stale players to play.
Our whole squad needs a reboot or a refresh.
Anyone who thinks we are anywhere near City is utterly deluded.
Mr Wenger??
What odds on Lacazette slapping in a transfer request next summer? His manager doesn’t trust him, he’ll be seeing our top players leaving, we haven’t won a single tough game this season, and we probably won’t have any CL football again, maybe even no European football at all, the way we’re performing at the moment.
But why doesn’t he trust him???
those players aren’t good enough to start at Tottenham so what difference would they have made?
city would still have defeated them, just accept we are no longer a strong team n move on???
The strength of Wilshere is better than Ozil’s who always falls like a toddler. Wilshere, Walcott, Elnerny, and Lacazette should have started the game in places of Ozil, Xhaka, Coquelin, and Ramsey.
Wenger selection is biased because regardless of previous performance, Ozil, Ramsey, and Xhaka will always start ahead of anyone