Even though the Arsenal and France international star Alexandre Lacazette was on for his first hat-trick for the Gunners on Thursday night, and with the amount of chances being created against CSKA Moscow you felt it may well come, Arsene Wenger replaced the striker with around 20 minutes of the game still to play.
You could see the disappointment etched onto the face of the Frenchman as he sat on the bench but afterwards in his interview KLacazette accepted the situation and he clearly understands his role as a team player. Hopefully, though, it will also help to fire him up for the Premier League match at home to Southampton.
Having not played the full 90 minutes, the former Lyon forward should be fine to start against the Saints, if Wenger wants him to, and that should see Lacazette start up front with his new team mate Pierr-Emerick Aubameyang and that is something that the Arsenal fans have been longing to see.
Aubamaeyang may well be pushed out to the left to accommodate Lacazette in the centre but the Gabon international can do great things coming off the flank and I think Lacazette is the more natural centre forward, so it could turn out to be the perfect system, with Ozil on the right creating chances for the two strikers.
Lacazette, reports Metro, is certainly keen to play with Aubameyang and reckons they are different enough to function together, while also being clearly grateful for the Gabonese striker’s generosity in letting him score from the spot against Stoke.
He said, ‘He is different player, he loves the space and I’m a player who loves to get the ball to my feet.
‘I think we can be good together. Auba is a nice guy and, after the first penalty [against Stoke], he told me, ‘If there is another one I will give you the ball’, so it was nice from him.
‘It was good for my confidence. It shows that, even if we are strikers, we can think about everyone in the team and we are not focused only to score goals.
‘I know I can do more but I need more time because it is really different than with Lyon
‘It is better and better every day. A few times before the surgery I felt pain and after I decided with the medical staff it was the best solution.
‘It was really frustrating but now I don’t regret it. The surgery is in my past so now I can play 100% and I am happy.’
I for one cannot wait to see how Laca and Auba will perform together, but will us Gooners get the chance tomorrow?
Bob.