We are often told about how hard it can be for a player to come to the English Premier League after playing in other countries around Europe, and there have been examples with players that Arsenal have signed over the years struggling to cope with the demands of the English game.
Some players signed by Arsene Wenger have never really thrived in the EPL and you would think that the boss had checked them out thoroughly before spending money on any transfer, so there is a theory that some players are just not cut out for it and there were some concerns among Gooners that our summer signing from the French club Lyon might be one of these.
Alexandre Lacazette is not the biggest or strongest of strikers and while the likes of Romelu Lukaku at Man United, Alvaro Morata at Chelsea, Salah at Chelsea and Gabriel Jesus at Man City had started the news season like trains, Lacazette’s return was not so good and he had missed a great chance to take all three points off Chelsea when he put Ramsey’s rebounded shot well wide.
You do not have to be built like Giroud to succeed in England, though, and Lacazette last night demonstated a great touch and a growing understanding with his new teammates while also bagging himself a brace and bringing praise from Wenger, as reported by the BBC.
He said, “He gets stronger in every game. Good first touch and movement. He is young and just arrived in England. The physical demands are very high.”
Football pundits were also impressed by Lacazette and he has been spoke about quite well before without being put up alongside the league’s top strikers. It is not even October yet and the whole Arsenal team have yet to find top gear, so can we relax and stop worrying that the new striker will not thrive in north London but will go from strength to strength?
Bob.
He will go from strength to strength, I have no doubt, but the firepower that man city have scares me just a lil bit. COYG
Ha! Ha! And, we should be. 🙂
Basic economics questions: just how much have they spent since le Pep forced the previous coach out in order to have cash to buy team?
If Pep does not win the EPL and also at least is one of the top four in the CL, Pep should be questioned.
UH,… we have played leicester bournemouth and West Brom at home which are the only teams he has currently scored againt …. when we have played a decent team at home or he scores away then lets discuss this..
All those saying Lukaku is a flat track bully – well he has started well though also Man Utd needs to play a big team before people can judge Lukaku
He is doing Ok for one who has only recently arrived. As we know the game here is faster and more physical. Some overseas players never seem to adjust.
Our new Wrighty.
Lacazette, zette, zette.
Wrighty is mighty upset these days.
Lacajet
I think he’s an excellent striker in a system that suitable for him weather ours is remains to be open for now, I like the guy but he’s not received the service he requires and he hasn’t scored a goal that is his type e.g. Through ball round the keeper and in
Lacazette played well and has been playing well so far. Even though the first thing you’d expect your strikers to do is score goals, there are more to their game than just that. He’s not needlessly losing the balls, linking up well and making some good runs.
He is among Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero in terms of his technique and finishing but I believe he’s above Morata, Lukaku and Firmino. Just look at his goals for Lyon, quite a few composed finishing from the lad. If we could get him to build his confidence and play to his strengths then I can guarantee that lots of goals will come.
He will end up as one of d top scorers this season.
bcos he is very clinical
He looks good, glad we got him!
The pressure is more on him than the other strikers of Man C/U and Chelsea mentioned because poor start of the team. He will get better. But why not play him for full 90 minutes?
…because he does need to adapt more deliberately. It means shielding him for a bit from direct confrontation (with the fans) should he blamed (by the fans) of not scoring.
One only needs to see the quick ridicule that comes from “missing” a near impossible shot against Chelsea.
Our “fans” are the worst in the EPL. So bad that it will prevent some great players from coming and staying.
If anyone was panicking before, that was probably a rather extreme reaction to two goals and a third unfairly disallowed one (with a terrific finish) so early in the season despite sitting on the bench more than would have been expected. With four goals in six league matches now (and one of those sitting most of the game watching us get slaughtered by Liverpool), solid performances, and many quality touches I’m even more excited than I was when we finally signed him during the summer, and trust me I raised a few glasses in celebration back then!
one of the pluses – by that i mean pluses for lacazette – is that he can see how players of his size and stature cope with the more bullish and subtle aggressive defender types found here. elneny has already had his ankles kicked (remember pedro), saed (by luiz) to count just a few examples:
lacazette must earn respect in this league where defenders show no respect for reputations. two players he can learn from are aguero and our own sanchez who can vie for 50/50s with defenders much bigger in size and when they collide its the bigger man seen to come out the worse. which tells me whatever training these stars do is appropriate for the battles to be expected in the prem.
i suggest the lacazette we see (now) is likely to add more bulk in future, spend some time in the gym and make it his business to observe how aguero or sanchez manage to outwit their premiership competition – as he is (now) he reminds me of defoe:
I wasn’t concerned at all about Lacazette, way too early in his career at Arsenal for that.
He doesn’t have the power or stature of Kane and Lukaku, what he does have is agility, speed, a strikers brain, tenacity, and very quick feet.
I’m sure he’ll be absolutely fine, and will score a lot of goals, as long as he gets the right service.
He had a good start. He’s also missed some very good chances( not talking about Chelsea which was a difficult shot to control), he missed some uncharacteristic against Stoke, Bournemouth and West brom.
Once he fully acclimatised I expect him to score more and get at least 20 Pl goal.
Suarez gets about 6-7 chances a game especially through his relentless movements in the box, then proceeds to miss one or two clear chances but still ends up with a hat-trick. I’ll be happy with such stats for Lacajet.
He is a top striker and considering the price of many strikers, a bargain too at £56 million. Mourinho will eat his words about Lacazette
Also those complaints about Lacazette’s goals mostly coming from penalties last season. Well, scored penalties are still goals and that’s what we want GOALS
So very happy with Lacazette 🙂
Walcott missed a penalty against Liverpool at the Emirates last season and how much did that cost us? I am not saying that Lacazette will be successful with every penalty attempt (no one is perfect), but he certainly looks confident when he steps up.