Manager Mikel Arteta was unable to confirm when Alexandre Lacazette will make his return for Arsenal, with him having been absent from training since Friday after testing positive for Covid-19.
The striker has been key for our side since taking up the captain’s armband in December, although his most recent form has suffered a little, and our team lacked his influence in attack at the weekend, and we are now likely to be without him for more fixtures, with most players missing for around a week until they test as negative, while some do not return immediately as they need time to recover.
Mikel Arteta admits that at this point he has no idea when his captain will make a return to action, whilst admitting that Laca is suffering with some symptoms.
In his post match press conference, Arteta said (via the Standard): “It will depend whether he is negative and whether he is feeling better and his symptoms are gone, and he’s available to play.”
While some may have wanted Lacazette to be dropped for his form, he does plenty of work off the ball which I appreciate, and we definitely lacked that this weekend. Eddie Nketiah appeared to be tasked to play in a similar way, which doesn’t really suit his poaching game, but his efforts nearly did open up the chance for Gabriel Martinelli to tee up Bukayo Saka, only for goalkeeper Fraser Forster to make the save.
We can hope that Nketiah settles into his role in the coming week, as it looks like he will be called upon against Chelsea in midweek at the very least, and with any luck we want to see more of him if he can make an impression in the first of three big games coming up, with West Ham up next after we face Manchester United.
Will Arteta continue with Nketiah or could he look to tinker with the XI against the Blues?
Patrick