I am writing this piece of opinion or conjecture before Arsenal play the second of our Emirates Cup games, so what happens today against Sevilla may or may not support my theory that perhaps the biggest effect we have seen so far from the summer signing of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon is how it has affected the club’s current striker duo of Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud.
The big French centre forward did not try to hide the fact that he was not happy to play second fiddle to anyone, despite the fact that he did it so well last season, and it was clear that the signing of his fellow countryman was not to his liking.
But he has also said that he is determined to fight for his first team place and to prove himself and he has certainly been doing that to great effect in this pre-season schedule. Giroud is giving his all and putting himself about with great enterprise and I must say that I have been impressed.
The fleet footed England forward has not been as vocal or as easy to read as the big man but he must know that his own place is just as threatened, if not more, and if that is why he played so well against Benfica yesterday then I think it can only be good for the team and our hopes of competing for a major trophy like the Premier League this season.
Of course we want Lacazette to prove himself to be an upgrade but it could take time and if his presence continues to make Giroud and Walcott play better then Arsene Wenger will have some serious firepower on his hands don’t you think? And that is without even adding Alexis Sanchez into the mix, so have the Gunners now got the best attack in England?
Bob.
That welbeck assist is the exact reason lacazette was bought. None of our other players wouldn’t have been sharp enough to capitalize on that and before anyone says it – no, not even sanchez. There are different levels of killer instinct and trust me it is very obvious in lacazette – he is a true goal poacher. He is always on alert for ANY opportunity at all. That is what we have missed sorely over the years. Yes he will take time to adapt but trust me he will be a beast. I don’t over-analyse preseason because it is mainly a time of fitness and integration so i’m not overdoing it. What i like about Lacazette is that he has the same habit of ghosting in and out of play like ozil and then bam! they show up when the ball is played into the box.
Completely agree
We’ve needed a precision finisher and big scorer for long time.
Lacazette is a natural goal scorer
Welbeck lacks finishing but is faster than Giroud
Giroud is a better finisher but slower. Good hold up play
Lacazette has it all. Fast, excellent finisher, good at holding, dribbling and as you said a poacher
Now we just need Lemar/Mahrez assuming Alexis stays and our attack is complete
Very excited about this season
IF we get underway with the current squad, who should be in the starting XI when everyone is fit? My suggestion with subs:
Cech
Mustafi, Koscielny, Kolasinac
Bellerin, Cazorla, Xhaka, Ox
Özil, Lacazette, Sanchez
Subs: Ospina, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Walcott, Giroud, Welbeck
Ox is playing better than Bellerin on the right defence, Monreal has been our most consistent and best defender in the last year, Ozil is a lazy passenger that, on form, doesn’t deserve a starting place in the team, Rob Holding?
I think we still might get Lemar and if we can get a DM I would play him with either Ramsey or Xhaka so my first team would be,
Cech
Ox,Holding,Koscielny,Monreal,Kolasinac
Ramsey,Xhaka
Lemar,Lacazette,Sanchez
I agree with your roster but I would like Monreal as LWB and Kolasinac as CD. Monreal has good understanding with Sanchez, assuming he stays.
A better midfielder is necessary to compete with Xhaka, Ramsey and Coquelin. If Arsenal can get either Seri or Rafinha, the internal competition would be better.
I wouldnt move Monreal from LCB. Having him there is like having an extra dm while we’re in possession. He passes practically on Xhakas level and is great at winning the ball back in the opponents half when we turn it over. His assist for Ramsey in one of the games in Australia was inch perfect. Best preseason of any arsenal player imho.
Yes The Ox is better than Bellerin at RWB. I have seen the preseason matches and The Ox works really hard to defend and always threatens the opponents with dribbles, pace, crosses and trickeries.
In the preseason matches, Ozil performed the same way he has been performing in the last three years. As what you have said, a passenger.
Arsenal needs better midfielders that can possess the ball for more than two touches consistently, able to retrieve the ball under ten seconds and can help Arsenal dominate the midfield area. Midfielders that can perform like Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.
Looks like a good buy.He is not the kind of CF who will go to the halfway to get involved in the link up.He loves to play on the shoulders of opposing defenders and is like a “Deadly FOX in the BOX.”
Hahaha he hasn’t made Ozil look any better. Did you see that passenger walk around the pitch and contribute sweet f@#k all yet again.
To be fair Lacazette hasn’t even played a single Premiere League match
Give him some time
Ozil needs to work harder
If Ozil replicates the 2015-2016 when he was the best attacking Midfielder in the league and scored the most assists in the league then we will be awesome
But Ozil needs to work a lot harder than last season
This may be Ozil, Alexis and Ox’s last season with us so let’s take advantage of their quality and win the Premier League
Ozil has been working harder but he simply cannot possess the ball and beat the opponents the way Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Cazorla do. The fact that no other clubs have real interest in him shows his capabilities to carry his team.
If he cannot be benched again, Arsenal will suffer because they would have to accomodate a passenger again. He is a very unselfish player and has great eyes for chances but he cannot do more for his team.
I wish Arsenal manages to replace him with Rafinha , Mahrez or Lemar before the season starts.
I thnk wenger should sell Sanchez atlst lyk 80-70. Mahrez is readly available his techniques Will give lacazette the courage Ozil passing oh my walcotts pace Ox That incredible and wilshire/carzola recovery very interesting coz Ramsey is a Guy to rely on he goes missing when the league is on its peak
Ozil is a liability…he can’t dominate midfield like Kroos modric keita, fabregas, even wilshere…….how I wish we can find buyers and replace him with Mayrez or even Sigurdson…..all this players listed here are better than that overrated OZIL…..My fear is this Ozil will not allow us to dominate world class teams in this coming season…….when we had fabregas Wilshere in our midfield then, we never struggled to dominate teams, we never played ugly football…our game was so good to watch…..Those Arsenal fans still saying Ozil is better than Fabregas must be deluded….seriously deluded
You are the one that is deluded. Ozil is one of the best CAMs in the world..probably the best in England. Since he came to the English league 4 years he has had the most assists and has created the most chances. Yes he is lazy and he should try harder but when he is assisting near 20 goals a season who cares if he is lazy. Would you care if Lacazette was lazy..no. You would just want him to score over 20 goals a season. Ozil definitely has his flaws but he is way better than Coutinho, mata, etc.
Neo, no ways mfethu. I disagree that Ozil is better than Coutinho, Mata. These guys do so much more during games, Ozil drifts in and out of games
No they haven’t got the best attack that would be city!
Attacking play often comes from and sometimes involves as goal scorers the mf.
In mf we are relatively weak without cazorla s vision and quick thinking.
City have a great front line but with kdb, bernardo Silva and David Silva and Ya Ya behind them, fierce.
Our set play ability is also weaker than many places clubs. Spurs city pool and Chelsea all have dead ball specialists.
The best we have is sanchez who u still believe will leave at the end if the window.
@Neo, if your god Ozil is world class, why is he so short of suitors? compared to Coutinho who Barcelona is dying to have…No sensible human being will rate ozil ahead of coutinho….Coutinho is far better than him….coutinho has everything, David Silva has everything, even Juan mata is better than ozil…..the reason we do struggle to break teams or create chances is because the team is so packed full with predictable midfielders, we don’t have ball playing midfielders it dribblers in our midfield…..midfilders like yaya toure coutinho modric Isco Iniesta Vidal thiago Alcantara……thiago Alcantara destroyed Arsenal last season…….i missed those days of Hleb Rosicky Fabregas……..Cazorla is the only world class midfielder we have presently
@Neo, if your god Ozil is world class, why is he so short of suitors? compared to Coutinho who Barcelona is dying to have…No sensible human being will rate ozil ahead of coutinho….Coutinho is far better than him….coutinho has everything, David Silva has everything, even Juan mata is better than ozil…..the reason we do struggle to break teams or create chances is because the team is so packed full with predictable midfielders, we don’t have ball playing midfielders or dribblers in our midfield…..midfilders like yaya toure coutinho modric Isco Iniesta Vidal thiago Alcantara……thiago Alcantara destroyed Arsenal last season…….i missed those days of Hleb Rosicky Fabregas……..Cazorla is the only world class midfielder we have presently
Besides Lacazette, Our Other Strikers Are Welbeck, Giroud And Walcott. (perez Is Leaving). How The Hell Do You Expect These Annoying Failures To Improve? As For Ozil, He’s Good. But I Think He’s More Suited To A Ready-made Team Like Barca Or Bayern. He Makes Arsenal Suffer. Mahrez/Lemar Will Probably Do Better. And Mind You, Coutinho Is Far More Better/useful Than The Overrated Ozil These Days.
I’ve worked out what it is with ozil he needs to take in the game and see it pan out before he acts.
If you watch him he’s analysing our players movement as well as the opposition.
I get this but whilst he’s analysing the clocks ticking and he may as well be watching from the stands whilst we okay with 10 men.
Just when I’ve had it with ozil though he comes alive and can unlock a defence and assist just like that. I want a player who is always in the move and doing the basics whilst also getting his head up to occasionally do the magical stuff.
I’d take eriksen or sidhurdson over ozil any day. That may not have his magical vision to the same level but offer more as all round players. And are both class at free kicks!