Alexandre Lacazette was brought into the Arsenal side by Arsene Wenger in 2017 and was the Gunners biggest ever transfer fee at the time. Laca had scored 100 goals in 203 appearances for Lyon and was thought to be the answer to Arsenal’s goalscoring problems.
Lacazette looked to be exactly that when he scored in his first three games at the Emirates, but Le Prof seemed to have reservations about the Frenchman and he hardly ever played the full 90 minutes.
And when Wenger splashed out even more to bring in Aubameyang the following year, it looked like Lacazette was going to be left out in the cold, but he has hung on and has still scored many important goals for us although still not being an automatic starter.
He is now just 18 months from the end of his contract, and there is many Arsenal rumours saying that he is likely to be sold this summer, but the Arsenal legend Michael Thomas thinks that Arteta would be making a grave mistake. “I’m a massive fan of Lacazette.” Thomas said in an interview with CaughtOffside. “He’s a player I think is very undervalued by the fans,”
“But the players on the pitch certainly value what he brings. He battles up top, comes to get the ball and brings others into play.
“Yes he could score a few more but all in all he brings things that others don’t.
“As for keeping him I would like to keep his experience 100%. If he goes then there’s only a limited amount of players on the market that I think could replace him.”
I, personally, like Lacazette a lot too, but he will be 30 years old at the end of this season, so I’m not sure that Arsenal should give him a long extension either, although I wouldn’t be upset if we let him stay his last year and leave for free next summer.
So, what do you think? Should we sell him, extend his contract, or let him stay for his final year to leave for free?
Laca fighting spirit inspires me a lot. He is bold taking on defenders. I will rather have him stay. He has experience on his side.
100% agree the man is a workhorse KEEP HIM
I’d rather see Nketiah go than Laca, he’s a brick wall and fierce compared to Eddie who plays cheesy football. No wonder he’s playing for the U23, PL you fight for your spot and when given the nod you express fierce on the pitch, laca is all that despite not being on top of the pecking. Ext his contract with another 24months.
Exactly……
we need such players in the team…
Unfortunately alot of fans do not watch the games and demand big name and big tag players
Attacks the board and previous regime for allowing players leave on a free. Constantly slags the club foraking terrible financial decisions.
Still: “although I wouldn’t be upset if we let him stay his last year and leave for free next summer.”
Y’all have problems with certain decisions until y’all the ones making the decisions
Eddie, Isn’t that just the nature of fans? Not ideal, I freely admit and I get cheesed off at how much laughably ignorant and unfair criticism our fine, young, but still relatively new manager attracts .
But I remind myself that all clubs have a lot of fans who arrogantly think they know better than their manager. And this from many who have never managed anything at all in their life and who have never worked in pro football But still they know better, eh!
Frustrating, but at the same time, par for the course with fans, esp at ALL top clubs. Lowlier clubs have far less expectations and are in some ways far more happy for that reason. And their fans less stressed consequentially. So would I swap being a Gooner for being, say, an Orient fan! What do you think!” OF COURSE NOT!!!
But Jon- plenty was the time you voiced your contempt for Wenger as he was quite obviously not doing anything correctly, remember those days? You , along with the very vast maroon this site thought you knew more than him, me included. So once again you contradict yourself over timer time. As you always do
Phil You are missing a key point with Wenger and not comparing like with like, with he and MA!
Wenger, by the time I was posting that I wanted him gone had been underperforming for many years. He was too, a highly experienced manager, even before arriving at our club. So your comment is unfair and inaccurate.
If it turns out that MA underperforms for a long while – and he has only been here not 15 months as of today, need I REMIND YOU -I will also want him out.
But UNTIL that happens, IF it ever does, I will – as a true supporter – continue to support our clubs manager.A SHAME YOU, AS A TRUE SUPPORTER TOO, choose not to!
I’m not missing the point at all Jon- just merely pointing out that we are all managers when it suits us. We all know what’s going wrong and what we need to do to put it right. Football management is easy. To everyone of course is is not actually a manager
As much as you still want him around, most of us want 2 see his back. Arsenal’s not an academy 4 training baby coaches. 4 crying out loud, you & I knows Arteta doesn’t possess the certificate 2 manage Arsenal. Is it because we have an ambitiousless board that Arteta should manage us ? Damn !
Now I am well and truly confused. On the one hand, you said that Wenger had massively underperformed, yet he was finishing consistently in the top 4, with the exception of the final two seasons, in which he finished 5th and 6th. On the other, you said that it’s people who have unreasonable high expectations that are the problem, when they say that a top four finish should be the standard by which we judge Arteta. Please make up your mind!
Hey jon fox the question is on about Lacca should we keep or let him go
There come a time Jon, when you have to say clearly what you see in Arteta. Your support of him as I have seen is only for attacking those who are against him.
I don’t remember to see your comment explaining why you back him. As a pro bettor and the one who specialise in a long term prospects can you please tell us what have made you bet on Arteta long term? An article would be nice but even a comment will do.
HH- You may well recall Jon’s immortal adoration of Emery.
“ Never have I been more sure that Unai Emery is the righ5 manager for Arsenal Football Club”. That was immediately following the humiliation at Anfield. He was in a majority of ONE who saw something in this manager when most, we sane ones anyway, could see that Emery was never likely to survive. I wonder if he had few Bob on that one.
And another thing HH. I wouldn’t be Expecting a reasoned response from Jon. He goes AWOL when called out, as w3 all know
Jon skirting round the question once again 😂.
Your like a politician always talking in riddles but never getting to the point .
Actuallyb Phil as you want thre truth, I assume, your often writen and false accusation that I duck your questions is untrue. There have been many times in the past when I REPLIED TO YOU ABUT YOU DID NOT SEE MY POST.
I am more active on this site than you are, of later months, and you know that is true. It is natural that some people will nor see the many replies made to their posts.Esp as threads move on so quickly- too quickly – to keep up. This includes me, KEN Sue P, AND MANY OTHER long term regulars.
You are, these days, NOT a regular as you once were. Your choice of course but rather unfair to criticise ME for your often absence. Isn’t it Phil!
HH A fair questoin to ask, so here goes: I like that MA has a firm plan for how he wants our players to behave . I like that he will not tolerate ill discipline( witness Guendouzi and Auba) nor laziness(witness Ozil and Mkhi) on the field. I like that he has tightened our defence, which was shambolic when he arrived.
I like all his imports so far, except Willian. I like that he has properly given youth its chance with exciting results! I believe he is taking extra care with MARTINELLIS match fitness and sees him as our natural CF, in good time.
I like that he does not make public excuses for his players when talking to media . No more “I did not see it” which WENGER LIE BECAME PREDICTABLE AND TEDIOUS. I could go on but hope that gives you a taste for my views.
I only regret that you are too wilfully blind – perhaps you suffer the same wilful blindness as did WENGER – to see what I and many others see so very clearly. The scales will leave your deliberately closed eyes soon, I confidently predict!
I have had no bet on Arteta for the simple reason that ther is no bet – of which I am aware – that gives odds that he will be our manager for several seasons to come. In any case that is not how I choose to bet, as a pro.
So what you saying is Jon ,you knew better than Wenger ,but you don’t know better than Arteta.
Not so hard is it buddy ,you have wrote a whole essay and I’ve said it in 3 sentences.
DAN KIT. Two sentences actually and the word you should have written was “written ” not “wrote”. You know me Danny boy, I prefer the whole truth to falsehoods..
Jon- I read JA most days. I choose not to participate as much these days that’s all
No Jon- I’m not having that at all- you consistently dodge direct questions when put to you that quite often contradict previous statements you have made. Even when prompted you conveniently “ Cock a deaf-un”. Only recently Durand pointed out a very relevant fact regarding the squad and how Arteta had improved the quality within it, and asked you to explain why he had somehow managed to take the team backwards. A very good question that you chose to ignore. Something you do all too regularly no matter how much you may protest differently
Fair enough Jon. I still think all those Arteta “positives” you have mentioned mean absolutely nothing if they don’t translate into at least acceptable results of the standard required of this giant of a club (meaning finishing 4th should be considered a failure).
Replies to HH and Phil: HH ypur expectations are unrealistically high, given our Scrooge owner. It is exactly your too high expectations and even demands that so irk my sense of fairplay. And Phil, You havenot answered amny of MY qustions tyo you . That ia what naturally happens to most of us on a constantly changing JA.
YOU SEEM TO THINK ME NOT ANSWERING JUST YOUR POSTS IS A SPECIAL CASE. IT IS NOT, as no one answera all questions asked Just how it is, so nothing sinister, but normal behaviour. So trying to claim , as you do, that I AM IGNORING YOU IS NONSENSE AND UNFAIR.
Jon if you are honest with yourself you can’t deny that you do have a tendency of disappearing when the discussion is not in your favour but not as bad as TMJW.
Lacazette, thanks for the memories and always seemed like a professional.
Not very profilic but very hard working.
Needs to be sold in the summer to recoup some money.
Cheers for the English lesson Jonny boy 👍
You are always welcome. Usually I don’t care a fig about grammar, lack of punctuation and typos, as we all, including myself, make mistakes.
But what always irks me about you is your clear antipathy to EVERYTHING I ever write. No two people could , even by chance disagree so consistently as you do with me. There is a clear agenda about your many – I have to say caused by jealousy – comments to me. For the record, I have often praised and called out the same people many times but always dependant on what they say, NEVER ON PERSONALITIES.
I DO NOT HOLD GRUDGES, but doubt the same could be truthfully said of you.
Correct my impression if you wish , by all means. But at least be honest, if you are going to deny it! I can tell BS a mile off; no surprise given my background in life.
His hold-up play is good and he’s also good in tight spaces. So we need to find a taller CF with his strengths first, before selling him
Finding a CF with great link-up ability like him isn’t easy. Giroud was great in aerial duels and could easily hold the opposition’s CBs off, but he couldn’t pass the ball forward when he was surrounded by the opponents
It’d be great if we can find another target man with all those skills from other club, otherwise we better assess our own squad rotation forwards and the ones in the reserves
Deschamps got it right, Arsenal got it wrong.
HH, Deschamps wanted Giroud and Griessmann; Griessmann took Lacazette’s place. Arsenal could never afford Griessmann, so where did Arsenal get it wrong?
Where Wenger got it wrong was when Lacazette was virtually averaging a goal a game, he dropped him to the bench. Arteta has similarly dropped him and Pepe when they have a run of form, which doesn’t help a striker’s confidence.
Yes, Lacazette is undervalued.
As I have always said. I rate Laca over Auba.
Laca’s all round play is amazing but he is a poor goal scorer. We bought him to score goal and he has failed to do that at an acceptable rate.
We really need a better all round striker that combines Laca’s strengths and Auba’s goal scoring.
👍
👌
I agree with you Goonster Lacca is better than Auba for work rate his hold up play and link up play is 100%
Agree with you, my friend, 100%!
I rate him over Auba did his all round play. A taller Laca with clinical finishing would be much better!
As I stated above, when Lacazette has a run of form he has been dropped to the bench. His goals per minutes played may surprise.
It is a tough decision, especially in this financial climate, the conditions are new.
1. We cannot let him leave for free, hopefully we have learned this mistake. This is not a realistic option in my mind.
2. Extending his contract is not realistic either in my mind. He will not get better in the following years, and he’s on high wages.
3. The financially prudent choice is to sell or trade. Swaps may be more common in this economic climate, new blood while not draining a club’s coffers.
Ambitious teams must consider ambitious and creative solutions, and not always for short term gain. We’ve seen this with salary dumps; Sokratis, Mustafi, and Kola.
This is a new reality; the real question is whether Edu, Arteta, and the rest of management can get it right. Errors of judgement prove costly as we well know.
Covid has complicated transfers, and it will take longer for us to get sorted. Edu and Arteta must be spot on as we can’t afford any more mistakes.
We are better served sharpening youth, ESR, Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Mavroporas, Balogun, Jules, Lopez, Azeez.
This is the way forward, not deep pockets or aging frees like Willian.
Sound financial and practical sense, Durand!
You know me Jon, I prefer the natural coloring of the real world to rose tinted glasses.
Perhaps it is my flair for economics that drives me to choose reason & logic over emotional hyperbole. Contracts are based on what one has to offer rather than a reward for past accomplishments.
Laca’s value curve is not longer ascending and positive, but flattening before it’s eventual downward curve. Better to suffer a substantial financial loss than a complete financial loss.
The club must come first, always; before the sentimentality of fans and even before the desires of the manager.
Surely we have learned this after years of Walcott, Ramsey, Wilshere, Diaby, keeping players past their sell by date. I would argue currently Laca, Xhaka, Bellerin, and perhaps even Auba fall within this category.
Edu should have both eyes firmly fixed on the club’s best interest, not appeasing or befriending Arteta.
Edu should inform Arteta the club will entertain any offers for Laca, Bellerin, and Xhaka, as they have stagnated after several years with the club. Their production is below the Arsenal standard and their wage/production is highly imbalanced.
Edu must put club’s interests first, before Arteta’s and his own. It is business and must never be personal.
I fear sometimes “personal” has overridden business at times. Saliba’s case, stubborn insistence on Willian over developing Nelson & Martinelli, and possibly extending Luiz.
I feel Bellerin over Cedric could arguably be added to the list. Arteta needs time, unfortunately time is a luxury he does not have for a world brand seeking a return to the Champions league and league titles.
Durand, Much sound sense, once again!
Agree with you on every point stated here, my friend. You spoke my mind!
As for Laca, I rate him over Auba plus his all round play. I reckon a taller Laca with clinical finishing would be much better!
Azeez just scored an absolute banger in the FA youth cup, Durand 👌
I agree about the youngsters. The future’s bright!!
Sue there are examples to back this up. ESR only got a real shot due to injuries in the team, not by selection choice.
Could Azeez similarly impress if given a chance? How about Balogun? Did Saliba really need to go on loan; based on what, an assumption?
Do we already have an inhouse backup for LB? Will we even try?
I don’t feel Edu is strong enough in this aspect of management. Give players opportunities in this lost year.
The club is wasting this silver lining in terms of rating youth and their preparedness. Edu should be insistent with Arteta, look within before window shopping.
Also, no CB coming in with players we have. Gabriel is solid, Saliba looks a bright player, Mavroporas has quite the tool set, and Holding and Mari are dependable backups.
Focus on midfield, Striker, and RB. Look within for backups and depth, not more Willians.
Yes, Durand, if it hadn’t been for injuries and covid ESR would probably still be waiting for his chance!
He took his chance with both hands (or feet 😄) which shows MA needs to trust the youngsters more! They are more than capable!
Your comments are spot on and I just hope MA/Edu are on the same wavelength! This window will be crucial in terms of where we’re heading.. and like you, I really hope we don’t go shopping over in West London (again!!) 😉
Rumour has it we’ll look at selling Laca and Nketiah to fund Toney… Midfield is a must imo…
Durand, I likewise agree with the notion that “swaps” will become much more commonplace, especially for teams, like ours, who have used higher wages as a tool for enticing players to both come and stay in North London…unfortunately this will require some tricky maneuvering unless the players involved are like for like, in terms of wages and age…our abject mishandling of all things asset management-related, in the past 2 decades, simply can’t continue or we will almost assuredly struggle to turn the proverbial corner…as such, we must sell Laca in the summer…furthermore, I totally agree with your assessment regarding our more youthful prospects and what particular positions we should be pursuing come the summer window…sadly, this should have been the course of action last summer
RVL
My sibling from another mother.
We have a similar perspective on our views of the club. The “standard” I often reference is the one established by Wenger; the one fans have rightly or wrongly come to expect.
Attractive, attacking football, being among the top 4, and occasionally challenging for the title.
It is wrong IMHO to lower ourselves to a lower standard being floated by Emery, Arteta, or anyone else that can’t deliver results.
Auba is among best scorers in the world, Saka is one of the best young players in the world, Partey a world class midfielder, and I’d argue Tierney top 3 LB in the league.
Virtually half a starting 11 of top talent, no excuse to be outside the top 10.
Top 4 unrealistic, but not top 10 is regression and failure from last year.
It is up to manager and players to rise to the standard, not on fans to lower to theirs.
👍 Spot on, Durand.
Durand, Joel Lopez LB
His wages are not as high as Auba and he is younger than Auba
OT.. Ballard scored for Blackpool 👍
Have to feel for Mavropanos, facing a 10 man Bayern team that have still managed to score 3 goals in 6 minutes!!
Don’t know what under-valued means!!
Really, Lacazette has done his best for Arsenal but truth be told, he isn’t good enough!! Slow and misses alot of goal-scoring opportunities..Has to go!!
Even Chelsea Fans I know wants to see the back of Abraham and Giroud despite their inputs..Dats the mentality of Winning Teams!!
If I see Lacazette and Aubameyang (together with Xhaka) in our team next season,, it simply means we have become an unambitious Mid-table Club!!
Laca’s only draw back is his positioning and he doeant make enough timely runs,truth be told he is not in those half chances from crossings
But his overall play apart from that,linkups,hold up play,passing,shootimg,pressing are all superb especially the link up.Great understanding,its really hard to find players who can click with anyone .
I dont see height as an issue, a good example would be aguero,be at the right place and the right time and you will score and laca lacks that.
Many point his height as an issue because our attacking threat is from crosses but to be honest if its a quality cross it will find tge man,Height should not be an issue in football
And yes i have always said that he is more complete than auba
Is not the whole truth that NEITHER Auba nor LACA are complete players. Laca works hard but is not clinical . Auba is, usually, more clinical but can disappear and contributes little, except when he scores. Neither are good in the air.
Both are just about clinging on to or more probably are past their peak and both could, probably should, be sold, PROVIDED we could find a reliably better and more complete scorer.
But that’s hard to do ,even when you choose to spend proper money.
OUR owner never does, so who knows what will happen? Neither has much impressed me this season TBH.
This man is so strange, one day he will play like Pele the next day he will make you feel that he is not even a player!
I would rather keep him, Nkietah out and have Balogun in!
Well said Mr.Fox, they both arrived at Arsenal with high expectations. I remember non Arsenal fans congratulating me that the Gunners had signed a world class player when we really needed one. On that level he hasn’t exactly succeeded. Three different managers haven’t totally been convinced. Of the two Aubamayang has been the surprise packet. Before joining it was already well reported that he was a penalty box striker who could occasionally disappear. In terms of goals Arsenal have got their money’s worth from him at least. The gamble now is how much more Arsenal can squeeze out of them. I think another season at best. Hopefully those above are doing their homework and looking around for the best possible talent without breaking the budget.
I think he is an amazing player but not for all teams…I m not sure Arsenal is one of these teams most of the time..he needs much more attempt to combine in small spaces in a team who likes to own the ball and midfields with great technical skills. He is very dependent if people surrounding him but I remember us playing amazing football with Laca in number 9…much more than with Auba who on the flip side saved us many times with a goal coming of nowhere when we were pretty poor. ..I think he should go as he can find teams more suited to his style and he will never be a no brainer starter with Arteta
Lacazette has been underrated. Player confidence is very important for a striker. One of the major issues with Lacazette has been how he has been treated by managers at Arsenal, beginning with Arsene Wenger. Look at how many times Lacazette has had a run of form scoring at an average of a goal a match, for three games and then dropped. All managers have been guilty of this and Arteta has continued it with both Lacazette and Pepe. When players, particularly strikers, are in form they should continue to be selected.
As for retaining Lacazette, it will depend on what offers Arsenal receives in the summer and what wage Lacazette requires to resign a contract extension. A delicate balancing act for management.
Please keep Lacazette at Arsenal, he is Arsenal’s best striker.
Work horse, main man. He has proven this over and over the years.
Thank you
Love lacazette but finishing often makes you how the hell did he manage to become a professional player let alone a striker
Lacazette is currently Arsenal’s top scorer.
Yes and he should have close to twice that amount if his finishing wasn’t terrible
How many full games has he played?
How many opportunities does Aubameyang miss?
*makes you wonder*
Please extend Laca’s contract , I like him a lot the man is a fighter and he can bring us back to our glory days