Alexandre Lacazette has messed up it seems, well, if what the media are reporting is actually true but I am sensing a hysteria building that is unnecessary yet convenient.
Lacazette has not had the best of seasons but to deny that he is a top striker is being seriously disingenuous. He is a quality attacker that has performed below his own high standards and I get the feeling that some people, both in the media and among us Gooners, have been waiting for the moment that they can pile on him with vigour.
You see, there are very few Arsenal players that have had a great season and anyone singling out Lacazette will be met with what about Granit Xhaka? What about Nicolas Pepe? What about Mesut Ozil?
That line cannot really be used now because Lacazette detractors will just come back with, none of those players got caught inhaling balloons, this is now bigger than on-field performances.
But is it really?
If Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had done the same thing would there be such a pile on occurring? I do not think so.
If Lacazette was the clubs’ top scorer or assist maker would there be so many people looking to put the boot in? No, not in my opinion.
For me, Lacazette is starting to look like the latest scapegoat in the making. Shkodran Mustafi has picked his game up and is no longer the fans favourite punching bag, Granit Xhaka has sort of rehabilitated himself, Mesut Ozil is immune to it all regardless of how he performs, even David Luiz is no longer seen as a clown by many and that just leaves the door wide open for the hysterical ones to now target Lacazette.
I have this horrible feeling that if we hound him out the club we will regret it and while what he has allegedly done needs to be handled, he should not be made a convenient scapegoat. He simply does not deserve that.
