Arsenal and Alexandre Lacazette: Sharp shooter or frenetic finisher?

Alexandre Lacazette came to Arsenal with a reputation as a ruthless goalscorer. After five goals and eight starts, is he a sharp shooter or a frenetic finisher?

Arsenal were rampant against Everton on Sunday. As an attacking outlet, they were fluent, dynamic, and potent. Runners from midfield, drifting attackers, and bursting wing-backs, all led to an Everton side that was totally overrun. The five goals scored only provides a glimmer to the Gunners’ dominance.

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At half-time, they had had 17 attempts on goal, more than any other team had had in one half of Premier League football this season. By full-time, they had had 30. Jordan Pickford made nine saves throughout the 90 minutes. His next highest save total this season is five.

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One of the goalscorers, Alexandre Lacazette, registered his first away goal of his North London career. Up until this point, he had scored four goals in seven Premier League starts, all four coming at home. And Lacazette himself had stated that he was aware of his struggles away from the Emirates, admitting that he knew it was an area that he needed to improve as the season progressed. Hopefully, Sunday is the start of that improvement.

His goal was a precise, swept finish, converting Mesut Ozil’s pulled-back cross with a neat first-time finish. It was a piece of play that lives up to the reputation he came to the club with: A clinical and ruthless goalscorer who is sharp in his movement, deadly in his anticipation, and cool in his finishing.

But, after nine appearances in all competitions so far this season, is it fair to say that Lacazette is a sharp shooter? Or have there been signs that he is perhaps a more frenetic finisher than was initially billed?

While Lacazette did score against Everton, he also missed a gilt-edged opportunity at 0-0. After brilliantly turning Michael Keane in the area, on the edge of the six-yard box, he proceeded to slam the ball straight at the onrushing Jordan Pickford, who was extremely quick off his line to close down the angle. But this should have been a goal. With a cooler head and smarter finish, Lacazette would have simply slotted a shot past Pickford and into the gaping net.

And this comes after a horrific miss against Chelsea from the rebound of Aaron Ramsey’s toe-punted effort that struck the post. Now, for the most part, Lacazette has shown his ability to score goals. Five goals in nine games is a record not to be scoffed at, especially when coming to a new team in a new league against new opponents.

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But let’s not simply look past some of the more worrying signs because he’s new and his name is exciting. Lacazette has missed clear-cut chances. That cannot continue.