Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette isn’t the only one in a drought

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 03: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on January 3, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 03: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on January 3, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal are a bit concerned surrounding Alexandre Lacazette’s goal drought, but he isn’t the only newly-arrived striker that has hit a rough spot.

Arsenal nation is more than a tad concerned that Alexandre Lacazette has now gone eight matches and 600 minutes without a goal. It’s bothersome. He was brought in to prevent these kinds of drop-offs, and here he is in the middle of one.

But the lingering question remains the same – should we actually be concerned? Arsene Wenger has backed Lacazette, as he was always bound to do, and every striker goes through fits of trouble when they come to a new club.

If you don’t believe me, let’s hit the numbers.

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Lacazette hasn’t scored in 600 minutes across the past eight matches. He has, however, assisted twice in that span, and don’t dismiss the importance of an assist.

It’s not what we want, obviously, but there is definitely some truth in the whole “acclimation” claim. It does take time to adjust.

I’ll bring in Alvaro Morata to prove my point. Morata has six more Premier League goals than Lacazette despite also arriving in the summer. Yet, in typical, new-to-the-league fashion, he got through that initial period of joy and has landed himself in his own drought.

He has not scored in his past 400 minutes, has just two goals in his last ten matches and just three in his last fourteen.

In terms of their goals per 90 numbers, Lacazette is at a goal every 190 minutes and Morata is at a goal every 170. You can even throw in Romelu Lukaku here, as he is only scoring a goal every 180 minutes.

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All three of these guys are talented strikers, but you can’t deny that they need service. And in order to receive the best possible service, you really have to be settled into a system, which is ahrd to accomplish in half a season, which is all they’ve had.

Not just that, but it’s the usual business of new transfers. It always seems to work this way (see Alexis Sanchez when he first arrived). A player is new to the league and takes it by storm, then gets figured out and has to grow as a player and get his confidence back to settle back into the flow of things.

Not to mention the fact that Arsenal as a team has been piss-poor lately, which certainly doesn’t help Lacazette as he struggles with his own accolades.

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So yes, there is reason to be concerned, but not for the quality of the player or for the worry that we may have signed the wrong guy. This is how things almost always go.