Arsenal: Let’s pump the brakes on Alexandre Lacazette fears

Arsenal brought in Alexandre Lacazette to do great things and he has undoubtedly sputtered, but let’s chill out on these fears. It’s only been six months.

On the heels of Arsenal’s rousing 5-1 victory over Everton, the same negative headline is flowing through the media – “what about Alexandre Lacazette?” The French striker was brought on in the summer to solve the ongoing striker problem at Arsenal, but in the process, has now himself seemingly been replaced.

Only he hasn’t. Lacazette has only been at the club six months. And, for the record, I hated how he was treated early one, being taken off for no damn reason. And I was massively opposed to him being left out against Everton. That wasn’t right.

But now we have people going off the deep end talking about how Lacazette is ruined. First it was Garth Crooks saying that, just as I mentioned, Lacazette is “ruined.” Now it’s Ian Wright, saying that Arsene Wenger has destroyed Lacazette’s confidence.

Again, I don’t think Lacazette was handled properly. I think Wenger took this whole “acclimation” thing too far. Lacazette is an elite striker that doesn’t need to be weened into a professional game that he has been playing for years.

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But to say that he is destroyed, ruined, a pile of rubble, a shadow of his former self (I made those last two up)? This is all coming way too soon. Be critical of Wenger’s treatment of him, absolutely, that is deserved. But can we stop jumping off the deep end acting like Lacazette has been tied up and shoved into his Arsenal locker for the duration of his career?

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This is what happens to professional players. Was Sergio Aguero ruined when Gabriel Jesus was acquired? Absolutely not. And the two interchange playing time, leaving neither with the full lion’s share they would undoubtedly prefer.

I want more from Lacazette – more playing time, more faith invested – but I also think he can be better than what he has done with the Gunners thus far and challenging him this early in his North London career is a great way to really put him to the test and force him to get better.

That said, Wenger has to be ready to give him the opportunities to prove himself and show that he has gotten better, otherwise I’ll be out here telling Crooks that he was right, and I don’t know if I can stomach that.

I do believe that a two-striker system needs to be looked into. That is the easiest way to give Lacazette the space and freedom he needs to get back into top form after suffering through a really tough winter period that, by the way, he isn’t used to after spending his career up until this point in Ligue 1.

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There is cause to be concerned. We wanted Lacazette to be the solution and as of yet, he hasn’t been. But pocket the fears. There’s no reason to be flipping out over such a short time span. There is still plenty of time for Wenger to get this right, and I reckon he will by the end of the season.