Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette may be bailed out by Aubameyang

Arsenal’s attack was supposed to hit all new levels with the new cast, but they’ve done anything but. Can Alexandre Lacazette be back yet?

Arsenal’s January window had everyone believing that this attack would be the next great thing. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reunited with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and throw in the greatest No. 10 in the world in Mesut Ozil. How could it possibly go wrong?

Well, it’s too early to say that it’s “gone wrong” but it is not too early to notice that there are certainly some potentially some holes in this master plan. The main hole of which is that if the Gunners don’t send Aubameyang over the top, he has little to no value.

The Gabonese striker is not adept at dribbling or finding space for himself. Literally, his superpower is speed and timing his runs. Useful, if your team mates can find you.

Aubameyang hasn’t had a real breakout performance yet because of this massive flaw – the game plan isn’t suited for him. It seems like it would be an easy fix with how seemingly easy it should be for this midfield to find him, but then again, nothing is easy with Arsenal.

But it’s all got me thinking about Alexandre Lacazette. When Aubameyang came in, many counted Lacazette as the one to lose out entirely. He was relegated to the bench and then forced out with an injury. Surely Aubameyang would be able to capitalize on the free reign.

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Thus far, he hasn’t. If anything, he has made Lacazette’s facilities all the more apparent.

You see, Lacazette can dribble. He actually has a first touch as soft as Ozil’s, he manipulates tight areas with ease and his finishing is better than Aubameyang’s. What he lacks in a direct comparison is speed and perhaps confidence, but he makes up for that with what he can do with the ball at his feet, which is vital for a team that can’t strike on the break all that well, but rather relies on playing in and around the box.

Here were were thinking Aubameyang would make Lacazette disappear, but all he’s done, for me at least, is show me that Lacazette is needed more than ever. I’d still love to see them both starting, if there is any way to get two strikers (as strikers) into a formation.

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But if not, as of right now, I see Lacazette as the better striker. It’s up to Aubameyang to change our minds over the next month or so that he has to himself.

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