Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette frustrations cannot begin anew

Arsenal withdrew Alexandre Lacazette early enough against CSKA Moscow for him to be disappointed. All I worry about is a recurrence.

Alexandre Lacazette‘s initial “falling out” with Arsenal began when he kept being subbed off far too early in matches. Arsene Wenger has since attributed it to an acclimation period, but there was no hiding that Lacazette didn’t agree.

His confidence began to falter and before long, he was unable to lift himself up. It was a drag every time he took the pitch, as he always knew that he would be coming off before the final whistle, even if he was on a brace.

Against CSKA Moscow, it was a similar scene. As Lacazette came off in the 73rd, the cameras found him, scowling, shaking his head on the bench, away from his team mates. It make me a bit uneasy, to say the least.

Related Story: Arsenal vs CSKA Moscow Player Ratings

I understand, this time, why it was done. The game was over, Henrikh Mkhitaryan had already been injured, and Lacazette himself was coming back from a long-term injury. It was the right thing to do. I just hope that this was communicated to Lacazette beforehand or, at the very least, explained after.

Maybe he did understand, he was just frustrated at not being able to grab the hat trick.

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I really don’t care what it was. All I care about was that Lacazette looked like his old self when he left the pitch and it didn’t sit well with me, and I imagine many others, as they saw their frustrated £50m man shaking his head on the bench.

I’ve also started to identify a difference that, I hope, Lacazette isn’t picking up on as much as I am. His counterpart, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, has played every minute of every game he has been involved in. Six starts, 90 minutes each.

Lacazette often comes on as a sub, but not for Aubameyang. Instead, the Gabonese pushes off to the side. When Danny Welbeck comes on for Lacazette, however, Lacazette comes off. He doesn’t relegate anyone to the wings.

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe I’m just nervous that Lacazette could end up in the same pickle he has been in before, the spiraling pickle of his own demise. I just hope that there is a clear plan here, and that we aren’t just at the whimsies of Arsene Wenger, because that is rarely a good thing.

Next: 5 Things Learned Against CSKA Moscow

Lacazette has to treated at the same level as Aubameyang. It’s that simple.