Arsenal: Can Alexandre Lacazette finally come out and play?

Arsenal had two gaping chances in the first 20 minutes against Chelsea, with more to come, but few could take them. Can Alexandre Lacazette play yet?

When Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had the wide open shot in front of net from about three yards out, I thought there was no way he could miss. He would put Arsenal in the match, easy. And then he skied it.

When Henrikh Mkhitaryan had the same chance minutes later, I thought there was no way it could happen twice. He would put Arsenal in the match, easy. And then he skied it.

Two of our best players, and best finishers (in the starting XI) and neither could put away chances that a blind horse could have scored. And Mesut Ozil, in his singular moment of relevance, had a chance as well that also skewed wide.

This team is finding chances. They are figuring out how to elbow into defenses and create for themselves, but thus far into the season, against City as well, they have been unable to stuff those chances into the back of the net.

Meanwhile, our best finisher remains on the bench.

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Alexandre Lacazette isn’t super tall or super strong, or blindingly fast, but that man knows how to be in a spot to have chances like the Gunners have had and, more importantly, he knows how to tuck them away.

I find it horrific that he hasn’t started a game yet and it’s about to get more horrific if it continues because it looks like Lacazette’s early momentum against City has petered out a bit. Against Chelsea, he was far less positive than what he was in the opener and it’s easy to understand why. He’s coming off a roller coaster season last year and he surely wanted nothing more than to get off to a fantastic start.

That desire has been torn away from him by poor starting XI decisions that have left him on the bench. And the longer that happens, the more he will fall into dejection at not being afforded a simple chance.

I worry, because Lacazette is an emotional player, who can get down on himself, and it would suck if he was forced into such a state all because he can’t get onto the fricking pitch.

I have faith in Unai Emery, but this is one thing I can’t wrap my head around. Start your best players! Don’t Wenger this!