Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette provides the spark

Arsenal squeezed past Everton thanks to a blistering three-minute period in the second half. The spark for that period was provided by one Alexandre Lacazette.

Arsenal continued their recent good run on Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 win over Everton. It was a weird game in which neither team was able to settle into their rhythm; a bitty match that was unable to settle into a watchable routine, both sides playing with vulnerabilities, weaknesses and the odd moments of quality.

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For the Gunners, those moments of quality predominantly came during a blistering three-minute period early in the second half. And they were led by one Alexandre Lacazette, the centre-forward playing the spark that an uncomfortable, disjointed game required.

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The Frenchman didn’t really play very well — the same could be said for almost every single one of his teammates, perhaps other than Petr Cech, which tells you everything that you need to know. But by the time the game ended, that didn’t matter that much. Because it was Lacazette that provided that crucial moment to secure the three points, and that is precisely what he is in the team to do.

His first goal was a lovely, lovely strike. As soon as Aaron Ramsey smartly bided his time and fed Lacazette to the left, it was clear what was about to happen. One touch by Lacazette to set himself, taking him inside a little as he set up the angle to shoot, and another to curl a beautiful strike that kissed the inside of the far post as it nestled into the corner, almost for aesthetic purposes only.

But Lacazette was also at the heart of the move that led to the second goal. He first challenged Kurt Zouma for a loose ball in the inside-right channel, won the fifty-fifty battle, and then immediately fed Mesut Ozil with a nice through pass. What was so special about the pass was the speed at which it was played. Before Everton could react and Zouma could reset himself, Lacazette had already released Ozil into the clear.

And really, that was all Lacazette did for much of the match. He put himself about later on, trying to make his physicality known and helping to pressure the Everton to defence to alleviate some of the defensive trouble from his teammates when protecting the lead, but, from an attacking standpoint, Lacazette didn’t really offer that much else. But, then, he didn’t need to.

The point of a centre-forward is to score goals. Now yes, they do need to offer more than just making the net ripple on a consistent basis. But their most important job is to put the ball in the net and that is precisely what Lacazette did and then helped Arsenal to do in two key, quick-fire, crucial moments.

Lacazette is a catalyst. He makes things happen. He is a spark in this attack and he is critical to much of what Arsenal do. It showed again here.