Arsenal: Lacazette vs Aubameyang – the battle rages on

Arsenal have two world class strikers, and while both will have eyes on the golden boot, they have to defeat each other first and foremost.

At the start of this Arsenal season, I wasn’t alone in thinking that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a clear path to competing for the Golden Boot. His ability to score on a whim, to find the necessary space and, on occasion, to thump one home from distance, continues to impress.

But, as seems to happen all too often, to hand this mantle so easily to Aubameyang was to ignore Alexandre Lacazette and the undoubtable merits that he has as a striker. But the fault there lies in his versatility, and his ability to do much more than just score the goals.

Regardless of how we got here, or who is overlooked, the point is that now, we have two world class strikers with a full season ahead of them, both of whom will be having their eyes set on bigger and better merits.

But the first step is to beat the other. These two have developed a fantastic bromance, one that is a joy to watch. I can’t help but gush every time they shake hands and bow to each other in their new goal celebration. It may well be my favorite thing ever.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Beneath that bromace is a rivalry. A desire to prove that one is better than the other. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, that rivalry has been neck and neck this year.

It started with their first goals. Each scored against Cardiff. It was a dead heat, one to one.

Then came their second goals. Each scored against Everton. It was two to two, a dead heat.

And, most recently, each scored two against Everton. It was four to four, a dead heat.

The synchronicity between these two is one thing, but their growing chemistry within an incredibly competent attack is another thing. They are now both tied for third in the golden boot race, just three goals off the pace set by Eden Hazard.

The question is begging to be asked – who will win? And you can’t say it’s going to be a tie, because that would be just too perfect.

The question is pure speculation. How do you rank one above the other when each has such clear and distinguishable merits? Aubameyang was the early favorite, but it stands to reason that Lacazette may be the favorite now. Whatever the case, these two are powering the team, and whoever wins the duel, the other will be just as happy for him.