Arsenal Vs Spurs: Alexandre Lacazette return critical

Alexandre Lacazette has returned to Arsenal training prior to Sunday’s North London Derby. His return to the team is critical for the Spurs match-up.

Arsenal are preparing for one of the biggest matches of the season: the first North London Derby of the year, three points separating the two teams, an early tester for the Gunners’ top-four hopes. This is not a must-win game. But it is a must-not-lose.

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And, for Unai Emery’s side, they are facing their most bitter rivals at the worst possible time. Spurs dismantled Chelsea in a brilliant performance last week in a 3-0 victory in which they rediscovered their form from last season. Harry Kane now looks sharp, Christian Eriksen has seemingly returned to form and Dele Alli is back in the goals.

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If both teams play like they did last week, this will not be a close contest. Good news for Arsenal, then, that Alexandre Lacazette made a return to training this week after sitting out last weekend’s win over Bournemouth entirely. The Frenchman withdrew from the national team during the November international break with a niggling groin injury and was subsequently held out of the trip to the south coast as a precaution.

It still remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to start on Sunday, but Emery will undoubtedly be hoping that he is. Lacazette is a key part of this team and his absence was felt against Bournemouth with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang largely isolated and uninvolved in the lone striker role.

Last season, it was Aubameyang that started in a 1-0 defeat to Spurs in early February. Again played as the lone centre-forward, he was roundly dominated by Davinson Sanchez and hardly had any touches of the ball, nevermind meaningful ones. Like against Bournemouth, he was hung out to dry with aimless, infrequent service and a desperate lack of support.

Lacazette may not be as prolific a goalscorer as Aubameyang, but he does provide more all-round influence to the team. He is much more proficient with his back to the goal, he has a far more comfortable and consistent first touch, and he is quite adept at dropping into the midfield and linking the play from deeper positions, something that Aubameyang rarely does.

And in a match in which Arsenal will have to deal with a pressing opponent, must counter proficiently and not allow the pressure to overawe them, having a centre-forward to provide a backboard to play off will be invaluable. A lot of the problems with Aubameyang stem from the relentless waves of attacks from the opposition because of his inability to keep the ball. Lacazette releases pressure from his teammates and allows them to get up the pitch by simply not giving the ball away.

This is the most important match of Emery’s tenure thus far. It is critical that Arsenal get something from this game, and they will have a much better chance of doing so with Lacazette in the fray.