Arsenal Vs Burnley: Do not ignore Alexandre Lacazette effect

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Burnley, grabbing plenty of the headlines. But the impact of his goalless strike partner, Alexandre Lacazette, should not be ignored.

In Saturday lunchtime’s 3-1 win over Burnley, a physical and hardened affair that required Arsenal to scrap as much as it did allow them to flow, Unai Emery decided to deploy two centre-forwards from the kick-off. Both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette started up front.

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They have played as a striking pair at times this season, but it has always been in the second half with Emery changing his team up in search of a goal. And they have both started together on a number of occasions. But each time, Aubameyang has been used from the left wing. Never have they both started through the middle.

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Here, however, they did. At first, it was a 4-4-2 diamond with Mesut Ozil in behind the prolific pair. When Nacho Monreal was forced off through injury midway through the first half, Emery shifted to a 3-5-2, still keeping that same structure with his front three: Ozil in behind Aubameyang and Lacazette. The 4-4-2 looked like the more dangerous formation. Arsenal created their best chances early in the match, but the 3-5-2 still carried a threat with both Aubameyang and Lacazette in and around the penalty area.

Inevitably, when a player scores two goals, essentially wins the game and moves to the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts in the process, Aubameyang grabbed most of the headlines. And when Lacazette was substituted without a goal in the 77th minute, he was noticeably upset, frustrated that he had not scored.

But purely focusing on the goals that they did or did not score would be to substantially overlook the impact that Lacazette had on the match. It may have been Aubameyang that scored the first two goals, but it was Lacazette who was the more involved in overall play, who was the linking striker between the midfield and the attack, and who provided that critical focal point around which moves can revolve.

Aubameyang may be the more prolific goalscorer, but it is Lacazette who offers the more rounded influence. He had ten more touches than his strike partner. He created two chances, in comparison to Aubameyang’s zero, he played nine more passes. And all of this came while playing 13 fewer minutes.

Aubameyang is the flashy name. The goalscorer always is. That is why the PFA Player of the Year almost always goes to attackers, those who either create or score goals, producing those moments that simply make the jaw drop. But there is much more to football than merely putting the ball in the back of the net. And there is much more to a striker than simply scoring goals.

Lacazette understands this. In fact, he revels in it. He has mastered it. It is what makes him such a complete centre-forward and a critical piece of the Arsenal attack. Do not ignore his impact, just because he is not scoring goals.