Arsenal: And that’s the Alexandre Lacazette difference

An unfortunate rumor popped up recently stating that Arsenal could sell Alexandre Lacazette, but after seeing him against Southampton, maybe we can dismiss it.

It shouldn’t need to be said, but any player out there that has ever existed goes through ebbs and flows in form, and Arsenal‘s superstars are no different. They come and go depending on confidence and those that are around them, but no matter what happens, you can’t take the foundation of quality out of a player.

Alexandre Lacazette is one such player that ebbs and flows quite a bit. It’s not even been two whole years and yet we’ve see him in a multitude of different forms.

I would endeavor to say that the majority have been positive, though, which is why, when rumor popped up that the Gunners may be looking to sell Lacazette, I went on the offensive, calling it the worst idea that mankind has ever conceived of (or something along those lines).

Against Southampton we saw the Lacazette difference yet again. This was peak Lacazette (I’m trying really hard to block out his glaring miss, so try to block it out with me) in all of his glory, with a tremendous first goal off a rocked shot from Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

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But as has been the theme of Lacazette’s career, particularly at the Emirates, it wasn’t the goal scoring that made him stand out. If it was just the goal scoring, then his gross miss from a couple yards out would be weighing far heavier on my mind than it already is.

It’s his ability to participate in the build-up, to navigate tight spaces, to really do something other than wait for the ball and wait for openings. He is a very Sergio Aguero-like striker, who can create for himself and, give him enough time in the Premier League, and that will start translating to even more goals.

As a team, the Gunners did quite well with their dribbling for once, completing 14 dribbles, but it was Lacazette who took the lion’s share with five – more than any three players combined. That prowess came in and around the box, or when he was driving up from deep – things that not all strikers can count as a strength.

Lacazette’s difference wasn’t made in the finish (though that was pretty special too), it was made in his ability to make things happen. There should have been more goals in this one, and he was a big reason why.