Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Valencia: 5 things we learned – Alexandre Lacazette, Player of the Season

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (9) scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal (9) scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 02: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 02: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Europa League Semi Final First Leg match between Arsenal and Valencia at Emirates Stadium on May 02, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

2. Thank God for centre-forwards

Arsenal were in trouble. Valencia opened the scoring, notching that crucial away goal, created other opportunities, including a glaring miss from Ezequiel Garay, and were dominating in central midfield. The game was slipping out of the Gunners’ control, if it was ever in it in the first place. And then Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang decided to take over the game.

The first goal came from nothing. Mesut Ozil received the ball under pressure deep in his own half. Three passes and a handful seconds later and Lacazette would be slotting the ball into an empty net. It was his brilliant pass for Aubameyang to race onto that truly instigated the move and the awareness of the pair to recognise the greater space and easier opportunity finished it.

From that moment on, Arsenal looked far more comfortable. Lacazette would go on to add a second later in the first half. Aubameyang would add a third with a brilliantly clever piece of movement to put his team in a commanding position in the tie. This win came via the brilliance of the two centre-forwards. Thank God for goalscorers.