Arsenal vs Chelsea: And that’s how you lose Alexandre Lacazette

Arsenal were atrocious in a the Europa League final, and if you ever want to see how to convince your star players to leave, that was it.

I really didn’t think that was going to happen. Arsenal have had such a good track record doing the exact opposite of what they just did against Chelsea, but instead, it was like your typical away match in the Premier League.

It was a completely emasculated effort that left the club looking like utter filth, as nothing went right. Not a single thing. Even our elite strikers were completely shown up by who else but Olivier Giroud.

Alexandre Lacazette had his own share of the blame, as he looked completely worthless up top, despite leading the team in created chances, but Lacazette is the only guy on this club who I am genuinely worried about leaving.

And after a match like that?

Well, let’s just say a lot of guys have left town for a lot less.

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The rumors tying Alexandre Lacazette to a surprise exit to Barcelona or Atletico have been easy enough to brush away. I still believed wholeheartedly that the Gunners would turn up in Baku and prove to be resilient, as they have at random times throughout the year. Especially with Unai Emery in charge and this being his competition.

Wrong. And instead, we are confined to another year of Europa League play.

There are guys on this team who are not Europa League players, and I can only hope that they will give it one more year before they start thinking that the Europa League is the new norm for this club. Mainly our Player of the Season, Alexandre Lacazette.

Lacazette was frustrated and dejected against Chelsea, partially because he was so futile himself, but partially because the team around him was toothless. And if there were any lingering doubts about his future, or thoughts in his own head that maybe Barcelona or Atletico Madrid would be a better fit, those had to be exacerbated by this one. Because it is not a good feeling to work so hard during the season and come away with nothing.

And I mean absolutely nothing. Sure it’s a rebuild year, but to see them look so flat and pathetic in such an important match is more telling than it should be. You can’t look like that with so much on the line, you just can’t. And Lacazette knows that.