Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette being committed for the long haul

Alexandre Lacazette has admitted that Arsenal must regain Champions League status before they can challenge for trophies. This rebuild requires commitment for the long haul.

If you didn’t know it before last season, the 2018/19 campaign served to prove just how far Arsenal have to go to successfully reach a level where they can challenge for the top honours in the game. They finished the season 28 and 27 points behind Manchester City and Liverpool respectively.

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At this stage, it may seem a little futile to discuss challenging the might of City and Liverpool, but top-level sport is about winning trophies and titles, and if Unai Emery is to achieve that at the Emirates, they are the standard that he and his team must reach.

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But that will take years, and the first step to achieving the mark of an elite team is to reclaim Champions League status. Thankfully, the star players seem aware of this challenge. Speaking with FourFourTwo this week, Alexandre Lacazette admitted that the club is ‘a few seasons’ away from thinking about winning the biggest titles:

"“A club like Arsenal has to be playing in the Champions League every season. We will start to think to think about winning the biggest titles in a few seasons, but first we need to make sure we are in the Champions League consistently again.”"

In the same interview, Aubameyang echoed the importance of getting back into the Champions League:

"“That has to be the main target of every Arsenal season. You come back to training and that’s what everyone is thinking about. We’re hungry to hear that song once again. It’s time. We have the quality to do it, so we have to make sure we will do it.”"

These comments, especially Lacazette’s, put into perspective just how much work this team has to put it over the coming years. They also unveil the demands required of everyone involved in the project. These are no short-term aims.

And that is why I do have to question Lacazette’s place at the club. He proved last season that he is one of the best strikers in the Premier League. He was named the Player of the Season, was instrumental in many of the team’s best performances of the year, and at 28, is facing one last big move in his career.

Thinking a little selfishly here, if I was Lacazette, I would not want to stay at the Emirates. I would think ‘I can play for a bigger, better, and more competitive team, one that is playing in the Champions League and challenging for trophies in the present, not years down the line.’  Now, I am not questioning Lacazette’s commitment. There have been no suggestions that he wants to leave.

But it does serve to highlight the need for Arsenal to sign characters who understand the job that is at hand. No potential recruit is walking into a rosy situation. This is a long-term, long-haul task and commitment, from those already at the club and those soon to be joining, is absolutely essential.