Arsenal vs Watford: We didn’t even miss Alexandre Lacazette

Arsenal had to face Watford without Alexandre Lacazette, but the key man’s absence didn’t even affect the match at all. Which I guess is a good thing.

Arsenal had a big ask coming off of international break to the news that Alexandre Lacazette was going to be out until October. The reigning player of the season sustained an ankle injury that interrupted a solid start to the season, and suddenly we were left looking around for who was going to cover for his absence.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took care of that. As soon as the injury was announced, I asked only that Aubameyang take his chances, and he did. I also asked that Nicolas Pepe be an offensive spark, which he managed to some extent.

For a brief 15 minute stretch, the Gunners looked magnificent. They controlled the match, they moved the ball, they did everything you’d want them to do, and they did it all without Alexandre Lacazette.

When the game started to go wrong, it went wrong at the back. Even in the midfield, we still saw Granit Xhaka and Aubameyang (of all people) making key clearances and tackles to preserve a shaky match, and as the attack moved forward, it’s not like they lacked much.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Maybe they could have used some energy later on, but for the most part, they still looked capable of doing something.

No, literally all of the problems came from that defense. David Luiz, Sokratis, and a guest appearance by Matteo Guendouzi continued to shake the fabric of this match to the point that it was no longer even about the attack. Aubameyang only came back into the picture when he was spotted playing some pretty excellent defense on the counter attack.

But with Luiz and Sokratis there to hand the match to the Hornets, the absence of Lacazette wasn’t even noted, nor would it be for the duration of the 90 minutes. Because when the team attacked, they did so competently and with precision. But when they switched theaters of play, they failed, and the attack was left stranded.

You know what Lacazette would have changed? Absolutely nothing. Maybe you could expostulate that he might have created a few more chances, or been able to finish off an attacking move with a goal, but that’s a big assumption to make.

At the end of the day, this match had nothing to do with Lacazette. Which is a good thing and a bad thing.