Arsenal vs Sheffield United: Winding up Alexandre Lacazette

Arsenal will have Alexandre Lacazette back and ready for selection against Sheffield United, but there’s an art to winding up a guy, and you can exercise that here.

There’s a lot to be excited about going in to the match against Sheffield United. For starters, Tottenham only drew against Watford, so with three points, Arsenal can put more distance between them and their dear neighbors.

They also need those three points to get back up into third place after getting leapfrogged in the weekend results.

Obviously some of the most exciting stuff, though, is who they will have available for them. Their defense may have a complete facelift, ditching the old hodgepodge they’ve been dealing with in favor of the future of the back line, a young talented foursome full of promise and excitement.

And then there’s Alexandre Lacazette. The prolific Frenchman healed up at long last over international break and he’s ready for selection yet again.

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But that doesn’t mean he should start.

In fact, I don’t think he should at all, even though I’m beyond excited to see him back in the starting XI. I just feel like it has to wait another week.

Because, while yes, we want to make sure that Lacazette is healed and ready to go, and while we want to ease him back in. I’m more concerned about winding him up and priming him for a big impact as a substitute, if needed.

As it stands, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka will round out the front three with Lacazette likely available from the bench.

Both Pepe and Saka have something to prove, and with Lacazette breathing down their necks, they are going to be more primed than ever to live up to what’s needed of them. And in the meantime, Lacazette will be seeing what they are capable of and sizing up his own impact when he does make his return. Because Lacazette has to know by now that Emery has never been one to guarantee the Frenchman’s starting spot.

If you save Lacazette for a potential disaster setting late in the match when we need an impact, you are winding him up to have a monumental return. Rather than than putting him out there form the start and leaving the late impact to Pepe or Saka.

It may seem counterintuitive, but I’m in favor of a little strategic approach to Lacazette’s return. For now, anyway.