Arsenal: We’re turning on Alexandre Lacazette now too?

Arsenal fans are infamously uncouth, but to see fan and manager now turning against Alexandre Lacazette… I’m just so confused.

There are so many negative things permeating about this club lately that even I am having trouble staying optimistic. Arsenal fans are the basis for most of the negativity, and it all started with Granit Xhaka getting booed off the pitch. Now, however, it has turned to Alexandre Lacazette as well.

For starters, after the captaincy was stripped from Xhaka—ridiculously, I may add—Emery had a lot of options to choose for his next captain. But rather than go straight to Lacazette, who has been here a long time and proven to be one hell of a passionate athlete, Emery chose his strike mate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

I love Aubameyang. I think we all do. At least those of us that don’t yell at him in traffic. But how do you overlook Lacazette here?

Not just that, but fans have turned on Lacazette too, posting pictures of his “poor work rate” against Crystal Palace.

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Can everyone just shut up? Every single player that has ever played the game has instances of not giving 100%. No matter the situation. Without fail. No one is perfect. We all have flaws. And don’t give me the cop-out, bulls*** excuse that “he’s a professional” as if that makes him held to a higher standard. He’s a human being. He makes mistakes.

Just like all you people booing Xhaka and criticizing Lacazette for a brief moment or two of poor work rate in one match out of the year. Those are mistakes too. You made them. And you’re probably a professional something too.

Lacazette gives his all for this club, same as Xhaka. Same as Ozil. They just give it in different ways. Picking out small moments where they didn’t live up to your impossible standards doesn’t do anyone any good. It discredits a valuable asset to the club and makes everyone look bad. Including whoever is bringing attention to it.

Lacazette is someone this club should be building around as we move into—hopefully—better times. He’s invaluable. It makes me sick to think that even he is subjected to the wicked whimsies of blowhards.

I don’t know where we go from here. This is usually the part where I put an optimistic spin on what’s going on, but what else is there? If not even Lacazette is sacred, then what?