Arsenal: 5 key players vs Norwich City in a new new era

2. Alexandre Lacazette

Not a surprise here. Even with so little motivation in the dressing room and on the pitch, it was Alexandre Lacazette who saved us the embarrassment of losing to Southampton with a brace, marking his return to confidence, as he hadn’t scored since the early going. That was in part due to the injury interruption, but it was also in part due to lacking confidence.

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As I’ve said with Pepe, and Guendouzi, Lacazette will be eager to get back to work under a new manager. Rumors even circulated that he refused to sign a new deal with Emery in charge. That’s a bit… troubling… but we don’t have to worry about it anymore.

Lacazette, as our reigning player of the season, is always going to be a key player, no matter the circumstance, because he’s just that good. Sure, he scored two goals against Southampton, and goals are his thing as a striker, but it’s what he does outside of scoring that make him so good. HIs ability to navigate tight spaces, his ability to make intelligent decisions.

He does all that. And he does it all so convincingly that he even played the No. 10 role in the preseason.

Still though, nothing is more important than No. 1.