Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette proving his value

After suffering months of criticism and questioning, Alexandre Lacazette responded from off the bench in Arsenal’s victory over West Ham United. The Frenchman is proving his value.

It has not been a positive period of form for Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman went two months without a goal, has now gone more than a year without a goal away from home in the Premier League, and was roundly being question by the Arsenal fan base,

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Laazette may have been named the Player of the Season just last year, but football fans’ memory is fickle and after a testing run of form this season, many have found themselves very much in the ‘Lacazette Out’ camp.

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On Saturday, however, Lacazette helped display just how valuable he can be to the Arsenal team when he is fit and firing. After being dropped to the bench for the third successive Premier League match, 20-year-old Eddie Nketiah handed the start in his stead, when Lacazette was introduced, midway through the second half, he was noticeably motivated to prove that he is deserving of a starting role. And in the near half-hour that he was on the pitch for, he did precisely that.

Lacazette was superb as the Gunners lone target man in the final half-hour. Of course, he scored the goal to snatch the victory and largely undeserved three points away from West Ham United, but his overall play was equally as impressive even before he scored the only goal of the game. Unlike Eddie Nketiah, who started in his stead, Lacazette showcased the all-around striking ability that he possesses, which is equally as influential as scoring goals.

Speaking in his post-match press conference following the 1-0 win over West Ham United, head coach Arteta praised the centre-forward problem he is now faced with:

"“Well, I have two strikers at the moment and they are making life difficult for me, but at the same time it is very good. They are both scoring, both in a good moment. I decided to play Eddie today for the defenders they had and the gameplan we had, but knowing that Laca, if we needed a goal in the final moments, he was always ready to do that. I saw straight away, when I was talking to him and giving him instructions on the touchline, he was alert and focused and I could see he was really determined to go out there and score the goal that he did.”"

Whether Lacazette is now seen as the starter or not remains to be seen. But in the final half-hour of Saturday’s victory over West Ham, he displayed just how critical he can be to the entire Arsenal set-up. Even when he is not scoring goals, Lacazette us crucial to Arteta’s system, and he proved as much here.

What comes of Lacazette and Nketiah remains to be seen. There is a long way to go in this season and there are reasons to start both for beyond this current campaign. Nevertheless, for now, Lacazette offers better hold-up play, more physical presence, and the same calibre of goalscoring, and that makes him invaluable to Mikel Arteta’s system.