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Arsenal: Alexandre Lacazette doing all he can
Alexandre Lacazette finally broke his away goal duck with a sensational finish against Wolves. The Arsenal striker is doing all he can to prove his value.
It has been a difficult season for Alexandre Lacazette. After being named Arsenal’s Player of the Season last year, the Frenchman was expected to lead the Gunners once again. He and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had struck up quite the partnership over the past 18 months. They were set to fire the team to a top-four finish.
Aubameyang, as always, held up his side of the bargain. He broke Arsenal’s record for the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals. He is also in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot for the second season in succession. Lacazette, however, has not been able to replicate his excellent performances from last year.
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That is not to say that his form has been disastrous. His hold-up play is still superb, he works exceptionally hard, and helps lead Arsenal’s press from the front. But when it comes to scoring goals and finishing chances, his struggles are well documented, especially away from home.
It was pertinent, then, that he broke his away duck on Saturday with an excellently taken touch and finish in the 2-0 win over Wolves. It was his first goal away from home in the Premier League since February 2019. He had gone 18 hours and 43 minutes with an away goal in domestic football.
As Mikel Arteta said in his post-match press conference, it is precisely what he needed and is a just reward for his hard work:
"“Well, he really needed that, but when I asked him to come in, in three seconds he was ready to jump on the pitch. Things like this happen and he had a great movement of the ball, a great touch and a great finish. We need to give him more opportunities to be able to do more of that, but I’m so happy for him because he completely deserves that for the way that he trains and plays every day.”"
While Lacazette’s performances this season have largely underwhelmed, particularly when compared to last year’s excellent standard, it is not for a want of trying. He has never stopped working hard off the ball. He still presses high in defensive phases, he holds up play excellently, and he battles for every loose ball, processes that are important as a lone centre-forward.
As Arteta says, too, he has continued to work hard in training, was eager to jump onto the pitch from off the bench, and has taken being dropped for Eddie Nketiah as a challenge that he is eager to meet, not as a slight on his ability. He is doing all he can to break out of his goalscoring funk.
Next. Arsenal Vs Wolves: 5 things we learned. dark
Arsenal face a series of crucial matches as the season reaches its climax. They need big performances from their big players. And Lacazette is one of their key pieces. He is trying his hardest, but can he now take the confidence from a crucial, drought-ending goal and deliver as he did last season?