Alexandre Lacazette is Arsenal’s Unsung Hero

Arsenal stretched their Premier League unbeaten run to six matches with a deserved 3-1 win away at Southampton on Tuesday evening. While other players may steal the headlines, Alexandre Lacazette was instrumental.

If you had only watched two matches this season, the opening day win over Fulham and the away success against the Saints, you’d be expecting to see Alexandre Lacazette somewhere near the top of the league scoring charts. Instead, he’s hit eight for the Gunners this campaign.

How so? Because he hit a blip. The whole team hit a blip. Arsenal couldn’t score in a month of Sunday’s.

That corner has well and truly turned, with goals now coming throughout the side, all spearheaded by the kind of return to form that has become synonymous with Lacazette’s career in north London: he has these dry spells then banishes them to the history books with a renewed sense of vigour.

Alexandre Lacazette firing on all cylinders for Arsenal against Southampton

However long this current run goes on for remains to be seen. While it’s here though, it needs heralding. As witnessed on Saturday night that streak is not in sight of coming to an end just yet.

Addressing his early chance, the net has to bulge when you’re in that position against arguably the worst goalkeeper in the division. It didn’t, therefore how he responded would be telling.

Running himself into the ground, the pressing started from the Frenchman and filtered throughout the rest of the side. Emile Smith Rowe got involved. Nicolas Pepe, too.

His harassing was key to a series of high turnovers, those he played important roles in both during the move’s infancy and its conclusion. Setting up Bukayo Saka for the second goal was reminiscent of the ‘No. 10 Lacazette’ on show in the Europa League, and with the game won, it was only his goal that was lacking.

It came via two exquisite passes from Cedric Soares and Saka – two of the headline grabbers – and was tapped home by the 29-year-old. Of all the players on that pitch, he deserved it most. Chomping down hard on recent fixtures and not letting go, his fighting spirit epitomises this newfound revival.

Who knows what his future may hold, but until then, he can keep flying under the radar with these battling displays. They’re winning Mikel Arteta‘s side Premier League points.