Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 4 reasons Alexandre Lacazette needs to be dropped

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette reacts to missing a chance during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 10, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's French striker Alexandre Lacazette reacts to missing a chance during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 10, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Laca
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 24: Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on February 24, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

3. Injuries Call for More Goal Threat

Arsenal needed more goal threat in general just by having a striker who doesn’t shoot let alone score, with the losses of Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey exacerbating the situation.

Losing stability in defence and connectivity in the left triangles, as well as someone who was the best in the Premier League prior to his injury at turning defence into attack at the drop of a hat, has weakened Arsenal significantly. However Arteta seeks to ‘fix’ this problem, this side has lost levels to its game.

No longer as sturdy at the back or progressive and solid in midfield, the need for goal threat to take what is sure to be the fewer chances Arsenal will create as a result gains importance. Not as fluid or threatening, when an opportunity falls to someone in and around the box, do Arsenal want that to be Lacazette?

Falling into a groove where he’s effectively no longer even a striker, his average of two shots per 90 minutes is seeing him either snap at efforts or make the wrong choices. He has just two goals from open play this season, whereas Son scored more than that in 70 minutes against Aston Villa.

Arsenal can’t be as relied upon to keep clean sheets with their most trusted defender and holding midfielder out of the team, and therefore require a stronger finisher up front to maximise their creativity.

Continued on next page…

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