Arsenal managed to pick up a draw vs Crystal Palace on Monday in their Premier League clash thanks to Alexandre Lacazette who scored a 95th-minute equaliser to end the match at 2-2.
Lacazette has hardly gotten any game time this season and even on Monday, the Frenchman came on in the second half after the Gunners had gone down 2-1. But as soon as he come onto the pitch, Arsenal’s attacking tempo increased by several folds.
With the goal, he’s certainly proved a point to his manager but still, Ian Wright cannot see him getting more starts in the coming weeks.
The pundit said, as quoted: ‘What you can look at there is just a striker’s instinct. He just goes and finds some space somewhere and “bam!”. That’s a striker’s instinct and he’s taken full advantage of that.
‘He’s got himself out of the ruck because the ball might come to him and in the end, he’s sniffed it out.
‘From his point of view, trying to get back into that team, it’s brilliant. He’s trying to make a point that he should be playing.
‘He’s somebody that plays a different kind of striking role than Aubameyang plays and it’s very tough to get them both in the side.
‘If Lacazette is in the side then Aubameyang plays out on the left which is not his most potent position. Aubameyang wants to be down the centre with those three guys, [Bukayo] Saka, [Martin] Odegaard and [Emile] Smith Rowe, in behind to give him the ball.’
Should Mikel Arteta hold onto Alexandre Lacazette?
Arsenal found a new gear after Alexandre Lacazette came onto the pitch and that goal would have done him a world of good.
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Many fans would want Arteta to give him another shot at redemption but he has less than 12 months left on his current deal so there’s no way Mikel Arteta will hold onto him.
If he’s not sold in January then he’ll be leaving as a free agent in the summer and that’s something the club will not want.
Also, clubs like West Ham United and Everton are interested in signing him at the start of the new year so Mikel Arteta won’t let this opportunity pass by. The North London side had spent a lot of money on new signings last summer so they will want to recoup as much of it as possible from player sales.
The Hammers as well as the Toffees are more than ready to bring the forward onboard so it will be foolish on Arteta’s part to let this opportunity pass by.
The Gunners management are prepared to spend money in bringing in a new centre-forward in January so the manager does not need to hold onto Alexandre Lacazette.
But having said that, the Frenchman’s performance vs Palace was really solid and hence it would be wise on Arteta’s part to use him tactfully for the next couple of months.
