Arteta explains why this impact player was left on the bench vs West Ham: Justified?

Arsenal beat West Ham United in the Premier League and Alexandre Lacazette scored the only goal of the match in the 78th minute.

Alexandre Lacazette though did not start the match on Saturday as the Gunners boss chose to name youngster Eddie Nketiah upfront instead of the more experienced frontman.

But it was Laca who proved to be the deciding factor in the game after he came on in the 59th minute replacing Nketiah. And speaking after the match, his manager revealed that it was the West Ham United defenders who were the reason why Alexandre Lacazette started the match on the bench.

The manager explained, as quoted: “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.”

Bad news for Alexandre Lacazette?

Nketiah started and scored for Arsenal in their FA Cup win against Portsmouth and there had been whispers before the Hammers game that Alexandre Lacazette could remain on the bench for this match.

Eddie has been impressing over the past couple of weeks and naming him in the starting XI is a clear indication that Mikel Arteta is not having soft corners for any big names.

But at the same time if Alexandre Lacazette is ignored in a similar way for the remainder of the season then there’s a big chance that the Frenchman could be looking to move out of the Emirates during the summer transfer window. And with so many big names running after him, it will surely not be difficult for the forward to find a good alternative.

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