Arsene Wenger is set to play Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette together for the first time this season when Arsenal face Liverpool at Anfield this afternoon, and he’s hopeful that his two hitmen will hit it off on the pitch.
The pair were the leading scorers for their clubs last season, and with worries over Arsenal’s defence the more firepower we have the better.
Speaking in today’s Observer, the Arsenal manager spoke about their potential combination and how they might work together.
“Their cooperation looks promising,” he said. “The two are good goalscorers, the two are good finishers, the two are good passers, the two have good assists – that means they can find each other.
“All the ingredients are there.”
Wenger revealed that the record signing had been a bit taken aback by the intensity of the Premier League, but says that he is coming to terms with that quickly, and also that the team needs to get used to playing with a different kind of striker than they’ve been used to.
“The team needs to adapt to him,” he continued. “You think sometimes: ‘Where is he?’ But when you look and watch the game again, you see he made a good pass here or his team-mates haven’t found him.
“He is a player who when you look at his numbers, his assist numbers are good as well. He is not an absolutely obsessed, selfish striker.
“The quantity of his finishing compared to the rest of Europe is a bit below. But the quality of his finishing is top.
“He is a guy who doesn’t shoot a lot, but when he shoots he finishes.”
Read the full article here, and let’s hope Lacazette can showcase some of that finishing today.
come on boys DO IT TODAY! GOYG
Drooling over Ozil-Sanchez-Laca combination…can’t wait!
Sweet relief from this nightmare transfer window
I have a vision of growing bromance between Alex and Alexis resulting in Sanchez signing, long term contract and Arsenal winning the league.
And then I woke up…
*dream
Dream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZfZ8uWaOFI
Exciting prospect. Would play elneny in middle with xhaka as Ramsey is absolute liability for being caught on counter. Allow the forwards the responsibility of scoring. Just for those confused, pundits as well who keep saying how he will score goals during games. Last season he scored one goal in the 93rd min when it was already confirmed we were finishing outside top four for first time in 20 years and he celebrated like it was goal that won us league. The midfield is our biggest worry. Xhaka not finished article but could become big player for us. Needs a… Read more »
I say keep Ramsey with Xhaka and just go for it. I have zero confidence in our defense and zero confidence in theirs.
Xhaka just needs to be told about a 1000 times be positionally disciplined and he could be a great DM out of the Santi Pirlo mould, both great passers than affect the game offensively and incredibly disciplined on defence that their positioning alone does the majority of their defensive work
Santi had Coq closing down players and sitting deeper than Ramsey though. If anything I want him to emulate Arteta who IMO had the best midfield chemistry with Ramsey.
And what happened
Apart from the bit about our defence, that’s the exact reason Arsene doesn’t variate, stylistically/tactically, much.
Do your thing and screw the oppo. Self confidence, and setting out to go for it – a win.
I think I would go for something like this. A Defense that makes sense, Xhaka and Elneny for a bit of extra stability (it is an away game after all) and Lacazette, Özil and Sanchez can get the rest done.
Ramsey, Giroud and maybe Ox are good options if we need to go gung ho at the end
we need to score first and we will beat the pools
We did that at our place last season. We did not beat “the pools”.
I find watching Arsenal excruciating.
I bet there’s not a neutral out there who’s not looking forward to this one though?
But my head hurts just thinking about it….
COYG
My head hurts reading your double negatives.
Even if Alexis & Lacazette hit it off Alexis will either be gone by Thursday or the end of the season.
So a potential great partnership is going to last at best nine months.
More nonsense uttered by the Manager.
So what is the “nonsense” in that? Doesn’t it look like a partnership that could be great? 9years or 9months what does it matter if it fulfils it’s potential?
SMH
Nonsense like –
‘having all of these players out of contract is an ideal situation’
‘We won’t sell Fabregas & Nasri, if you do that then you can’t be considered a big club’.
‘My contract situation isn’t a problem’
Three months later – ‘I made a mistake, the contract situation contributed to our problems’
Shall I go on?
Please don’t. Lets just shit ourselves with expectation looking forward to the match.
OT, but not that much. Ir’s great to talk about Jenkinson and his shoulder (fascinating…) but it’d be great too to mention what Klopp said about Özil… Interesting perspective…
http://metro.co.uk/2017/08/27/jurgen-klopp-launches-staunch-defence-of-mesut-ozil-ahead-of-liverpool-v-arsenal-clash-6881416/
So good. We don’t need him to be covering all the way back to his box, we just need Xhaka to be responsible and stay in position if he turns it over or the team turns it over. Like i’ve said if Xhaka adds that discipline to his game a Xhaka-Ramsey-Ozil combo could be absolutel deadly with Alexis and Lacazette ahead and Bellerin and (please, please, please) Kolasinac as the wing backs
Sounds delicious…
Lets go…
………………………..Lacazette…………………………
…………..Alexis……………………….Ozil……………..
Kolasinac………………………………………….Bellerin
………………..Granit………….Ramsey……………….
………Monreal……….Koscielny……..Mustafi……….
………………………….Cech…………………………….
I wonder if Mustafi will play if he is off?
Like a new goal scorer. Paint Liverpool red with goals boys!
well, if they don’t work together, whats the point of buying him you fucking idiot.
Mum: “Bought some nice french fries and I would think it will work well with some ketchup!”
Normal person: “Yeah that’s true. I would hope so too since we’re both eating it.”
You: “Well, if they don’t work together, what’s the point of buying french fries you fucking idiot.”
what ever wenger is doing… Why start welbeck before lacazette… I really don’t get. He always has a way of annoying people. I think he likes to beat down the spirit of players just so he can control them… Some people would say he has given us alot… I’ll say: he never missed his pay cheque. So let’s face it… It’s more than just a club for some of us.. It’s a legacy.. Our way of life… I hate it when wenger acts like the club his wife…. Well… Look where that relationship ended.
If you are cooking a Sanchez and Laca stew doesn’t it make sense to play both against liverpoo? Or am I missing something?
He’s cooking up but its more like a rancid curry.
Left Lacazette out? I would have BOTH Lacazette and GIroud. No Kolasinac. Holding instead of Mustafi…
He really likes to make it difficult for himself. Does he not have enough excitement?