Arsenal fans got to watch Alex Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang start a game together for the first time on Sunday when the Gunners took on Newcastle United.
For 45 minutes they looked pretty nifty, particularly when the Gabonese set up the Frenchman for our opener. Their effectiveness waned after the break as the team succumbed to their usual defensive frailties, but for a brief moment Gooner appetites were whet.
We’ll almost certainly see more of them alongside each other next season. As for how they’ve coped with their first taste of English football, the boss has positive words even though Lacazette’s knee injury and Aubameyang’s cup-tied status in Europe hasn’t been ideal.
On Lacazette, Wenger told his pre-West Ham United press conference: “There are more goals in him. First of all he had his injury, he played for a while with his injury.
“Secondly it’s a first season, you have to adapt to the intensity of the Premier League and overall it is difficult to score here because 90 per cent of the time we play against teams with 10 people in the final third.
“In most of the games we had 70 per cent possession, but that makes it difficult as well for the strikers because there is less room and less freedom as well because most of the time people play with three central defenders. But Alex he has shown that he has the talent and the quality to play for Arsenal Football Club.”
It’s well known that Aubameyang’s first few months at the Emirates have been very stop-start. His form has been impressive in recent weeks but that’s been tempered by regular spells on the sidelines while his peers tackle the Europa League.
“Yes, it’s true [he has handled it pretty well],” remarked Wenger.
“At some stage, I would say most of the time, after the Europa League games, it was a help because I could rest some players and bring someone fresh in.
“When you prepare for the Europa League it is a handicap because he cannot play, and when the games become important like they are at the moment it raises the question [of whether he should be cup-tied].”
Also, in case you missed it. Pierre likes Alex as a person.
Couple of great players, Let’s see lots of goals lads.
What’s really refreshing is they look like they enjoy each other’s company and are genuinely working for each other.
Aubameyang I must say seems to be having a good time since joining all smiles.
Don’t remind him he left Dortumnd complaining about their league position when we are even further down the pecking order in England.
To be fair this is a tougher league, and if our away form was as good as our home form we’d be pretty close to the top.
We’re obviously not performing like we should be are we.
Ramsey, Ozil, Mkhi, Laca and Auba are all top drawer. Best attack we’ve had for years.
Whet.
I don’t think I’d ever seen it written.
To think of all these years I’ve been saying ‘wet my appetite’.
What a whanker.
This 70% possession thing – I thought after Leicester won the league averaging about 45% possession the lesson was teams needed to be more comfortable absorbing pressure and counter-attacking to win a title in the modern Premier League (isn’t that why we tried to buy Vardy?). That’s pretty much what Conte did last season.
‘Fifty Million Pound Fullbacks FC’ average 66% possession in the league this season. We’re 2nd with 59%. Yep, the four teams above us in the league have spent less time on the ball than we do.
Possession is good but its what you do when in possession that counts.
This is the problem with stats. They show you whichever picture you want to see.
If the possession is sideways insipid passing, no shots or attempts at goal, its useless.
We complain about defense but even our attack can improve.
Complains about Granit and Mustafi costing so much (previously the complain was we spend to little. Yet no complains of our top two record breaking signings conjuring only one goal.
They’ll roll out the usual “nobody gave them proper service” excuse.
Always the double standard.
Granted they WILL deliver I have no doubt. Just need to take a bit of time to improve understanding of each other’s movement.
But please the double standards.
With regard them playing together, I do think we can accomodate two strikers into a sort of pivot system with one operating wdie and switching to CF with the other. So if its Auba-Laca, If Auba is up top, Laca pulls right to provide width or drops. Vice versa with Auba on the left. Welbeck can/has also worked into this system. My concern is the corresponding wing needs a bit more of a player who can stretch and provide the width too. Mhkitaryan is an experience operator and can provide something but if we want genuine pace and trickery, we… Read more »
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