Alexandre Lacazette feels he’s become a better player under the management of Unai Emery than he was under Arsene Wenger.
The former boss paid €50m to sign the French international from Lyon in the summer of 2017, but it was a difficult first campaign for a number of reasons. The end of the Wenger era ran through everything that happened, but injury problems, an operation and an unwillingness on the part of the boss to give Lacazette 90 minutes on any consistent basis made for a frustrating season.
This year, however, he’s been voted the club’s player of the season by the fans, and he believes he’s improved under the tutelage of the Spaniard.
“I am feeling good,” he told the Evening Standard. “I play more with Unai and have more confidence with him.
“Even if I can just say ‘thank you’ to Wenger because he brought me into this big club, but I feel better with Unai.”
The striker has been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, but with his eye on a European trophy and playing in the Champions League next season, he’s happy to continue in North London.
“If the club is really happy with me and I’m happy, I will stay,” he said.
“In France, they say 27, 28 is one of the best ages in your career. I wish it is not the last at Arsenal and I hope I will be better and better in the next years.
“It will be the first European trophy in my career and winning one is really important to me.
“I want this trophy and to play in the Champions League next season.”
Lacazette is on 19 goals for the season to now. Hopefully he can make it a nice round number later tonight.
A nice round number like 24.
Let’s hope Unai can do one better than Wenger and win a European Cup Final. If anything, a win tonight should cement AW’s legacy in leaving Arsenal as a club in great shape. Fingers crossed.
Good point, but AW’s legacy already deserves a statue (cement ‘as standard’).
I hope Wenger comes to watch the game in Baku
Too true, Arsene left us in pretty decent shape. Manure are still recovering from the dross ferguson left them with.
Lets not forgot that Manure won a Europa league so too early to say we are in decent shape IMO
Did he really tho?? Bloated wage bill, players leaving on frees and a lopsided aging squad with Mustafi! I would tend to disagree, strongly
Looks like he wants a pay rise: ‘If the club is really happy with me and I’m happy, I will stay.’ ‘I wish it is not the last at Arsenal…’
At least with Ramsey, Cech and Welbeck going that frees up some salaries.
Lacazette has 3yrs left on his reported £200,000 p/w wages, I love him, but he’s 28… his contract runs until he’s 31, there’s absolutely no need to look at extending on significantly higher wages at this point.
There’s some caveats missing here. When a player reaches Laca’s level where he’s carrying a 2billion pound football team for long parts of the season, maybe he’s worth a little 50k pay rise? 28-32 is the peak age for a striker. If Barcelona are ready to put down 100m in transfer fee and pay him 300k a week, maybe we should give him a pay rise to keep him happy and focused for the next 3-4 seasons? I’m not a football economist, but I think the best players in the Premier League are entitled to big salaries. And if we… Read more »
Love Lacazette, big game player, someone we’ve been lacking for some time.
Fingers crossed he cements that reputation tonight and goes down in our history as such.
The myth of the “big game” is a bit senseless… A game, big or small , is 3 points. After it’s a matter of pride, yes, OK, but it’s still 0, 1 or 3 points.
Not in a final it isn’t ?
Hmmmm. Almost as if Alex is trying to make a point that has nothing to do with Lacazette. Whatever could it be ????
How do you define a big game player exactly? If it’s scoring goals against big teams then Sanchez, Walcott and Giroud would qualify. If it’s being decisive in finals, then it’s hard to look past Aaron Ramsey. You could make an argument for Leno as well considering his performances against the top sides at home this season.
None of that is to denigrate Lacazette of course, he’s a wonderful player, but we have and have had other big game players as well. Just not enough of them perhaps.
For Alex a big game is a game in which Ozil performs very well. I want a lot big games next year.
“A nice number like 24”
Haha that’s exactly why I’ve been follow Arseblog for years! Keep up the good work!
I’m a big fan of his since his debut at Lyon. Yes he has improved, his all round play is stunning. He is a striker/playmaker, some of his moves this year have been mesmerising and I cannot wait to see more of it…Starting tonight!! COYG
I really feel for Lacazette as he missed out on the World Cup with Les Bleus. But then again, would Deschamps have given him a callup even if fit?
Hoping for Laca’s sake & those who aren’t there, we can win the Europa League Final. COYG!
A nice round number like 24. Lol!
My nerves are jangling now & that caught me off guard. Love you Arseblog!
He’s really become such a well rounded player for us. Funny to think he cost far less than Lukaku/Morata and he’s the best of the bunch. More than anything though it’s his hunger which is so impressive. He is a warrior and even if he doesn’t produce in the final you know he’ll give everything until he collapses. (I’m hoping for a brace)
Came to say the exact same thing! He is a MAN about his business and his business is very serious to him. I can’t wait to see his attitude tonight, you know its going to be top draw with top draw finishing when he gets his chance!
Playing 90 mins regularly probably helped his fevelopment
My new favourite current player. Allez Laca! One last push tonight!
Definitely better days lays ahead