Alex Lacazette may have bagged a late equaliser to snatch an unlikely point for Arsenal at West Ham but he admits he has mixed feelings today’s 3-3 draw at the London Stadium.
The Gunners were made to pay for a very sloppy first 32 minutes as the home side raced to a three-goal advantage before Lacazette started the comeback with a shot that deflected in off Tomas Soucek. Craig Dawson also put through his own net to further reduce the deficit before our number 9 got the goal his performance deserved with eight minutes remaining.
After the game the Frenchman spoke to Sky Sports. Here’s what he had to say…
On the performance…
My feeling is mixed between [being] proud of my team because we came back in the second half and disappointed because in the first half in the first 35 minutes we didn’t respect the game plan from the coach and gave them three goals. This is not what we wanted but we have to think about it for two weeks.
On his goal[s]…
I think the first goal is mine. That’s not nice [it being ruled an own goal]. In the end, I scored the third goal and in the second half we came back for the draw.
On the credit Calum Chambers deserves…
A lot of credit because he came back from a big injury. He worked a lot. He worked a lot in training, individual as well, and when he had some time [on the pitch] from the coach, he’s showed he deserves to play for Arsenal. I’m really happy for him. I hope the best for him for the rest of the season.
On not respecting the game plan…
I don’t know [why]. Perhaps we felt the pressure because we knew it was a big game. This is where we have to improve. We have to work a lot on this to be ready for the end of the season.
On the team not being fully switched on…
Yeah, I’m really disappointed. It’s really complicated when we do this kind of games. Like I said, we need to work a lot to improve before the end of the season.
On whether we should have won…
Given the bad first half we did, we could come back and score more. But this is football. We can’t be perfect. We have to still work a lot every day in training to win this sort of game.
Great performance from Laca today. Unlucky to not get the first “goal”, and great header for the second.
His link up with Saka is great, they mentioned before he tries to play early flicks/passes to saka and we saw that again today.
Worked so hard today 9/10 performance.
His biggest strength is hit work rate. He really is a shining example of effort.
I’ve been critical of Lacazette this year but it really was a great performance today.
Leading by example.
His biggest strength is that he is a very good all round striker.
Arteta needs backing, these players are not up to it. Also Arteta needs to make old decisions when things are not going well like taking off players who arrant performing and not playing favoritism. But im sure with better players arsenal are going places.
The start is on Arteta IMO. We couldn’t get on the ball. Was a poor decision to start Auba on the right and Saka left. West Ham dominated us tactically in the first half too. Built a wall on our goal kicks, pressed Xhaka – couldn’t get a touch. It was a bad setup. Mistakes at the back didn’t help from defenders and goal keeper, but we weren’t ready tactically or mentally. That’s the manager’s job.
Yeah right!
We are in an odd predicament with him. He was light years ahead of Auba today, yet he has an expiring contract and Auba is the highest paid player on the team.
We had no way of knowing, but at this point I would rather the roles were reversed.
If the roles were reversed, the level of performance would also be reversed
It’s a catch 22
Contract renewal time focuses the mind
Theo bloody Walcott.
Auba is a great player and his form is temporary. If we can get some good cash for Laca in the summer and invest in a 23/24 yo with good pedigree I still think we’re better off
Every players naturally starts to decline someday. The debate regarding Aubameyang is whether his decline already started, or if it’s just a phase.
He’s been off more than on this season though.
I personally think it’s a dip in form. Do I think he will get us 20 goals next season? Yes I do
i think it’s mentality
Auba is definitely in decline, if you watch carefully he is simply preserving himself , avoids any serious defensive press by clever positioning ,which fools many it appears ,his conversion rate has declined dramatically, he has lost that little bit of pace, his stamina has declined, Sell him while he still has admirers
I believe Martinelli is being groomed to take Auba’s place or maybe even Laca’s as the central striker. It might happen sooner than later. If all goes well, I believe Auba will be the one coming off bench by the end of next year which is the second year of Auba’s three year contract.
Grommela by being removed at halftime and not seen for 6 games?
Groomed by being….
I’d sell Aubameyang, find a replacement and keep Lacazette. Lacazette isn’t as clinical as Aubameyang use to be but he’s a much better footballer overall (hold up play, linking the midfield to the forward line, closing down, etc). The only thing Aubameyang does, literally the only thing, is score goals. He’s been shit not just a few weeks, all season, so if he’s on a decline then he’s useless because he offers nothing else to a team other than goals.
sell both and stop doing the same mistakes over and over.. renewing high salary contracts
Another gift, cost us another 2 points. Fair play on the comeback though, gave them a 3 goal handicap and managed to avoid the L.
Hope this 2 points doesn’t cost us St. Totteringham’s day.
the thing is, the same set of players who conceded 3 were responsible for clawing back 2, how fucking inconsistent are we?
many people are making a point about auba, on his day he can bang goals like crazy (leeds knows it all too well) but without the service (which wasn’t the only factor today, his passes were poor too) he is anonymous
sums up our quality and inconsistency quite well imo
When he’s not on it we end up carrying him. Doesn’t bring enough beside goals.
As we improve as a team, it becomes less of an issue. Some players are worth the weight.
It’s not even really on him here. He’s NOT a right winger. In fact as we have tried to progress as a team from a defensive minded team (end of last year) to an attacking one, it’s clear he isn’t great on either flank, his best role in this setup is as a striker or sub.
They are lazy. It’s not the game plan it’s just laziness and that has to be ironed out.
TOTALLY AGREE, This lethargic take it easy, pass it sideways approach seems to be started by the senior players. Xhaka ,Luiz, Willian when he plays ( or doesn’t) This is one of the main reasons we lose control at the begining of the game. Leno unfortunately gives away a goal a game almost , needs to be droped
At least we showed real guts to come back. West Ham are a good team and have had far more rest than we have.
Great match from the striker today. I know it’s not the result he would have wanted.
Ironically the captain was at fault for Soucek’s goal. He left Tierney 1v2 and allowed an easy cross in. If Auba doesn’t feel up for it, he should rescind his captaincy. There’s no shame in admitting he’s not coping well right now.
I have just observed he’s rarely done interviews in our games with bad results. That’s just seems very odd behaviour from a captain or am I over-thinking things?
Aubameyang is no Captain. A Captain leads by example.
Wow Laca nice performance we might not actually sell you now!
Unfortunately, Auba needs a few games off to get himself together. Fantastic comeback but aren’t there serious question marks over Leno now?
I could never understand how anyone could rate rate him, We apparently have a GK coach who if he had any say surely could have advised that we sold possibly now one of the worlds best keepers for 16 million, and kept this less than average player who has turned our defence into a joke
Leno was average at best over the first 3 months, then he was great in December and January, and he has been poor in February and March. He’s inconsistent and error prone. He’s a good not great goalie. The great goalie we once had is proving himself to be the best goalie in the whole league at Villa (statistically). We chose the wrong guy. Leno was never as good as Martinez was during that cup run and in the league after he came in last year. He was world class. Flawless in those 17 games. He’s proven it wasn’t a… Read more »
Let it go man. That discussion ended and nothing we say shall reverse the reality. Emi was sold to villa. End of story.
Interesting comments about the game plan. Perhaps some heads need to be knocked together? I’m not sure what kind of personality Arteta has in these situations. We’d all be pretty sure how, say, Sir Alex would have handled things (a two hairdryer job probably) but that doesn’t appear to be in Arteta’s character. If players don’t do as the manager tells them then we’re in for a bumpy ride to the end of the season.
In my view the “hairdryer” treatment from a manager would simply have diminishing returns in this day and age, which I believe was the case in the latter part of Ferguson’s time in charge at Utd.
Our attacking tactics are much better, mainly due to the youngsters Odegaard, Saka, and ESR. I love Auba and I like Laca but our striking isn’t sharp. It needs to be freshened up…Odsonne Edouard in the summer please…!
I back Arteta and I can see the team improving but it’s maddening that he brings Martinelli on for the last 10 minutes of the game. He needs more time to influence a match.
One hundred percent, Arteta biggest failing his team selection at times,seems to smack of favoritism towards the mercenaries at the cost of developing youngsters, who get 10minutes as opposed to 10 games
For me Leno seems to be nervous. His decision making and distributions are bad. Need a proper backup
we have 1
He knows that at any second of the game, someone might suddenly and without warning, pass a risky ball under pressure to him. Yeah, modern goalies are supposed to be able to play ball, but surely not better than the outfield players – who can’t find solutions to playing out from the back WAY to often during recent games. We shouldn’t be passing to Leno all the time -fine to pass it back and “restart” an attacking buildup, but this passing around our own box while 2-3-4 opposition players are pressuring needs to stop. Sure, Leno doesn’t look like Paoli… Read more »
Him and Chambers were strong positives today. LACA for me MOTM. Took the game by the scruff of the neck and made things happen as a leader should. Good involvement and competitive presence needed and given. Tight control and shots off quickly. Somewhat fortuitous for first goal but also in some ways consequence of trying. Excellent lay off and vision both wide to Chambers but also to on running players from us into the box made a strong difference Superb header finish for third goal off an excellent Pepe cross. Chambers also had a strong game outperforming Tierney on left… Read more »
Can you explain how letting a three goal, first half lead, at home, against a team five positions below you in the league is “getting the job done” ? If I was a West Ham fan, I’d be furious.
Keep up the good work Laca