Alex Lacazette may have had a difficult campaign last time out but he maintains that being introduced to a new way of thinking by Mikel Arteta will stand him in good stead for the future.
Having hit 17 then 19 goals in his first two seasons at the club, Lacazette struggled in the box last season, netting just 12 times.
The downturn in output has drawn criticism from some quarters and led to speculation he could be sold but the striker insists he’s not going anywhere this summer. In fact, he’s fully focused on honing a slightly adapted role on the pitch.
Asked to reflect on a tough season for him personally, he told L’Equipe (translated by Get France Football News): “Yes, but with a wonderful ending and I learned a lot during this season. Mentally, but also tactically.
“With coach Mikel it is really something different to everything that I have experienced before. Tactically, it is very, very good.
“In the end, I am still happy with what I have experienced this season, because it matures you, these type of moments.”
Lacazette went on to say that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s decision to stay at the club represents a sign of ambition from the club and that he doesn’t mind his close pal being the key man in front of goal.
“Sometimes, here, I get criticised for not being [egotistical] enough, but that is not how I see football,” he said.
“I like to score, but I have another role than goalscorer who plays centrally, now, I participate more in move construction, I find enjoyment in other ways. At Lyon, I was responsible for scoring, and here, it is more like I need to help the team to play well, to be dangerous.”
He added: “The coach has brought a bit of order into the club, in the squad. He has brought ambitions, in what he is looking for, in terms of what he has known before, too, with his experience at Manchester City.
“Aside from that, this type of change is not something that can be done in six months, because it is a long process, but yes, it is in the process of happening. Our results in the restart and the cup victory proved that we could rival teams, even with a different type of football. That did a lot of good to the squad.”
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The full translated interview can be read, here.
So Aubameyang is definitely staying.
I think that was always certain. The club is just bidding their time for the announcement, just like they did with Malgahaes and Willian.
Mate just say Gabriel ?
Man, I’m really starting to dislike this Arteta character. He’s made this club so bloody awesome to be at that no one wants to leave.
That might be a great problem to have as long as we are terrifying to play against.
Firmino got 9 league goals last season. Nine.
I see Lacazette as fulfilling the same role as him ultimately, once we’re (hopefully) firing on all cylinders. No doubt it was a tough year for him, but his game is about so much more when he’s on form.
Finally, a nuanced response. The shifts he’s put in have been incredible. COYG!
Dont know about Firmino, but i think its reasonable to expect him to be more clinical. True he helps in other ways, but its not as if he didnt have any scoring opportunities. From a striker of his caliber (and price tag), you’d expect to finish more of the chances he had and missed, last season.
So his role us like a target man of sorts. Which is the giroud role, except giroud did it better than him. He was brought in to be a scorer.
Really we need a proper target man and laca as a free striker ahead kinda how auba is playing, so basically backup to auba. Maybe that’s why we’re in for that celtic striker.
Giroud was (perhaps still is) one of the best specialist target men in in world football, but the role Arteta is asking of his central striker now is much more nuanced. Lacazette has the skills to fit that profile better.
We are developing a system that plays to the strength of our personnel. If they all play their part, the goals will come collectively.
And he has scored goals for us. It’s just that more often than not, they’ve been offset by Mustafi and the Set Piece Clowns.
Lacazette, you may recollect, was our Player of The Season not so long ago.
So his stats for this season should be 5 goals (all at home), and 25 assists. That works for me.
Glad that this lad wants to stay (the Arteta Effect at work again) – and, it would appear at the time of writing, he is staying.
A proven goal scorer and an international; it would be folly to sell him for anything less than 50m.
Lacazette 1 – 0 Detractors
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