Last night, Arsenal fell to Crystal Palace. A heavy 3-0 defeat which comes at the wrong time for the Gunners, in the fight for a place in the Champions League. After the meeting, Mikel Arteta did not spare his players. And the Spanish technician is not the only one. Both the media and the fans have not been kind to the Londoners, in particular Alexandre Lacazette.
Holder, the 30-year-old striker had a complicated evening like his team. The Arsenal captain, who played 90 minutes, failed to set the sights. However, he remains an influential and valuable element in the game. Despite this, after the meeting, the Frenchy was targeted by the supporters who multiplied the mockery and attacks on him. A fan has asked Arsenal not to play him again. Others wondered what he was still doing at the Gunners.
The press is not tender
For its part, the British press was not kind to the international tricolor. Football London gave it a rating of 5 with the following comment: “At no time did the ball stick to the foot of the Frenchman who missed his only big chance of the match with a header over the bar. Lacazette’s classic problems were clear and Arsenal’s inability to change anything proves they took a risk by not replacing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the winter transfer window in January..
the London Evening Standard was harder. “He had nothing to put under his feet and embodied Arsenal’s blunt attack. He spent the whole game settling for crumbs.”wrote the English publication which gave it a 4. Same note for The Sun. “Where was the attack? Where was the tip? Yes, he needed help, but he wasn’t really a dynamic leader. His finishing has been below par this season and in the absence of Aubameyang it is not good enough for a club of Arsenal’s stature..
A long scarcity
Despite 8 assists this season, Lacazette has only found the net 6 times in 30 appearances in all competitions. But half, or 3, were penalties. His last two achievements are also, since he converted a penalty against Norwich on December 26 and another on March 13 against Leicester. The player trained at OL has not scored in the game for 1278 minutes. It was December 11 against Southampton (3-0, 16th day). Since then, nothing except the two penalties.
An incredible scarcity for Alexandre Lacazette, whose future is also at stake. At the end of the contract, the striker, who was recently linked to Barça, will have to decide. Recently, Mikel Arteta confided on this subject: “We don’t know what will happen at the end of the season. What he has to do is put that future aside. There is nothing to say to him except to congratulate him, because every day he behaves like someone who wants to stay with us.. The player born in 91 still has a few weeks to think about it, he who wants above all to lead Arsenal to the Champions League. For this, finding a great Lacazette will be essential.
