Alexandre Lacazette: Alex Swan Song?

[GeorgiaGunner]

And risk losing him for free, like so many players? Surprisingly I'm not fond of that idea.

In hindsight, it would have been better to let Özil and Alexis leave on a free than give either the contract tendered and/or accepted. Letting guys walk isn't always a terrible idea, especially when they're patchy forwards of questionable fitness who will be 31 when their contract expires.

Yeah, better to get something for him this summer if we can, but have to weigh that (assumedly modest) amount vs. the benefit of another season of his near-peak. I also don't think he's saleable at 31+ with another fat 3-4 year deal on the books, so you're not really protecting much value.

 

[Melquiades]

In hindsight, it would have been better to let Özil and Alexis leave on a free than give either the contract tendered and/or accepted. Letting guys walk isn't always a terrible idea, especially when they're patchy forwards of questionable fitness who will be 31 when their contract expires.

Yeah, better to get something for him this summer if we can, but have to weigh that (assumedly modest) amount vs. the benefit of another season of his near-peak. I also don't think he's saleable at 31+ with another fat 3-4 year deal on the books, so you're not really protecting much value.

100%

Sometimes it's better to go to the end of the contract and then walk away then to sell the player early and create another hole in your roster earlier than you need to or think you're protecting the asset by giving an extension into the player's 30s.

Lacazette is filling a key role now and (perhaps equally importantly) appears to be extremely popular and influential with our important younger players.

Yeah, maybe you can get 20 million for him this summer. But then you have to replace him, and at that point you're either giving an older player a longer contract or paying through the teeth for a younger replacement. And potentially creating internal disruption in the process. If you sell him for 20 million and then pay 20 million for Danny Ings on a 3-year deal, have you really come out ahead?

Let him play out his contract, and if he's still effective move to 1-year deals past that point if he can be convinced. The problem, of course, with giving Willians 3-year contracts is that your long-serving club men will be insulted by 1-year offers after years of service.

Ironically, Willian is a perfect example of letting a player walk on a free at the right time. His last season for Chelsea was excellent and he helped them to CL, which was a far better outcome than either selling him in the summer of 2019 or extending him would have been.

 

[Football Manager]

I am saying he doesn't have have great power or pace but he still makes it work, he was bashed for not having blistering speed or Drogba like strength but there is more to football than that.

Also, I disagree with the kids thing. Auba looked meady when playing infront of the kids, it didn't work. Laca had nobody to link up with for most of this season and he got the blame. The kids and Laca need each other.

The kids solely getting the credit because of agendas is kind of a shame, the majority of the team has stepped up a bit.

Not only he doesn’t have Henry’s pace/Drogba’s strengths,
Laca is not half as good as Suarez/Benzema/Firmino on the ball.
He is average in everything and you expect him to get into a talent packed french squad?

 

[DasBootist]

Not only he doesn’t have Henry’s pace/Drogba’s strengths,
Laca is not half as good as Suarez/Benzema/Firmino on the ball.
He is average in everything and you expect him to get into a talent packed french squad?

Tell Emile Smith Rowe that Lacazette's average. The same tired rhetoric on repeat, thanks 4 ur years of service

 

[Football Manager]

Tell Emile Smith Rowe that Lacazette's average. The same tired rhetoric on repeat, thanks 4 ur years of service

@DasBootist

 

[Macho]

A side bar I picked up from the Pepe article which I’ve picked for the benefit of those with potato football knowledge that can’t stand seeing Laca playing well.

There may be potential to play them together, with Aubameyang moving more central, but Lacazette deserves to keep his place as the central striker. Not just because of his goals, but because of the way he combines with Saka and Smith Rowe between the lines and in the final third

Yes the kids are working cause of Laca, sorry about that.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Laca the catalyst for the youth success, hale end ususal suspects merchants in the mud

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Fanbase gonna be in a shock when any striker we realistically can bring in will be worse than Laca.

This isn’t good though. If we can only bring in worse than laca we’re truly destined for europa for another 5 years

 

[Football Manager]

This isn’t good though. If we can only bring in worse than laca we’re truly destined for europa for another 5 years

 

[Macho]

This isn’t good though. If we can only bring in worse than laca we’re truly destined for europa for another 5 years

Where have you been?

I’d say another 5 years probably sounds about right tbh.

I can’t see this regime upgrading on Laca also. As much stick as Laca gets, CFs in general aren’t amazing right now.

Gambling on another French striker is probably our best bet and they will just get shat on as they adapt.

The best strikers are in their 30s and already at massive clubs.

 

[Lady_Gooner]

Where have you been?

I’d say another 5 years probably sounds about right tbh.

I can’t see this regime upgrading on Laca also. As much stick as Laca gets, CFs in general aren’t amazing right now.

Gambling on another French striker is probably our best bet and they will just get shat on as they adapt.

The best strikers are in their 30s and already at massive clubs.

This is genuinely the most depressing thing to read for me. I can’t take 5 more years of the Europa group stages

 

[Riou]

Laca will be the striker that gets us Champions League next season, whether through league position or Europa win, it's happening guys and dolls...so relax!

 

[BigPoppaPump]

2021 and people still tryna convince me Lacazette is anything more than 6/10 striker.

This is what happens when you sign too many inconsistent players, people just can’t come to terms with it and hold on to good performances too closely.

But I like that now we seem to have much more consistent players like Holding, Partey, even Saka although he’s 19. Less Lacazette and Xhaka’s more Partey’s please.

 

[Macho]

2021 and people still tryna convince me Lacazette is anything more than 6/10 striker.

I didn’t even say that, just saying you better get used to it.
Finding an undervalued striker and developing him is Arsenals only real hope and the club isn’t good at that anymore.

Unless you can think of a Partey equivalent who’s gonna come here? 27 year old striker playing CL in a better team? I can’t see it.

 

[daron christie]

Who was been providing laca service until now for the last 2 years ....?

 

[Rex Stone]

Now leading the league for shots on target per 90.

Not really over performing his xG either so this shouldn’t be a flash in the pan.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Lacazette is Europa League level. If we can sign a CL calibre midfielder in Partey, or a CB with high potential to be a CL level defender in Gabriel, then we can get a CF with at the very least potential to be CL level. I still strongly believe in Edouard, maybe some people have reservations. But I feel he offers more than Lacazette. I strongly believe he's also got potential to be a CL level striker.

This idea that Lacazette is that absolute best we can do is absolutely ridiculous. And it shows how strong recency bias is. Up until the Chelsea game Lacazette had shown nothing. He was dropped by Emery, Ljunberg didn't even start him in a league game IIRC, Arteta dropped him for Eddie several times. Wenger dropped him and bought Auba because he just wasn't living up to expectations. But now we're meant to erase all this because of his recent good form? Nah I'm not having it. He's an incredibly inconsistent player who's capable of having some good moments and going on a good run but don't be surprised when he's on a bad run of form again in a few games time. And when he's off it, my word he's really off it.

And let's not pretend that having a number 10 is essential for Laca to perform, because he looked horrendous with Özil behind him. Under Wenger we'd play Alexis and Özil with him and he'd look pretty poor. In Arteta' early days our front 4 was Auba-Özil-Pepe behind Laca with Torreira (or Ceballos) partnered with Xhaka behind that. In the end Arteta dropped him because he was so off form and there was periods where Eddie looked more useful, purely because of how bad Laca was performing.

There are definitely a few strikers out there, at least with the potential to be better than what Laca offers.

 

[Football Manager]

I didn’t even say that, just saying you better get used to it.
Finding an undervalued striker and developing him is Arsenals only real hope and the club isn’t good at that anymore.

Unless you can think of a Partey equivalent who’s gonna come here? 27 year old striker playing CL in a better team? I can’t see it.

How can you not see that Depay is so much better than laca?

 

[Brett]

2021 and people still tryna convince me Lacazette is anything more than 6/10 striker.

This is what happens when you sign too many inconsistent players, people just can’t come to terms with it and hold on to good performances too closely.

But I like that now we seem to have much more consistent players like Holding, Partey, even Saka although he’s 19. Less Lacazette and Xhaka’s more Partey’s please.

I don't think laca is 6/10 I think he is better, the main reason for the clubs downfall for me is the useless midfield players we have accumulated. [Xhaka Elneny Torreira and Guendouzi(who might improve) ]

Even with Giroud we were qualifying for top 4 but the likes of Xhaka who we bought for massive money combined with Santi (injury) and we being scarred by Özil situation and withdrawing the offer for Ramsey was just too much change too fast. Under emery we missed top 4 by just 1 point. Pepe plays on the wing for me where we have had playmakers traditionally thus putting more of the creative load on our crap midfield.

Still feel if we can somehow address our midfield and keep the same or same quality strikeforce we will reach top 4 easily.

 

[Macho]

How can you not see that Depay is so much better than laca?

I actually said depay but amended it. I like Depay but he has choices with his contract winding down.

If he did come, he would be on astronomical wages and pocket watchers like @Oxeki and the other Jury followers will be on his case.

I’d take him though but I’m not sure the fanbase are ready for another player who’s “only done it in the French league”.