Alexandre Lacazette: Alex Swan Song?

[Macho]

I also think we should cash in on him at the end of the season. His value should be still good. With Laca's body type and stamina I'm a bit worried he could have a sharp decline soon.

Honestly he’s already declined physically, I still think he’s a good baller though.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

I'm glad he scored and he's a truer but there were moments when say an Eduoard might have made more of a possibility.

The hype around Eduoard is unbelievable. I know he has a lot of potential but so far he hasn't shown anything that makes me think he could lead the line for a club like ours. I would say he had one great season and he is living of that. Everytime I saw him play this season he has been dreadful, missing countless sitters. Only scored 3 goals in his last 13 league games and 2 of those were penalties. That is in a league were the standards are really low and Celtic have no problem scoring goals. Yet people still think he would be a definite success here. The guy must have a great agent.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Yeah it’s a bit annoying but he got one back so I can’t complain. So far his conversion rate and big chance numbers aren’t too bad, he can’t score all of them tbf.

I remember when we would explain that his no9+10 role was too physically demanding and was affecting his productivity. I was told I was just making excuses for him...look at him now!

I was saying that back in like 2018 when I was telling people he doesn’t have good hold up play and he’s best in the box. It’s obvious to anyone tbh.

I saw him sprinting after 90 mins yesterday, couldn’t believe my eyes. Still don’t rate him though.

 

[Macho]

The hype around Eduoard is unbelievable. I know he has a lot of potential but so far he hasn't shown anything that makes me think he could lead the line for a club like ours. I would say he had one great season and he is living of that. Everytime I saw him play this season he has been dreadful, missing countless sitters. Only scored 3 goals in his last 13 league games and 2 of those were penalties. That is in a league were the standards are really low and Celtic have no problem scoring goals. Yet people still think he would be a definite success here. The guy must have a great agent.

Lol the same people will be sh*tting all over Edouard if he ever came here tbh.

He’s a work in progress and people would expect an elite striker and will just pick his game apart, endlessly complaining.

The next CF signing we make has to be Partey’s profile otherwise the club is better off having the kids run around, people have more patience for that.

We simply can not buy projects anymore. They have to perform straight out of the box or they will die here.

 

[say yes]

He’s always been a good player for us and the best option for the CF role.

Good finisher, good link-up play and extremely hard-working. His one real weakness is a lack of physicality, but we’re now compensating that by surrounding him with movement and pace.

Said it before, but I’d consider renewing him for an extra year. Definitely wouldn’t sell unless we’re made a great offer. He’s a good CF for the system Arteta wants to play and we’ve got bigger priorities this off-season.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

The hype around Eduoard is unbelievable. I know he has a lot of potential but so far he hasn't shown anything that makes me think he could lead the line for a club like ours. I would say he had one great season and he is living of that. Everytime I saw him play this season he has been dreadful, missing countless sitters. Only scored 3 goals in his last 13 league games and 2 of those were penalties. That is in a league were the standards are really low and Celtic have no problem scoring goals. Yet people still think he would be a definite success here. The guy must have a great agent.

For me, its more the style of play and traits that Eduoard has, as opposed to the actual player himself. That's why I said "an Eduoard ". Ideally, I'd try out Balogun who is able to hold up play, is fairly rapid and quite clinical and has that physical presence. Laca is pretty slow and a couple of half opportunities were "missed" because of it. A player with a bit more aids our newer style of play.

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

For me, its more the style of play and traits that Eduoard has, as opposed to the actual player himself. That's why I said "an Eduoard ". Ideally, I'd try out Balogun who is able to hold up play, is fairly rapid and quite clinical and has that physical presence. Laca is pretty slow and a couple of half opportunities were "missed" because of it. A player with a bit more aids our newer style of play.

To find those kind of player is a lot harder than people think. I'm ok with selling Laca provided we bring in a clear upgrade (or if we get a very good offer). Laca is good at linking play, fairly good hold up play, good passer, very combative style, good finisher (contrary to what people assume he is actually very good finisher, backed up by the relevant stats). The only thing he lacks is height and speed.

You can find loads of strikers who are faster than him and yes they would probably have made more of the instances where he just lost out because he wasn't quick enough. But to find a striker who is rapid and can do well all the other stuff Laca does, you are looking at the elite strikers. £80m minimum or unless you get extremely lucky with a punt. Even standard forwards like Haller and Joelinton cost £45m nowadays and they have plenty of weaknesses.

We have become obsessed with speed. But speed on it's own is pretty much useless. We should know that because we tried a speedster like Walcott up front, that didn't work out well.

 

[MikeVinna]

Laca is probably as all-round as we can get at this point. I don’t think we can afford a clear upgrade. We could get a younger player that we believe will be better soon-ish. But that’s a gamble.

 

[novar]

Indeed, feel the main criticism of the guy comes from not being fitter or faster.

Years ago such opinions would be easily dismissed with a "this is not FIFA"

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

He’s always been a good player for us and the best option for the CF role.

Good finisher, good link-up play and extremely hard-working. His one real weakness is a lack of physicality, but we’re now compensating that by surrounding him with movement and pace.

Said it before, but I’d consider renewing him for an extra year. Definitely wouldn’t sell unless we’re made a great offer. He’s a good CF for the system Arteta wants to play and we’ve got bigger priorities this off-season.

Agreed, but I don't see why he would accept a short-term renewal.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

Lol the same people will be sh*tting all over Edouard if he ever came here tbh.

He’s a work in progress and people would expect an elite striker and will just pick his game apart, endlessly complaining.

The next CF signing we make has to be Partey’s profile otherwise the club is better off having the kids run around, people have more patience for that.

We simply can not buy projects anymore. They have to perform straight out of the box or they will die here.

I mean doesn’t everyone want to buy a player that performs straight out the box? Why would I want us to sign a player that’s gonna be good in 5 years?

The club should definitely sign more players like Partey, that isn’t a bad thing. No one wants big money signings that don’t perform, that’s not a project that’s a flop.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

To find those kind of player is a lot harder than people think. I'm ok with selling Laca provided we bring in a clear upgrade (or if we get a very good offer). Laca is good at linking play, fairly good hold up play, good passer, very combative style, good finisher (contrary to what people assume he is actually very good finisher, backed up by the relevant stats). The only thing he lacks is height and speed.

You can find loads of strikers who are faster than him and yes they would probably have made more of the instances where he just lost out because he wasn't quick enough. But to find a striker who is rapid and can do well all the other stuff Laca does, you are looking at the elite strikers. £80m minimum or unless you get extremely lucky with a punt. Even standard forwards like Haller and Joelinton cost £45m nowadays and they have plenty of weaknesses.

We have become obsessed with speed. But speed on it's own is pretty much useless. We should know that because we tried a speedster like Walcott up front, that didn't work out well.

I just want us to keep our eyes open. It seems as if we only start scouting once a player is barely viable. As poor as the Saliba situation has been, the idea was correct. I'm not asking for a speedster and I had little time for Walcott then and even less now. For example, Adebayor would be useful in this system. I just think we should be proactive.

 

[dka1]

Said it before, but I’d consider renewing him for an extra year. Definitely wouldn’t sell unless we’re made a great offer. He’s a good CF for the system Arteta wants to play and we’ve got bigger priorities this off-season.

I'd definitely be ok with a year extension, but I'm honestly more on the side of selling.

Not because I don't like Lacazette, just more that we will eventually have to replace him and I think it's better to get ahead of the issue and get some kind of value for him whilst his stock will hopefully be relatively high this summer.

We should be planning now to make moves to replace him or we should be rotating someone like Martinelli into the CF role to see if he can take over.

I'm sure Auba will be played through the middle a good number of times till the end of the season so I'd like to see if he can work there (it won't be the same as what Lacazette offers but it'd be interesting to see if it can work). If it can then there's not really any reason to keep Laca too.

 

[Rasmi]

Laca is probably as all-round as we can get at this point. I don’t think we can afford a clear upgrade. We could get a younger player that we believe will be better soon-ish. But that’s a gamble.

Thats why you get the young player and keep him while the young player beds in. Putting your hopes on a rookie and getting rid of laca would be like chelsea getting rid of giroud and putting their hopes for this season on werner. Sure he may become great eventually. But strikers dont often come here and hit the ground running

 

[A_G]

Does Lacazette have any chance at all here or nah?

 

[GeorgiaGunner]

Does Lacazette have any chance at all here or nah?

I think Ollie G gets the nod through the middle again.

 

[Mitch]

Does Lacazette have any chance at all here or nah?

Deschamps's obsessive weird man crush for Giroud will probably continue.

Never been so confident about England potentially beating a french side since Gazza, Macca, Shearer, Adams and Pearce etc were playing for us.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Does Lacazette have any chance at all here or nah?

Nope. Let's not torture the poor man letting him play international football on everything else.

 

[Rex Stone]

Deschamps's obsessive weird man crush for Giroud will probably continue.

Never been so confident about England potentially beating a french side since Gazza, Macca, Shearer, Adams and Pearce etc were playing for us.

Even after that display from your goalkeeper and starting CB tonight?

 

[A_G]

Nope. Let's not torture the poor man letting him play international football on everything else.

Maybe French Manberg can put in a good word for Laca!