Alexandre Lacazette: Laca the Net

[serenitynow]

Can't stand Deschamps but his vendetta against Lacazette is a blessing in disguise for us. Can't tell you how many times I'd be on edge everytime Van Persie would leave for international duty back in the day, feels good to not have to worry about one of our best players picking up an injury in a meaningless game. Still remember that time RvP got a lengthy injury (around 5 or 6 months?) whilst playing in a useless friendly for the Netherlands. Hated the international break more than ever since then.

 

[Big Poppa]

France won the World Cup in spite of Deschsmps not because of him but it’s hard to argue that any of their strikers don’t deserve to be there. It’s a good thing for us that Laca stays.

 

[Toby]

France won the World Cup in spite of Deschsmps not because of him but it’s hard to argue that any of their strikers don’t deserve to be there. It’s a good thing for us that Laca stays.

Got a feeling the National Teams' level is tied pretty tightly to the quality of squads. In any tournament there's one or two teams that are lifted by their tactics/style of play, but in the end, no matter how hyped certain underdogs are, if you look at how the results turned out after the tournament, it clearly coincides with squad quality. At least most of the times; there's obvious exceptions but that kind of falls into the EC domain.

France 2018 wasn't a surprise, Germany 2014 wasn't, Spain 2010 wasn't, Italy 2006 wasn't, they all had top three or even straight out the best squads in the tournament. Likewise Brazil and France in the late 90s and early 2000s.

You can also always tell that no South American team, even Argentina and Brazil, won't win the WC, as they just lack the overall squad quality that makes the difference. Have been for the last decade. No Messi, no Neymar could pull them through.

And then there's not only the talk about these massive quality teams winning not because but despite their manager or tactics, but I think you can see it on the pitch, too. France play the same football as 90% of the mediocre Bundesliga - sit tight and just press in your own half, use standards, attack with pace - but they had the best squad. Low is a catastrophic coach, evidenced by his lackluster club performances, carried by the squad; people were saying exactly the same about him like they're now saying about Deschamps, that it was down to the team to win the tournament. It kind of trickled to the public that apparently Schweinsteiger and Lahm were heavily involved in tactics in the latter stages of the 2014 WC as Low had botched the EC 2012 semi final against Italy so badly with his tactics.

And I think it's pretty clear why the quality of the squad plays the biggest role in determining where you end up in a big tournament: With NTs coaches, no matter how good they are just have so little time to work with the players. They don't have the time and day to day work to instill intricate systems into the teams. And that makes it also clear why mostly big NTs look like they have a plan, and smaller teams often don't: The better players will take faster to tactical blueprints. So the overall squad quality doesn't just give you the better players, it also allows these managers to install something that at least looks a bit like a tactical system, even if it is poverty like in Deschamps case.

So, in short, player quality is the biggest factor in NT competitions, as it determines individual and "tactical" prowess of NTs, and the reason is the little time coaches have to work with their teams and the teams actually being together.

A close second would probably be the identification of the team's specific strength, with third taking the motivation and man management, which could be used to explain the success of underdogs like Wales and Iceland in 2016, or Uruguay's relative success - although the Urus kind of also always end up around where I'd put them in terms of squad quality. But with Wales and Iceland their managers are no tactical wonder men, they managed to get the teams tight at the back, found their strength (Ramsey+Bale/crossing the ball for Iceland) and got them hyped up.

 

[Trilly]

His competition is probably Martial.

DD not going to have a big squad turnover of the World Cup winners before the Euros.

Martial in good form, same goal total, up for POTM award for October & more versatile... Not sure I pick Lacazette this time.

I agree. An inform Martial is a problem.

 

[Stannis]

it’s sort of sad of these things work out, both Laccazette and Icardi have been really unfortunate.

Happens in all sports though.

In cricket Stuart McGill could have been one of the greatest bowlers of his generation. Problem was at the same time a guy called Shane Warne was playing for Australia

 

[Toby]

it’s sort of sad of these things work out, both Laccazette and Icardi have been really unfortunate.

Doesn't Messi hate Icardi and that's why Mauro is out foor good until Lionel retires? Heard/read something along these lines a while ago. Think it was just before the 2018 WC when Sampaoli travelled to Barcelona to meet Messi and finish the squad nominations with him.

I think a year ago there were rumours Real were interested in Icardi, and right now I honestly think he could be their bargain Harry Kane. Everyone placed Kane at Real, but his price tag is so big and he's a mummy's boy who apparently loves being a bottler. A prolific striker like Icardi would lift them one or two levels even with their current midfield and wing options. Would also leave more cash in their bank to also sign Hazard.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

Lacazette has 5 goals from 24 shots in the PL. Auba has 7 from 16 shots. We can all talk about how much he "deserves" to be in the squad but there's always, for me anyways, questions about Laca's ruthlessness. The past couple of months have been the best he's been for me in an Arsenal shirt, but he has to keep that up through the course of the season. I'm sure if he does that then Deschamps will find it impossible to leave him.

At the moment France have Mbappe, Griezmann, Fekir and Martial alongside Giroud who isn't really there for his goal contribution, more tactical reasons. France have so many options when it comes to forwards and goal threats.

 

[truth_hurts]

Coman, Lacazette and Gameiro are all missing out. It's just hard luck, as France have great options.

 

[MutableEarth]

Wasn't impressed with him or Aubameyang today.

 

[HBL]

Wasn't that bad, we just don't create enough chances for him, hence why most of his goals usually have to be screamers. His performances this season have been way ahead of Aubameyang who isn't playing well at all.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Hello Laca from last season! You were not missed! Go back!

 

[truth_hurts]

Didn't have any clear cut chances. Hard to have a go at him.

 

[MutableEarth]

Wasn't that bad, we just don't create enough chances for him, hence why most of his goals usually have to be screamers. His performances this season have been way ahead of Aubameyang who isn't playing well at all.

I can agree with this - the stats guys were saying for weeks that the xG numbers we're putting up as a team is pretty low (and we're conceding big chances at the rate of a lower mid-table team aswell), and we're outperforming our xG by a hell of a lot. Maybe we should have been paying attention to them! It is possible that things may unfortunately even out unless we can find a way to consistently create better chances.

I think the weaknesses are at full-back (Bellerin the exception as he is pretty much the sole chance creator outside of Özil), and a lack of dribblers in midfield and attack bar Iwobi. I also think that our midfielders take way too long to do stuff with the ball, kills a lot of our momentum. Torreira at least tries to move the ball quickly and Xhaka sometimes does, but overall he [Xhaka], Guendouzi and Ramsey take too many touches. It's not even so much we need wingers, but we need pace and 1v1 ability in those wide forward spots, something we sorely lack. We have it in abundance at U23 level but that's it.

That said, I still thought Laca could have played better today. Normally his all-round play is good, but today he suffered.

 

[celestis]

I can agree with this - the stats guys were saying for weeks that the xG numbers we're putting up as a team is pretty low (and we're conceding big chances at the rate of a lower mid-table team aswell), and we're outperforming our xG by a hell of a lot. Maybe we should have been paying attention to them! It is possible that things may unfortunately even out unless we can find a way to consistently create better chances.

I think the weaknesses are at full-back (Bellerin the exception as he is pretty much the sole chance creator outside of Özil), and a lack of dribblers in midfield and attack bar Iwobi. I also think that our midfielders take way too long to do stuff with the ball, kills a lot of our momentum. Torreira at least tries to move the ball quickly and Xhaka sometimes does, but overall he [Xhaka], Guendouzi and Ramsey take too many touches. It's not even so much we need wingers, but we need pace and 1v1 ability in those wide forward spots, something we sorely lack. We have it in abundance at U23 level but that's it.

That said, I still thought Laca could have played better today. Normally his all-round play is good, but today he suffered.

Part of it is he drops deep too often , just not a lot of movement or focal point as a result .

 

[NieThePiet]

Some said, that it's good for us, that he isn't called by Deschamps for the French Nationalteam.
Maybe you are right, but i thinks it's not good for him.

This would give him an extra boost of confidence and i think his confidence is very important for his performance every week.

He is playing very good for a long time now (like Laporte), Martial needs a month and gets a call.

Today he looked very sluggish - taking to many touches around the penalty box. Hopefully next time better again.

 

[Fewtch]

He is playing very good for a long time now (like Laporte), Martial needs a month and gets a call.

Only reason reason why Martial got a call up is because Lemar is out injured, not because of his form.

 

[boonthegoon]

Think he was worse than auba, never tried a positive run or to create something when he had the ball except for first time flicks, of which none of them found a teammate today.

 

[HBL]

I can agree with this - the stats guys were saying for weeks that the xG numbers we're putting up as a team is pretty low (and we're conceding big chances at the rate of a lower mid-table team aswell), and we're outperforming our xG by a hell of a lot. Maybe we should have been paying attention to them! It is possible that things may unfortunately even out unless we can find a way to consistently create better chances.

I think the weaknesses are at full-back (Bellerin the exception as he is pretty much the sole chance creator outside of Özil), and a lack of dribblers in midfield and attack bar Iwobi. I also think that our midfielders take way too long to do stuff with the ball, kills a lot of our momentum. Torreira at least tries to move the ball quickly and Xhaka sometimes does, but overall he [Xhaka], Guendouzi and Ramsey take too many touches. It's not even so much we need wingers, but we need pace and 1v1 ability in those wide forward spots, something we sorely lack. We have it in abundance at U23 level but that's it.

That said, I still thought Laca could have played better today. Normally his all-round play is good, but today he suffered.

Agreed we need a winger that can hug the touchline but we also need one that can score goals because at the minute we only have two goal scorers in the team and we're far too reliant on them. We essentially need the perfect winger really Iwobi, Aubameyang and Mkhi are all players that would rather play in the middle third of the pitch and none of them look comfortable on the right.

Xhaka does usually move the ball quickly but he has just never been able to go on a run of games without making a mistake. I'm happy with him as a squad player but if we want to challenge for titles in the coming seasons we need to upgrade. I'm desperate for Ndombele, he is more than adequate defensively whilst capable of playing a defence splitting pass and has incredible dribbling. Boubakary Soumare is also a similar player that we should keep an eye on.

We desperately need a new left back, they can add so much quality to a team. Robertson, Mendy and Alonso have all had massive impacts for their clubs.

 

[Tir Na Nog]

His movement is absolutely dreadful for a CF at times. He just isn't very lively up there.

 

[Godwin1]

His movement is absolutely dreadful for a CF at times. He just isn't very lively up there.

Moves more like a false 9, really wasn't the player I expected when I saw him at Lyon, not that I saw him much. I am generally happy with him though.