Rohit wrote:

We need him to score goals, if he can keep that scoring rate up with his finishing ability and movement then we will definitely benefit from having him start over the rest.

I don't think Harry Kane is a top striker either, but he scores and that is all that matters.

Need to add top quality to the forward line if Sanchez leaves though.

Much as we hate to admit it, if we agree on the bolded parts then I think that it proves that Harry Kane is a top striker. At least relative to his competition in the PL. Especially so when he's done it consitently for 3 seasons. Whilst he may not be a top player he is a top striker.

If Lacazette can come in and put up those kinds of numbers consitently then I don't think anyone would be able to complain about his lack of "world classness" for us.

I for one wouldn't give two shits about his overall contribution and whether or not he goes missing in games if he is consitently banging in the goals.


Found this match comp of Lacazette vs Marseille. He is really hardworking and good at link up play, which is why his chances created is pretty high. I think he will be a real asset here.

i remember seeing a few games in his 'breakout' 14/15 season and the big turnoff was his linkup play wasnt very polished. im guessng that might be one of he improvements that convinced wenger to finally get serious about him

IMO the 'issue' is that Lacazette is being seen as a replacement for Sanchez, rather than as an incoming CF. As such he is the replacement & upgrade on the likes of Giroud, Welbeck & Walcott options NOT Sanchez.

Whilst AW played Sanchez at CF for the most part of the season, the fact that Giroud was used as soon as Walcott was injured & then Welbeck is IMO the real indicator that AW does NOT want Sanchez at CF in the current team/squad.

http://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/alexandre-lacazette-arsenal-arsene-wenger-13267872

Lacazette's conversion rate is supposedly not only better than anyone at AFC, but is also amongst the best in UEFA in direct comparison re expected goals etc = he is as good a finisher as the likes of Aguero & Co, yet he has a more flexible style of play.
The criticism re standard of defending in Ligue 1 is missing the pint in that it relates more to the ability to create goal scoring opportunities, and not about the ability to finish them as an expected goal is an expected goal. The only relevance then becomes the standard of GK, which again is essentially irrelevant re expected goal scoring opportunities (which are basically 1v1 on the GK, where the player is expected to score).

The confusion re Sanchez is IMO a distraction that can only be resolved if & when Sanchez departs, at which point Lacazette alone can not provide an upgrade or replacement for 2 roles. As it stands there is reason to think that Mbappe / Lemar are the more likely replacements for Sanchez, and whilst neither will currently seem capable of replacing/providing his contribution currently, there is every reason to expect that their current quality combined WITH Lacazette will provide an overall upgrade.

Gazza M wrote:

i remember seeing a few games in his 'breakout' 14/15 season and the big turnoff was his linkup play wasnt very polished. im guessng that might be one of he improvements that convinced wenger to finally get serious about him

Possibly because he's a converted winger/WF before becoming a CF = very different type of link play playing on the flanks to playing in the middle.

here is what i want to believe: arsenal told ornstein to write that and indicate a deal is close with lacazette to try and get monaco and mbappe to make a decision now.

ornstein is basically the club's propaganda tool, he only tweets what they tell him to.

mdgoonah41 wrote:

here is what i want to believe: arsenal told ornstein to write that and indicate a deal is close with lacazette to try and get monaco and mbappe to make a decision now.

ornstein is basically the club's propaganda tool, he only tweets what they tell him to.

exactly - either way it's probably intended to put pressure on both Mbappe and Sanchez & possibly Lemar,
as any 2 could play with Lacazette in a front 3 in any configuration & be about the best forward line outside the likes of Barca, RM & Juve,
let alone to then have Ozil & Xhaka providing the ammunition.
I'd certainly rate that attack as better than anything we currently see in the PL.

Ornstein is publishing that because its true. If the club want utter bullshit printed they get Cross and Wilson to do it.

Qwiss! wrote:

Ornstein is publishing that because its true. If the club want utter bullshit printed they get Cross and Wilson to do it.

Ornstein wasn't involved in the PR campaign v Sanchez was he, 
whereas the others named were?

Mbappe. LOL.
Just the basics. In the undiscovered dimension where we do get Mbappe, it comes with the departure of Sanchez and/or Ozil. We cannot afford 125m pounds or thereabouts on Mbappe and then also re-sign Sanchez and Ozil on a collective half a million pounds a week. Lacazette and keeping our wantaways is the way forward. Then we can also see if we can afford a midfielder and goalie.

mdgoonah41 wrote:

here is what i want to believe: arsenal told ornstein to write that and indicate a deal is close with lacazette to try and get monaco and mbappe to make a decision now.

ornstein is basically the club's propaganda tool, he only tweets what they tell him to.

No, you're reading into this far too much. The Lacazette thing is real and the signing is imminent.

Forget about Mbappe; that was fantasy from the get go.

Aulas clarified on his twitter account that contrary to media reports, Lacazette is not in London at the moment for medical yet. Final fee will be about £45m in total. First bid was £39m.

It's a rare case that Ornstein tweets bad info on Arsenal.

This surely means that Wenger's given up on Mbappe. Not sure how I feel about Lacazette, but at least he finishes his chances, is able to run and movies like a forward.

I don't think this means anything to the Mbappe stuff. I've never thought we'd get Mbappe but the fact this deal was ongoing at the same time seems to me like Wenger would happily sign both. I wonder if he was hoping to go to an Ozil behind Mbappe and Lacazette system. I don't think changing the front 3s shape would really make a whole lot of difference to the stability of the team.

44m is a decent fee to be fair. Good striker, not great, but yeah good deal all in all

I really want to feel happy about this but even Bafetimbi Gomis has as many goals as Lacazette from open play. I don't watch Ligue 1 and Lyon so hard to judge - have no idea of service each got.

I just hope that we can create enough chances for us to benefit from his supposed finishing ability. His movement will be key to the creating of chances too.