Arsenal fans should be forgiven for looking a little panicked right now.
Okay, they’ve won their only competitive game of the season so far, the Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley, but with less then a week to run until the Premier League campaign starts, the club have only one orthodox striker to call upon, Olivier Giroud.
Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck can fill the role, but neither are experienced front-men, and a small-scale injury crisis could easily leave Arsene Wenger without a proper option up front.
With just under a month of transfer window action remaining, there’s still time for the Londoners to get some business done, and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is reported to be a £46m target. However, with Los Blancos manager Rafa Benitez having cooled speculation of a move for his main centre-forward, it appears that the Gunners may have to look elsewhere… and where better to look that towards Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette? Not convinced?
Well, these FIVE points make it pretty clear that the 24-year-old is the perfect late addition for Arsenal.
Absolutely lethal
With 27 Ligue 1 goals to his name last season, Lacazette was the most lethal all-out striker in Europe. Across the continent’s five strongest leagues (the top tiers in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France) only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo out-scored the 24-year-old – neither are orthodox centre-forwards.
His return in the French top tier as Lyon finished second equalled out as a goal every 106 minutes, with the ball hitting the back of the net once in every 2.9 shots he took. Impressive.
Upgrade
Okay, statistics don’t always tell the full story, but a quick glance at the numbers suggests that Lacazette is better in every way that counts than the Gunners’ current crop of strikers.
Yes, Ligue 1 is not as strong as the Premier League and yes, the Lyon star was the focal point of his side, but it’s hard to argue with his output. Per-game, Lacazette beats Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck in terms of goals, assists, key passes, chance creation and take-ons… five key areas for attacking players to excel in.
Most encouraging is his goals-per-game output, which stands at over double Walcott’s tally – albeit he struggled with injuries.
*Numbers from the 2014/15 season crunched by Squawka.
Better option than Benzema…
Likewise with his drubbing of the Arsenal strikers, Lacazette also comes in ahead of Benzema when judged on the same criteria. However, he doesn’t have it all his own way against his compatriot, whose assists tally of 0.34-per-game is almost 100% better – although this may be down to playing alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale rather than Nabil Fekir and Clinton N’Jie.
There is a valid argument that ‘Benz’ has much more experience and know-how, but if Lacazette can maintain his current rate of development then there’s every chance he could be at a similar level by the time he’s 27 if playing at the right club.
*Numbers from the 2014/15 season crunched by Squawka.
Available…
With reports claiming that Lyon coach Hubert Fournier has grown frustrated with his star’s attitude and suggestions that Lacazette is ready to force his way out of the Stade Gerland, it would appear that the right fee will be enough to land him. Arsenal may face competition from other sides, but with Arsene Wenger’s striking ranks low on numbers and Champions League football a guarantee, the forward himself may see North London as the most appealing option.
Longevity
At 24 (his birthday was in May), Lacazette is very much on an upward trajectory in terms of his development. His age profile suggests that he’s ready to kick on, with strikers, typically, peaking around the 25-28 mark – although each individuals’ fitness plays a major part in this. It’s also feasible that in two to three years Arsenal could sell Lacazette on for a massive profit.