After a halting start to his time in England, when injuries and the arrival of another striker meant he’d lost his spot in the team, Alexandre Lacazette has become vital to Arsenal’s success. On Saturday, he proved his worth yet again, scoring a dazzling late goal to earn his team a crucial draw against Liverpool.
Although he was signed for a then-club-record fee of $60 million in July of 2017, there was a lack of excitement surrounding the Frenchman’s arrival in London last year. Maybe it was because disillusionment with longtime former manager Arsene Wenger, but fans seemed decidedly neutral towards a player who scored more than 20 goals a season at Lyon.
Lacazette got off to a fast start last season, but then a series of nagging injuries after the holidays combined with the arrival of fellow striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) meant he’d lost his starting spot by the end of the season. While his 14 goal tally wasn’t bad, it wasn’t good either, and for most fans the defining image of the forward was him walking around looking forlorn, his hands on his head, rueing yet another missed chance.
Despite not getting his starting role back after the arrival of new manager Unai Emery in the summer, Lacazette didn’t give up, working hard and showing the manager he was going to make the most of whatever opportunities he was given. By the beginning of September, he’d worked his way back into the starting XI, which coincided with a remarkable run of form that saw the club win 14 of 15 matches in all competitions coming into their game with Liverpool.
And on Saturday, Lacazette showed exactly why he’s earned his new manager’s trust. He was lively from the opening whistle, making good runs and smart passes as his team, somewhat unexpectedly, carved Liverpool’s previously sturdy defense to shreds for much of the first hour. Despite looking the stronger side, though, the Gunners were wasteful in front of goal, failing to make good on their advantage. This would prove costly when Liverpool caught Arsenal out in the 61st, but it wasn’t Lacazette Emery removed when it was time to change things up ten minutes later, instead it was Aubameyang who got the hook.
The Gabonese strikers is the better pure goal scorer of the two forwards, but Lacazette is the better all-around player, and he soon proved that his manager’s faith had not been misplaced. In the 83rd, the forward chased down and beat Liverpool keeper Allison to what looked like an overhit ball in the box, took a sharp turn and, rather than cross the ball like everyone in the stadium and at home was expecting, arced in a perfect shot to even things up at one goal apiece.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw was a weird result, in that Arsenal spent much of the game looking the better side but it was Liverpool that probably felt most hard done by when the final whistle blew. This is not the sort of game that Arsenal has gotten a result from in recent years, especially against top-six competition, and the difference this time was Lacazette. The Gunners have spent much of the last decade letting opportunities pass them by, but this time, by seizing upon his, the Frenchman showed those days might just be over.
Goal of the Week
Richarlison, Everton
It’s really a team goal, as the way that Everton break forward on the counter following a collapsed Brighton attack is breathtaking, but that doesn’t make Richarlison’s finish any less impressive. The young Brazilian sprints onto a beautifully weighted pass by Gylfi Sigurdsson and fires it right over Brighton Keeper Matthew Ryan for the first of his two goals in a 3-1 win for the Toffees.
Card of the Week
Demari Grey, Leicester City
Usually this space is reserved for highlighting a particularly bone-headed move by a player, but some cards are worth it. Every player knows that they’ll get a yellow card for removing their shirt during a goal celebration, but when Grey scored what would turn out to be the winner for Leicester City against Cardiff on Saturday, he, his teammates, his manager and the Foxes fans didn’t care. That’s because the young striker ripped off his top to reveal a shirt paying tribute to the memory of the club’s beloved late owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who, along with four others, was killed when his private helicopter crashed shortly after last week’s game.
