What a month September was for Alexandre Lacazette. Not only did he pick up the Arsenal Player of the Month Award, he also scooped Goal of the Month with his rocket against Everton which you can check out below.
The 27-year-old played the role of substitute in the opening games of the season, but proved why he is invaluable to the team as he played every minute of Premier League action in September. He and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have done more than enough already to justify Unai Emery’s decision to start them both, forming a lethal partnership on the pitch and a friendship off it.
Here it is… our Goal of the Month for September, scored by @LacazetteAlex ?
? Lacazette, zette, zette… ? pic.twitter.com/bi3szMZVdN
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 9, 2018
Super Sub No More
Alexandre Lacazette put in some superb performances last month, with three goals and two assists in four league games which rightly won him the POTM award. The question now for future months is; how crucial is Lacazette to the side?
Let’s take a look at the Frenchman’s full season so far in numbers.
It’s worth noting Petr Cech finished in second for the award after some superb saves in a string of solid games. His absence from our stat sheet is purely for the purposes of comparing outfield players.
The statistic which is equal regardless of position and puts Lacazette above the rest is the Whoscored player rating. Including an average August, the striker still comes out top with a rating of 7.45 per game this season, ahead of his strike partner Aubameyang, who sits at 7.14.
Aaron Ramsey (who let’s be honest, even if he scores 10 in October isn’t likely to win a fan vote until he signs a contract) has woken up after a sleepy start and is putting in performances every Gunner knows he is capable of.
His deft backheel after a stunning team goal against Fulham epitomised all that is special about the club. The Welshman is also top for assists in the team with three, with Lacazette close behind with two.
Lucas Torreira had a stellar second half of the month and if he continues his form, will no doubt be a front-runner for the award in October. However, he has mainly featured as a sub until the last three games, replacing Matteo Guendouzi, which ultimately cost him top-spot.
Compared to Aubameyang, Lacazette has arguably had more of an impact in games when introduced and has been in the thick of the action slightly more also. His shots per game are higher, with 2.4 compared to 2. Lacazette is also more dominant in the air despite being 12cm shorter than his partner, winning 2 aerial duels per game compared to 0.9. He has always had superb attack positioning as a striker, however, his tactical intelligence allows him to take full advantage of the space he has as part of a front two.
Conclusion
The Frenchman’s contribution to games is at an all-time high, which coincides with his new-found confidence under Unai Emery. We are seeing a Lacazette who is clinical as ever in front of goal but is no longer isolated at times as he now plays as part of a front two. Whilst Lacazette has won the individual award this month, his importance to the side is taken to the next level with his partnership with Aubameyang.
