Alexandre Lacazette is a curious striker to analyse as he provides more to the Arsenal attack than goals. His hold up play has been essential to getting the best out of Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka in recent months, and his record of seven assists since taking over the club captaincy on December 6 is better than anyone else in the Premier League during that time period. In games where he has started the Gunners have averaged 1.74 goals as opposed to just 1.1 in matches where he has come off the bench or not been involved.
On top of that Lacazette is an experienced leader in the young Arsenal dressing room, and his workrate and energy has drawn specific praise from Mikel Arteta despite his profligacy in front of goal. "When I see our striker in the 85th minute, chasing a full-back in the corner flag, winning the ball back, playing, going, fighting, missing one chance, missing two chances, going again, what can I do?" the Spaniard said after Lacazette's involvement in the last gasp victory over Wolves in February.
"I can only praise him and try to help him as much as possible and give him support." As the crunch end of the season approaches and with Champions League qualification at stake for the first time in half a decade, the question now has to be asked, is this enough?
