Ray Parlour has disagreed with fellow Arsenal legend Ian Wright over the Gunners’ new “main man” up-front, in the aftermath of their win over Wolves.
Mikel Arteta’s men moved up to fifth in the Premier League table after coming from behind against the Midlands club, who had gone ahead after just 10 minutes through Hwang-Hee Chan.
The hosts were finally able to break down Bruno Lage’s side in the final 10 minutes, with Nicolas Pepe equalising before Jose Sa scored a stoppage-time own-goal to throw away the points.
Sa was attempting to save a shot from Alexandre Lacazette when he deflected the ball into his own net, though the Gunners’ record goalscorer Wright has questioned the Frenchman’s place in Arteta’s team.
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Lacazette has become Arsenal ’s main striker since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was allowed to join Barcelona on a free transfer.
But Wright believes that his lack of goals, he has scored just five times this season, is causing problems for Arteta.
“We just need a little bit more going forward. Odegaard, for me, is the glue for everything. We need more goals, we definitely need more goals,” Wright told Premier League Productions.
“I’d like to see more goals from someone like Lacazette. I think some of the time he’s coming way too deep. We need a focal point because we’ve got players who can run off of him.
“I’d like him to stay up there a little bit more, we know he has to link but stay up there a little bit more, give us someone to hit.”
But while Wright believes that Lacazette is causing more problems than he is worth, Parlour has insisted that his ‘excellent’ performance against Wolves showcased the striker’s importance.
“He’s certainly took the role on board. At times when Aubameyang was captain, he was probably sitting on the bench,” Parlour told talkSPORT.
“Now he’s the main man up-front and he’s really took it and grasped the opportunity to say ‘look, I’m gonna lead by example’.
“Which he has done, as I said before, his work-rate off the ball was excellent last night, it really was.”
Parlour has been so impressed with Lacazette’s recent performances that he believes the Frenchman should be handed a new contract when his current deal expires in the summer.
“Let’s hope they can do a deal with Lacazette, because I’d love to see him stay at the club for another year,” he added.
“There’s been signs that it’s not going to be a big deal like Aubameyang got, he’s a grounded footballer, probably just give him the same deal again.
“Hopefully they can get a deal. They still need to buy strikers in the summer, but he’s always good to have around the dressing room.
“It sounds like the youngsters are really learning from him, which is important and you need that right balance in the football club.
“You need good youngsters but you’ve got to have a couple who have been around the block, who know exactly what you have to do on a daily basis and on matchday.”
