A guest post from Rich @AlternativeArse
Everyone, stop the press.
Our most hated manager has finally dipped way down into those deep, deep pockets, battled past the moth hordes and opened the war chest of squillions to purchase a player who is going to win us, well, everything.
It’s bold move, a real statement and one that will hopefully give the squad that outlet for the weekly goal-a-thon we all pine for, especially against Huddersfield.
Lacazette score an impressive 27 goals last season in the French league. The season before he netted 21 and prior to that in 2014/15, he put away another 27. That is some impressive striking, French league or not.
I’m excited. You’re excited, we’re all excited. We might win something….again! Ozil might find an outlet for the 98 ( yes ninety eight ) chances he created last season in the league. The potential is great. It’s the player that we have needed, he’s the keymaster, the one to unlock all the doors and turn our library into a performance theater.
But what if he doesn’t?
What if he gets to Arsenal and bags an injury? What if he doesn’t score for 10 games? What if he takes a whole season to settle in? What if he doesn’t settle in?
As exciting as it may be, we have to keep our feet on the ground. We have a quality squad and Lacazette is a handsome addition; an exciting prospect of great potential. But in reality, Arsenal have just spent £50 million on potential.
That’s a lot of money to invest in something that might not work. Then what? What do we do if it doesn’t?
Well, we have Giroud.
You may scoff at that. Lacazette is far better than Giroud, he scores more goals and cost more money.
Yes he did and yes he does. But please be a little more savvy, oh connoisseurs en football.
Giroud wasn’t just a stop gap.
Giroud is quality.
Olivier was a steal of a purchase in a transfer market that Arsenal have inevitably had to link arms and play along with – played perfectly in a wonder deal by Wenger. You only need to look at the beautiful man’s form for France as explanation. In 67 games he’s netted 27 times. Over a period of 6 years.
Lacazette has netted once in 11. Over a period of 4 years. World class striker?
And let’s not gloss over last season statistics either. Believe it or not, Giroud was actually comparable to Lacazette in all match statistics bar one – His time on the pitch.
You see for Giroud’s 1,209 minutes strolling the turf, he managed statistics that fall very close to Lacazette’s tallies, but the important factor that we must bear in mind is this:
He’s not as quick.
Giroud made 18 appearances as a sub, Lacazette made 2. Lacazette played for a total of 2408 minutes; Giroud only 1198. Effectively, Lacazette played over 1,3 90 minutes games more than big Olly.
No wonder he has better statistics, he had more opportunity.
Look back to 2015/16 and you get a better comparison;
Giroud played for 2431 minutes – Lacazette 2962 (an advantage of 5 games ) Giroud scored 16 – Lacazette 21. Giroud’s shot per game 2.7 – Lacazette 2.8 However, look deeper and for every 90 minutes played in 2015/16 and Giroud led Lacazette in shots taken 3.7 to 2.9
Sure, Giroud doesn’t appear to be as good a finisher, but his footballing prowess is comparable. Different, but comparable.
The question is, is Lacazette better than Giroud ?
Giroud offers elements to the game that Lacazette doesn’t and vice versa. He just didn’t cost a ridiculous sum, and if Giroud does leave the mighty Arsenal he will be missed. Not just for his chiseled beauty of course, but for his part in some of the finest footballing moments we have witnessed in the Premier League in recent years if not history.
In no way has he received enough credit.
The goal against Norwich. The scorpion. The FA Cup. The other FA Cup and the last FA Cup and all those near post touches to mention but a few moments of splendor.
Giroud wasn’t a stop gap.
Giroud has been class when you actually look at what he does.
Positively Arsenal 
Good Post, Rich, thank you.
In the prevailing poisonous atmosphere in certain parts of fandom, I think that La Caz is going to carry a heavy burden – the first time he miss-controls the ball, or hits the side netting, or shoots over the bar, the chant will go up “what a waste of money”.
I hope that we get off to a good start at the start of the season so that he gets a chance to bed in before the cat calls and moans start in earnest.
Hopefully Giro will stay as he brings something very different from all our other forwards, and will benefit from speedy forwards all around him.
Go Arsenal.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Agreed. Really hope he stays. Of the three- Theo, Danny, Giroud- he’s the one I’d least like to leave.
If lacazette is what I hope- fast, deadly finisher, nimble in tight spaces- that will surely give us a wonderful set of options and variety in attack, should Giroud stay. If one starts and it isn’t working, can change for a very different challenge to defenders or perhaps even combine (as Giroud does so well with Griezmann)
Unfortunately, I can well imagine Giroud, who wants more game time than last year, not being happy about the prospect of playing less in a world cup year.
Fingers crossed, and let’s hope we don’t consider selling to Everton or anyone in prem really.
LikeLike
Thanks Rich, I liked your article. Certainly many of the Wob are happy with the big bucks buy-and seems to have pacified them to some degree or other?
I hope Lacca does well with us, but I also hope that Larry and Danny also have a great season and feel uplifted by Laccas arrival.
Larry gets way to much stick-but then TH looms large in many peoples minds and those are difficult boots to fill.
Thanks again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Never seen a cricket plundit compare a spinner with a quick fast bowler but no doubt the Wxperts is Football (and finance and physiotherapy) will be holding forth on this all important matter.
Danny Welbeck is probably going to be the back up target man option if big Ollie gets injured even though he is an all rounder (yep that’s a cricket term!).
This news means that Welbeck won’t be overplayed, didn’t look like he can play three games a week last season.
The player that might lose minutes to the new arrival could be Walcott. Or Perez! We shall see.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Several seasons ago I no doubt bored the arse of anyone on the internet with my frequent reference to Manchester City and the exceptional talent and flexibility the enjoyed with three good strikers to choose from ( Aguerro, Dzeko, Balotelli and even, when not on strike that year, Tevez). They had so many options on the pitch to score goals, and on the bench that they finally won the PL on the number of goals scored on the final day was not a surprise.
To have good quality goalscorers, to have a choice of goalscorers when one is tired, or misfiring, will take a club a long way toward a League title.
Slowly we have added and improved what we have at the club until now we too have three good strikers, Giroo, Lacazette and Perez, and arguably four if Danny is added as a good front man and not just an inside forward.
This is where we should be, where we need to be.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I would be really sorry to see Perez leave Fins – when he has played he has impressed me a lot, and never looked less than good quality – his quick movement, snap shooting and tricky feet around the box is what I like.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Who knows – am I never to see us start with a 442 again in my lifetime !?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks like Mourinho is all set for lumping the ball all season long up to Lukaku and Fellaini.
Not the kind of 442 anyone would want to see in the era of good pitches etc.
As always it depends upon the players, I guess. In the run in last season the 343 freed one of Alexis, Ozil and Ramsey to hover in the tennish second striker positions and Chelsea for one found it hard to cope with the space for AFCs rotating tens in the space created by Welbeck pushing Luiz and the other CBs back. Classic big man little man combo for the winner in the cup final, the lumbering (heh) target man running off the shoulder of the last defender to cross for the onrushing little ‘un to nod it in whislt the opponents big CBs were spinning like dervishes. They were very lucky it was only two-one. Which is why the fans of Referee Fisk didn’t complain about yet another bungle from the hapless Apprentice Taylor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good to see some appreciation for OG. I’m not sure why so many expect the latest arrival to mean the end of his AFC career. Variety of striking options is very much required in a squad and there will be games in which Ollie’s skill set will be more effective than AL’s. Neither can play all the games or equally they might turn out to be a winning combination.
While we’re on the subject of scapegoats, could someone explain why Coquelin has so many haters among so called AFC supporters? There was a time when they were calling out for his no nonsense approach, now they are bemoaning his lack of a first touch and limited passing range? Isn’t it the case in a team sport that you have a range of players with different attributes? Not all midfielders can be Santi Cazorla and even the latter was most effective when paired with Coquelin.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Lukaku, sure he’s a better player then I ever was but I note that he was dropped by his national manager for Origi…
… he has HG status but that fee still puts the fee for Laca into context.
The aaa clowns are not frustrated football coaches, but frustrated football agents. Explains why they never actually discuss the bleedin’ football…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Passenal
The fans of John Jenson (I was one!) want their Arsenal back?
Coquelin’s biggest mistake was that he doesn’t have as snazzy a haircut as Scotty Parker. If he had an English passport the he’d probably be praised as a greater reincarnation of Carlton Palmer.
LikeLike
Lovely day for some cricket. After yesterday’s news which was unavoidable it’s back to holidays from the footy for me.
Fortunately the plundits on the cricket do not mix up the bowlers for batsmen etc. that would be: weird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Correction above:
The player who was most obviously floundering in Ramsey’s wake for the winner in the cup final was not poor Luiz but the dizzy Kante.
Kante: D**M extraordinaire, praised to the hilts by the plundits even through the most famous DM of all time after Silva and Makelele (in the modern era) wouldn’t pick him as a starter last summer (may change in the future).
LikeLiked by 2 people
LikeLike
passenal
I like Coquelin and Elneny both (and more than like Ramsey and Xhaka), but no getting round the fact only combo I thought looked really good last year, without Santi, was Ramsey Xhaka.
Or rather, some other combo’s may have looked the part on occasion but on other occasions there seemed to be solid evidence they don’t work well enough for us to get where we want to be.
Where that leaves Coq and Elneny, I don’t know, though the over-the-top criticism, the desire, it seems, for someone to be treated as a joke and no where near good enough, is absurd.
Were Coquelin to leave tomorrow (which I’d hate), he’d go as someone who has put in some superb performances, which I enjoyed as much as those of flair players on their good days
LikeLike
At least Sanchez can claim no rest and pre-season for years & years as an excuse for the odd (but not every) piece of fatigued control/technique:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CqEd9MeWYAEaAPt?format=jpg&name=small
LikeLike
Ramsey and Xhaka with the three cb’s, by the way. Don’t see it as something that could work nearly as well with the traditional formation.
LikeLike
LikeLike
I think the problem is for a section of Arsenal fans is that they NEED a target among the players to vent their frustrations on, and unfortunately for Francis it is his turn in the barrel.
As long as the player gets his head down and works hard the move will move on to easier pickings.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Giroud has been the best target man striker we have had since Alan Smith, and he is probably better than smith was.
Just think how many goals he would have had if the team was set up for him and his skill set, those towering header – we are poor at the old crossing game – and I do not think there is a better one touch finisher than our Ollie. Just cos he not super quick and he does not have the best dribbling skills, there is not need to ignore all the wonderful skills he does have. Look at all the important goals he has been heavily involved in, not just the ones he scores, but the ones where his touch, his flick, his perfect layoff has led to great and important goals, ask Jack about his goal v Norwich, or ask Rambo about his two FA Cup winners.
I do worry that our Ollie might just be off this summer, he was not happy as a sub last year, and a £50M addition for his place might not sit well with him. For me if we do have to sell one target man, I’d much rather Dat Guy was the one. In an ideal world both will stay and leave us with a strike force the envy of the rest of the league.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now here is an interestingly named rumored afc target, Aymen Barkok, a 19 year old German midfielder of Frankfurt
LikeLike
seemingly Arsenal v Leicester City will be the first TV game of the new BPL season, its on the Friday night.
LikeLike
looks like Jose’s favorite agent Raiola has sorted out where his client Lukaku will play next season, Utd should get rid of their scouting network til jose is gone, they have not need for them, Raiola will tell him who to buy.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Arsène’s SonVerified account @hughwizzy 1h1 hour ago
Odds on Mahrez to Arsenal:
1/12 – Paddy Power
1/10 – William Hill
1/10 – Betfred
1/7 – SkyBet
1/5 – Coral
1/5 – Betfair
either there is something to the rumor or the bookies are in for a killing, and I don’t see too many poor bookies
LikeLike
Lacazette – How Coquelin influenced my move
06 Jul 2017
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/lacazette-how-coquelin-influenced-my-move#2HPmVe5VXftH7dRd.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/lacazette-how-coquelin-influenced-my-move#1QwRZtoy3QVMwEmK.99
LikeLike
Twelve of our Premier League fixtures have been rescheduled, with six being selected for television coverage.
The games will now be played as under:
Watch Alexandre Lacazette’s first interview as an Arsenal player
Buy tickets to watch Lacazette’s home debut at the Emirates Cup
Get your Lacazette home shirt from ArsenalDirect
How much do you know about our newest signing?
Arsenal v Leicester City
Friday, August 11
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Live on: Sky Sports
Stoke City v Arsenal
Saturday, August 19
Kick-off: 5.30pm
Live on: BT Sport
Liverpool v Arsenal
Sunday, August 27
Kick-off: 4pm
Live on: Sky Sports
Chelsea v Arsenal
Sunday, September 17
Kick-off: 1.30pm
Live on: Sky Sports
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion
Monday, September 25
Kick-off: 8pm
Live on: Sky Sports
Arsenal v Brighton and Hove Albion
Sunday, October 1
Kick-off: 12pm
Live on: BT Sport
Manchester City v Arsenal
Sunday, November 5
Kick-off: TBC
Burnley v Arsenal
Sunday, November 26
Kick-off: TBC
Arsenal v Huddersfield Town
Wednesday, November 29
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Southampton v Arsenal
Sunday, December 10
Kick-off: TBC
West Ham United v Arsenal
Wednesday, December 13
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Please note that our game against Everton at Goodison Park will also be rescheduled due to Europa League participation, but no date or kick-off time has yet been set.
Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/twelve-premier-league-fixtures-rescheduled#H0xaEhjc2zyr8Y3G.99
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/twelve-premier-league-fixtures-rescheduled#vvjjw7vrytSsvrGO.99
LikeLike
by this time next week Arsenal will have played their first preseason game of the summer
LikeLike
The aaa clowns are not frustrated football coaches, but frustrated football agents
I think that might just be the most accurate statement ever, Thanks Fins.
LikeLiked by 2 people
We can now confirm the pre-season schedule for Steve Gatting’s under-23 squad ahead of the new Premier League 2 season.
The schedule is as follows:
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Saturday, July 8
Arsenal Training Centre (behind closed doors – access by invitation only)
Kick-off: 12pm
Arsenal v Brighton and Hove Albion
Friday, July 14
Arsenal Training Centre (behind closed doors – access by invitation only)
Kick-off: 1pm
Boreham Wood v Arsenal
Thursday, July 27
Meadow Park
Kick-off: 7.30pm
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
Tuesday, August 1
Brisbane Road
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Copyright 2017 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source.
Read more at https://www.arsenal.com/news/under-23s-pre-season-fixtures-announced#Tj7JfOUZYh6mBEZc.99
LikeLike
Arsenal have hired another new Goalkeeping coach, Sal Bibbo, he was formerly coaching at Reading FC and the Nike Academy.
LikeLike
Midfielders Glen Kamara and Savvas Mourgos leave Arsenal
Midfielders Glen Kamara and Savvas Mourgos have both left Arsenal permanently after their contracts were cancelled by mutual consent.
Kamara, a Finnish youth international, joined Arsenal as a scholar in 2012 and made one senior appearance for the club, which came in the League Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in 2015.
The 21-year-old produced some impressive performances for Arsenal at youth level but was unable to make a major impact during loan spells with Southend United and Colchester United.
Kamara is currently on trial with Scottish side Dundee.
Mourgos, meanwhile, arrived at Arsenal in 2014 following a successful trial but leaves without having played for the first-team.
The Greek youngster played just seven times for Arsenal U23s over the past two seasons, although he did score and provide an assist in the victory over Derby County in January.
LikeLike
Thanks Rich for articulating so well the respect this wonderful player deserves.
This is a guy who cost twelve million, came in at a difficult time, one of the replacements for one of the best technical forwards, of most injury prone we have seen.
In no time , we were dependant on Girouds goals to help keep us in the CL places, worrying about him getting injured or suspended, especially at seasons end. He scores vital, sometimes spectacular goals. He brings in other players, sometimes in a way that turns cup finals and wins trophies. A superb record as an international. Much under rated, perhaps because he is one of those great people who has risen beyond his natural born gifts, with the help of arsene Wenger of course.
A truly magnificent player.
Really hope we keep him, we will need him, but should we not, I suspect it would be an act of a manager who clearly has huge respect for this player, and wants to give him the best chance of playing in the next World Cup , a tournament his country could very easily, and I believe probably will win
LikeLiked by 6 people
Most of the b.s. about Giroud, the non-factual, unbalanced criticism is led by the usual suspects in social media; bloggers, tweeters and podcasters. To them, contrary to the facts, Giroud’s weakness (speed) outweighs his many strengths. As Find detailed, it has nothing to do with the football.
Now all of a sudden they are screeching and bellowing for a CM in the Santi Cazorla mode despite Wenger candidly advising that a player of his quality is a rare commodity. As I said on Twitter: “Fuck my old boots. 6 months after my 3 blogs on the imptce of Santi Cazorla, everybody is on about the imptce of CM. No shit Sherlock.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
I so longingly hope that OG12 stays…
LikeLiked by 2 people
A lot of the criticism I guess is because he is not RVP, or rather he is seen as a Wenger signing and project, whereas RVP ended up being seen more as anti-Arsene than anti-Arsenal. In much the same way, Alexis is seen by many as nothing to do with AW, whereas Ozil is imagined to be very much in the Arsene camp. That the press have pulled-off this Orwellian feat of disinformation, and that so much of the fanbase take it as self-evident, is quite remarkable.
If you were a rival fan and only saw Giroud on Match of the Day you would think him a beast in the air, a clinical finisher, and the man most likely to have you saying “Of course Arsenal scabbed a point or three: effing Giroud was always going to score.” However, if you watch him for 90 minutes every game you may curse the ponderous and clumsy moments, the lack of pace, the protruding tongue when goals are missed – and quite often feel that although he scores a few, they never quite make up for overall lack of blistering incision. Indeed, I have often cursed him on screen, only to adore him the next moment and tell anyone listening (long-suffering wife, children and dog) that he is as good a striker as any in the game today..
The one thing that always mystifies is how often he gets none of the right service, yet the moment he is taken off and replaced with someone smaller the head-high crosses rain in. It puts me in mind of a sequence in Sebastian Faulks’s novel A Week in December (much under-rated I think) where a new signing is deliberately passed to in a way that makes him look bad. I have sometimes wondered how popular he is in the team.
All of which is my roundabout way of saying that I think he is great, but that somehow more than most he embodies all the frustrations and highs and lows of the fan.
LikeLiked by 2 people
shotta_gooner
it is as I have said many tmes on here it is how you see football
If you understand how Mr Wenger sees football, you can understand what he is trying to do, you don’t have to agree with it all the time.
I do find myself agreeing with his vision most of the time, mainly because the football is honorable and beautiful.
you see shotta_gooner you are looking for ‘how things work’, the anti brigade are looking for ‘how things don’t work’
It is ‘Football’ vs ‘Anti-Football’
LikeLiked by 3 people
OG
If he was to leave , I really could not blame him. He is a proud man he will be 31 in September and he has desires to go to what will be his last chance of a World Cup.
He managed to maintain his place over the last season for France, but there are no guarantees with the young bucks in the France side looming. Fortunately for him he offers a uniqueness that none of those kids can offer. But he would like to do that from the start, not from the bench.
He wants to prove he can start, so he needs to start more often.
He can stay, or goto a club that is of enough quality, to supply him with chances of quality to be effective.
Stay and he will get at least 11 out of 38 starts at least (6 in the first half of the season)
Perhaps 6 Euro league games
Is that enough for him?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so happy that Per is going to be Academy director, feels like a good choice
LikeLiked by 3 people
So Per will become academy manager in a years time, like Oli, Per is another of the wobs deadwood and it will outrage them no end that he has the job over big tone.
LikeLiked by 4 people
exclusive picture of Tony Adams on hearing the news that Per Mertesacker will become our new Director of the Academy
https://www.google.ie/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjM3Lz4yffUAhUhL8AKHVHiCPEQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimgur.com%2Ft%2Fliverpool%2F7kI8T5M&psig=AFQjCNEdr1H7H2CWkWLoaGKYAnksWV_u1Q&ust=1499530860528664
LikeLiked by 1 person
Eddie,
I did not see much of Tony when he was the Arsenal captain but he was highly respected. The problem was that for a time he became synonymous with the alcohol era, and in the various football jobs he has had he has done nothing to indicate he has any managerial ability. It happens.
Per on the other hand, is not just a great club player and one of Germany’s best internationals, he is also a tremendous captain in his own right. And very intelligent.
So, if asked – I would have to say that Per would eventually make a great manager too, maybe for Arsenal — Tony? not so much.
[I am loving the sense of excitement in this transfer window, so far, and who knows what else will transpire before the window slams shut, but in any event I am satisfied with our acquisitions. Vive l’Arsenal!!] lol
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yaya Sanogo has joined Ligue 1 side Toulouse following his release from Arsenal this summer
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congratulations Per, I am sure that will be an excellent appointment, and a good man to keep at the club. Quite a week, with Jens coming in.
This feels like a club energised in its purpose to prepare for the season, improve where they can and plan for the future, exciting things are clearly going on. And, stick in the mud, Luddite ,enemy of change, Arsene Wenger doesn’t appear to be stopping any of it.
LikeLiked by 3 people
What the Lukaku transfer has made very clear is that certain players are out of reach for us . Not because Arsenal cannot afford the player but because of the agent of the player.
Chelsea false bravado hand is only being played because it is Riola, if it was Mendez I am not convinced they would be so forthright as he Abramovich and his inflationary money laundering tactics that created and fed this super bubble , The resistance to the abuse of the super agent has been a lonely one for Arsenal,with no credit given for the stance.
Now it is an open warfare between Riola and Abramovich , I’m interested how the other clubs in Europe going to play this.
Fly on the wall next time Mendez has a meeting with Abramovich.
Football has let these guys run rough shod over it
LikeLiked by 3 people
We shall see, but get the impression Lukaku will be another relative waste of money at the hands of Jose and his agent friend. Doubt if we will see much of the expensive Martial, or the talented youngster, Rashford.
Utd have really sold out
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Shard,
It can be only a matter of time before an aaa spokesclown again praises the Everton owner and lest we forget friend of R&W holdings for showing “ambition” – for working with the kind agents that AFC have shunned since before aw arrived at the club.
They don’t want their AFC back, but they would like to see AFC follow in the footsteps of Forest, Villa and Leeds whilst they ape Peter Risdale who is their true hero (it’s why they’ll praise Risdale but not Ramsey, go figure…).
LikeLiked by 3 people
eg:
Moyes the manager was nothing special but in the eyes of Alan Davies and chums his ability to negotiate a contract for a player whose previous manager of some reputation had already considered said player to be retired and dropped, that ability was second to none! And who could disagree? Hehe.
Frustrated. Football. Agents. Yep.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 4 people
VfL Wolfsburg ENVerified account @VfLWolfsburg_EN 57m57 minutes ago
Welcome! English junior international @kaykaymiles_ moves to the Wolves from @Arsenal.👍
LikeLiked by 1 person
ANZ StadiumVerified account @ANZStadium 9h9 hours ago
80,0000-plus crowds now likely @ANZStadium for @Arsenal v @SydneyFC; @Arsenal v @wswanderersfc. http://bit.ly/2sQIdm7 #ArsenalinSydney
LikeLike