After a severely disappointing start to the current campaign, Arsenal are back in the hunt for a top four finish in the Premier League. Though the Gunners are still currently sitting ninth in the table, they are just eight points from fourth and five away from the fifth spot (with an extra game at hand). The Manchester City European ban situation could possibly mean that the fifth-placed team in the Premier League could in fact quality for the Champions League next season.
With a potential place in the lucrative Champions League back in sight, Arsenal will have to make a massive run over the next couple of months. This streak will certainly depend on multiple players/results: Firstly, the team’s questionable defense must continue their recent run of clean sheets. The Gunners have somehow managed to hold team’s scoreless in five of their last seven total matches.
Next, star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will have to keep his scoring record up. The north London club heavily depend on the Gabon international for goals and need him to continue his scoring streak if they wish to make it back to the Champions League for the first time since 2016/17.
SEE MORE: Schedule of Arsenal games on US TV and streaming
While the team’s defense and Aubameyang are clear necessities, Arsenal also need Alexandre Lacazette to step it up as well. Since mid-April of 2018, the Gunners have only lost one of the 28 total matches in which the Frenchman has scored in. In fact, Arsenal went unbeaten when Lacazette scored during his Player of the Year run last season. The Gunners won 16 of the 17 games that he scored in the 2018/19 campaign (the other game ended in a draw).
The current campaign, however, has gone quite differently for Lacazette. While French striker has started just four of the team’s nine total defeats this season (including the EFL Cup knockout on penalties to Liverpool), Arsenal have won just five of the 20 total matches that he has started this season.
The aforementioned Aubameyang will get his goals, but the team definitely appears to fire on all cylinders when Lacazette is at his best. The Frenchman’s holdup game, passing, and finishing are all exceptional when he’s on. However, things for the club don’t seem to go well when Lacazette is off. Instead of lifting his teammates with positive attributes, Arsenal are disjointed and muddled when he’s not playing well.
Nevertheless, Arsenal fans will find hope in the fact that Lacazette has managed to score in three of his last four matches on the pitch. The last of these scores happened to be a match-deciding one, as the Frenchman netted the only goal of the game against West Ham at the weekend.
If Arsenal are to qualify for a Champions League place this season, Lacazette will have to play a significant role with the club. Gooners around the globe will surely be hoping that his recent run of goals will continue throughout the rest of the current campaign.
