Why Arsenal Are So Dependent On Their Front Trio Of Alexandre Lacazette, Alexis Sanchez And Mesut Ozil
Last weekend Arsenal won 5-2 against Everton, and it feels like they are finally starting the season on a strong note. Incidentally, that game marked the first time Arsene Wenger was able to play his three key players Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez together. In fact, when reports linked Arsenal with Lacazette in the summer, it was widely speculated that the trio of the Frenchman, the German and Chilean will prove to be lethal up front – and that is exactly what happened against the Toffees.
The results were spectacular as Everton were unable to withstand their force up front. The performance was enough to excite their fans but its almost November, and Arsenal have already sustained several harmful results in their Premier League campaign. Going forward from here, the Gunners will have to focus on consistency. They cannot afford another slip-up in form, and for that, they need Lacazette, Sanchez and Ozil to continue delivering.
As seen in the match against Everton last weekend, Arsenal’s midfield and defensive strengths have a long way to go. Imagine if the front trio were not present; Wenger’s men may have had to settle for a draw or a loss then, since Everton did manage to score two goals with relative ease. Also, this was the first time in a prolonged period that Arsenal scored more than 3 goals in a match.
On the pitch, it’s been a feel-good week at Arsenal. Their resounding win at Everton, followed up by the young Eddie Nketiah’s heartwarming heroics in the Carabao Cup and their 2-1 comeback win against Swansea only keeps them going strong. Currently, Wenger has plenty of attacking options at his disposal, and the focus from now will be on seeing if Sanchez, Ozil and Lacazette can recreate the magic they showed at Goodison Park.
After two months, Arsenal are finally able to field them together after some injury concerns for Sanchez and Ozil – not to mention, their uncertain futures. However, at this crucial stage of the season, Wenger has no real alternative but to call upon his most talented players. Ozil and Sanchez certainly didn’t lack commitment or passion against Everton and Swansea. In fact, both of them were in incredible form, and it does look like Wenger can count on them in the matches to come.
Arsenal have a lot of players who are able and skilled but these three are almost in a bracket of their own. There was an immediate understanding between them when they were finally unleashed together. If they remain motivated, their attacking brilliance would neutralise Arsenal’s defensive issues. However, this over-dependence may prove to become costly whenever one of them gets injured or faces fitness issues.
Having said that, that can be an issue for another day. As of now, Arsenal are doing extremely well, thanks to the combined power and effort of their front three. Consistency will be key and it will be interesting to see how far they can go from here.