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Arsene Wenger explains why 26-year-old Arsenal star didn’t start vs West Ham

By on December 15, 2017

alexandre lacazette

Arsene Wenger has explained the reason Alexandre Lacazette didn’t start during Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with West Ham on Wednesday night.

Lacazette has impressed since joining Arsenal in a club-record £52m deal from Lyon in the summer with the striker scoring 8 goals in 14 Premier League starts so far.

The 26-year-old was expected to be named in the starting eleven for our trip to the London Stadium in midweek as it was vital we got back to winning ways having been held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton last weekend.

However, Lacazette was surprisingly named on the bench against West Ham with Wenger handing Olivier Giroud his first league start of the season after he came off the bench to score the equaliser against the Saints.

It’s safe to say we missed our top scorer as we were toothless against West Ham’s well organised defence with Giroud offering little in the way of a genuine goal threat.

Wenger was quizzed by reporters about his decision at his pre-match press conference this morning and the boss claims he rested Lacazette against West Ham because he’s only recently recovered from a groin injury.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Newcastle, Wenger told reporters:

Obviously it makes sense to protect Lacazette if he’s still feeling his groin problem so I personally have no real issue with him being rested. We’d all have moaned had Wenger started him and he he was ruled out for a month after aggravating the injury.

The real worry is how poor we looked in front of goal without Lacazette as with Alexis Sanchez in such poor form, we really lacked any creativity in the final third.

Let’s hope that changes tomorrow against Newcastle….I actually fancy Laca to bag a couple this weekend.