Arsene Wenger admits that while he’s happy with how quickly Alexandre Lacazette has adapted to life in the Premier League, the striker still needs to work on the physical aspect of his game.
Wenger reckons that Lacazette needs to bulk up a bit more in order to truly compete in the Premier League. Or, as the boss puts it, improve the ‘physical’ aspect of his game.
“Yes, I believe that he has adapted to the team play, to the way we want to play football,” the boss said ahead of Arsenal’s Monday night clash against West Brom.
“He connects well with the other players, he’s disciplined, he works hard for the team. On the tactical and technical aspects I’m very pleased.
“He still needs to adapt to the physical aspects of the Premier League and that will take maybe a little bit of time.
“But overall on the other fronts there is no problem at all. I’m very happy.”
The 26-year-old signed from Lyon for £50m in the summer and while he’s impressed fans with his work rate and movement, adapting to the physicality of the English league isn’t an overnight process.
Lacazette has scored twice in five Premiership appearances for Arsenal and is well on his way to becoming an important striker for the club but, as Mesut Ozil said in his autobiography earlier in the year, he needs to toughen up.
Speaking in his new book, Gunning for Greatness: My Life, Ozil describes the culture shock as he transitioned from La Liga, which is all about passing, to the Premier League.
The playmaker admits being bitten and scratched during his first matches, which he apparently wasn’t prepared for.
“The Premier League is the toughest challenge I’ve experienced in football,” Ozil said. “If you can’t take it here, without whining, then you’re history. It’s something I had to get to grips with in the first few weeks and months after my switch from Real Madrid.
“Whereas in Spain the entire game is based on elegant ball play — even teams from lower leagues try the same — in England you have scratching, biting and fighting. In England, football is one tackle after another. There’s barely any respite.”
Given Lacazette’s hefty price tag, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Frenchman is currently getting the same treatment.