Arsenal signed Lucas Perez to bring in an alternative at striker, yet now we are at the point where he is still looking in on a team that has no room for even Giroud.
Lucas Perez was Arsenal’s answer. Looking at another season of only having Olivier Giroud as a proven striker, it was the Spaniard who was brought in to give us an option. It wasn’t a massive signing in terms of money or anything like that, but Lucas had a lot of the things Wenger was looking for. He has speed, he has technical ability and he has incredible link-up ability.
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It was like getting a smaller Giroud with pace. Hard to beat that.
Yet now it feels like there is almost no room for Lucas. After witnessing an Alexis-led Arsenal thoroughly and wholly dismantle a gritty Hull City at KCOM Stadium, it’s hard to argue against the continued experimentation of the Chilean as our No. 9. That opens the door for Iwobi and Walcott to continue their good runs of form.
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But it doesn’t allow the big Frenchman any room in the team, let alone Lucas. Giroud is going to find himself in a position of being an impact sub and unless he can truly take hold of his opportunities, getting back into the starting XI is going to be no easy feat. It’s pretty clear that Wenger is not going out of his way to force his favorites into playing time (unless that favorite is Theo Walcott).
That’s all well and good, but I’m concerned where that leaves Lucas. He can potentially find time in the Champions League and all of the various side competitions, but aren’t those now Giroud’s gig? With Alexis our new go-to No. 9, Giroud will take front and center in the Champions League (following his ridiculous suspension).
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Then, depending on scheduling, there may be space for Lucas in the FA and League Cup. But then where does that leave Chuba Akpom?
Who ever thought that Arsenal would be in a position where they had a surplus at striker? Not me, that’s for damn sure. But if Alexis can keep building on this momentum, then does Lucas even have an outsider’s chance of being a striker? It’s unlikely.
He has been being used as a sub on the wings, which may be an indicator that Wenger intends to use him there or it may just be an indicator that Le Prof is trying to find him some time anywhere.
I did not think that Lucas performed poorly against Southampton. I feel like the assessments of some out there was unduly harsh. He showed what we have to look forward to given time and it has to be at least somewhere on Wenger’s to-do list to find Lucas time at striker.
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