Bacary Sagna explains why Lacazette deserves more respect from Arsenal fans

Alexandre Lacazette has come under a lot of scrutiny from the Arsenal fans this season because he has failed to replicate his impressive performances from last season but the French striker has however received some support from former gunners right back Bacary Sagna.

Lacazette has this season struggled in front of goal and the injury that he sustained in pre-season and at the start of the season has seen him miss a lot of action hence failing to have run of games with consistent good performances. Lacazette was recently on a goalless run of nine games but he however finally ended it in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over Newcastle United but he had prior to that faced a lot of criticism from the supporters.

Lacazette has so far scored nine goals in all competitions for the gunners this season but former Arsenal star Bacary Sagna has urged the fans to look at what the 28-year-old brings to the team because he doesn’t just have scoring goals in his locker. Sagna who was with the gunners from 2007 to 2014 says that there’s some important work that Lacazette does that most people don’t see because they always only remember the goal scorer, he also gave an explanation as to how the former Lyon man is important in the Arsenal system and that he was getting kicked for his teammates.

“The way he holds the ball, the way he fights for the ball, the way he presses the defence. This is invisible work that not everyone will see. But for Arsenal’s system and the way they want to play, he is amazing.” Sagna told Goal.com.

“He can score many goals, in front of the goal he is clinical but most of the time he has his back to the goal. When he receives the ball, he is trying to protect and defend the ball for other players.”

“He is getting kicked for his team-mates and this is why, for me, he is vital to the Arsenal system. He is running a lot. You know how tiring it is to run all the time and press from the front? It’s very tiring, people don’t realise how difficult it is. On top of this, yes you have to score goals. People will ask to score goals because we only remember goalscorers, but he is doing a lot.”