Arsene Wenger explains why Arsenal star is regularly substituted

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazett Photo: Puma

Arsene Wenger insists Alexandre Lacazette tends to be substituted more than his Arsenal team-mates given his position as a striker.

The France international completed a £52m move to Arsenal from Ligue 1 side Lyon in the 2017 summer transfer window.

Lacazette has struggled to adapt to the Premier League since the centre-forward’s big-money move to the north London side.

The 26-year-old has netted nine goals and has made three assists in 26 appearances in the Premier League in the current campaign.

The French forward suffered a knee problem in a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the north London derby at the start of February.

Lacazette could be on the brink of a return to the Arsenal first-team after his return to training.

Wenger explained why Lacazette has been regularly substituted in his debut season in English top-flight football.

“I must say that [Lacazette] plays in a position where you sub more than, say, a defender,” Wenger told Arsenal magazine.

“You substitute a striker more than you would a defender, because they always have to provoke, to defend, to attack, you have to create holes in the defences.

“The strikers are more subbed than others.”

Lacazette has netted nine goals and has made three assists in 29 appearances in all competitions in the 2017-18 campaign.

The Arsenal striker moved to the Gunners from Lyon in a big-money deal last summer after the Frenchman was regularly linked with a move to the Premier League.

Wenger’s side will take on CSKA Moscow in the Europa League quarter-finals next week.

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