Garth Crooks tells Mikel Arteta where to play Arsenal star Alexandre Lacazette
BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks urges Mikel Arteta to start Alexandre Lacazette in a centre-forward role in the Gunners team
Mikel Arteta needs to stop tampering with Alexandre Lacazette’s best position in the Arsenal team, according to BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks.
The France international has helped the Gunners to turn a corner over the past couple of weeks after Arsenal recorded a third successive league victory on Saturday night.
Arsenal were 4-0 winners against West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns thanks to Lacazette’s second-half double in the north London side’s first game of 2021.
Lacazette has found the back of the net against Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Brighton and West Brom in Arsenal’s last four games.
The Gunners boss has reverted to using Lacazette in a centre-forward role despite having used the Frenchman in a number 10 position earlier in the campaign.
BBC Sport pundit Crooks believes that Arteta should stop tinkering with Lacazette’s position and use the former Lyon man in his preferred striker position.
“It shouldn’t be difficult to play a player in his right position,” Crooks told BBC Sport.
“However, it seems Arteta has struggled to get a grasp of the obvious at times. The Arsenal manager has mixed and matched players, and even tried to put square pegs in round holes on occasions.
“Lacazette is a natural centre-forward and any other consideration is nonsense. It’s not complicated. T
“he striker’s two goals suggest Arteta would do well to leave him where he is. His perpetual tamperings have cost him in the past.”
Lacazette has scored seven times in 10 starts and four substitute appearances in the Premier League in the current campaign.
The 29-year-old has netted 57 times in 146 games in all competitions over the past three and a half seasons at the north London side.
Lacazette moved to Arsenal in a £52m deal from Ligue 1 side Lyon in the 2017 summer transfer window.
Arsenal will host Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round at The Emirates on Saturday before Arteta’s side take on Crystal Palace on Thursday 14 January.
