Here’s our fantasy premier league new player analysis article on Arsenals new forward signing Alexandre Lacazette. Lacazette is a 26 year old 1.75m (5 foot 9 inch) French International striker who has signed for Arsenal from French club Lyon for £52m. We look at the player, assessing his stats and his fantasy prospects for Arsenal with particular emphasis on fantasy premier league. Obviously the player at this stage doesn’t have a price in FPL
fantasy premier league new player analysis – Alexandre Lacazette
There’s alot of stats, graphic and narrative so if that isn’t for you there’s a summary at the end.
STATISTICS
Here’s the stats for his last 3 years for Lyon in the League 1
The French League 1 is generally regarded as a league with less depth so it’s hard to make an accurate comparison with the premier league but here goes. Underlying stats are from whoscored.com. Lacazettes stats are distorted by penalties so I’ve stripped them out in one of the minutes per goal and assist columns
He’s made 11 appearances for the French National team scoring 1 goal
Here’s a comparison with 2 strikers who should be similarly priced in Lukaku and Costa. I think he will be less pricey than Kane and Aguero so I haven’t done this comparison. You can see stats for Kane and Aguero in my searching for Mr Consistency article. Again the stats are from whoscored and I’ve stripped out the penalties in one of the minutes per goals and assists for the players
So his actual and underlying stats certainly match up even with penalties stripped out. By the way if you find these stats there are more comprehensive and detailed stats on 150+ players in our Ebook “preparing for fantasy premier league 2017/18”
Playing style
Houllier on Lacazette
Former Lyon manager Gerard Houllier:
“He scores more than 25 goals every season. One thing he will bring to Arsenal is goals,” “Alexandre is a bit like Ian Wright, really. You don’t seem to see him and then suddenly he moves.”
“He is very mobile, very quick, good in short spaces, has good skill and he scores goals,” Houllier said. “Lacazette was the top scorer in France in 2014-15, the best player in the league in 2015 and has been the best French scorer over the last three seasons.
“Alexandre has good technique, is good at using short spaces and is a hard-working player. He can attack, he can defend quickly.
“I’m not surprised Arsene fancied him. Lacazette will fit in their game. He will suit their passing game, the way they build up, their approach. He is very good near the box.”
Lacazette on Lacazette
“When I play I like to use my pace and to link up with my team-mates. As a forward, I like to score goals, of course, but that’s not all that I’m about. I love good flowing football where the whole team is engaged.
“When I play I like to use my pace and to link up with my team-mates. As a forward, I like to score goals, of course, but that’s not all that I’m about. I love good flowing football where the whole team is engaged.
First of all you need to have players behind you who pass the ball well, resulting in good goalscoring opportunities. Also every time I take a shot at goal it’s because I believe I can score. I don’t just shoot for the sake of it.
“I always try to choose the best option, whether that is to pass or to shoot and also try to keep as calm as possible. All that is achieved by a lot of hard work in training.”
FFGeek playing style comments
At 5 foot 9 inches he’s no Giroud. However he fills that requirement that the top clubs seem to have at the moment of pressing from the front. Thats why Wenger has ditched Giroud and has tried Sanchez, Welbeck and even Walcott in the position. He certainly appears to have the pace to stretch defences and the touch to fit within Arsenals style.
He is also a poacher though. Of his 18 non penalty goals only 2 came from outside the penalty area.
Ozil should benefit having a finisher in the team. Sanchez may lose pens to Lacazette although we all know he actually manages the team rather than Wenger so he may just continue to appoint himself.
Fixtures
Let’s look at their first 9 fixtures. I’ve rated them as having the 12th best first 3 fixtures from an attacking point of view as well as 10th for the first 6 gameweeks but then an improvement to end up 4th for the first 10 gameweeks overall. GW6-8 is a particularly good 3 game sequence
GW1 Arsenal v Leicester
GW2 Stoke v Arsenal
GW3 Liverpool v Arsenal
GW4 Arsenal v Bournemouth
GW5 Chelsea v Arsenal
GW6 Arsenal v West Brom
GW7 Arsenal v Brighton
GW8 Watford v Arsenal
GW9 Everton v Arsenal
So a pretty mixed first 3 and first 6 games.
PROSPECTS
The guy has very good stats both actual and underlying and his style seems to fit in with Arsenal and what Wenger is trying to do with the team. The fact that Arsenal is in the Europa League and not the Champions League should also limit rotation. The main rotation risk will be minutes off the end if Giroud becomes a late sub for him. If Wenger continues with 3-4-2-1 Lacazette will lead the line and have both Sanchez and chance creator Ozil in close proximity centrally.
Top top quality strikers coming from the main leagues in Europe have probably been reasonably successful. I would say Ibrahimovic and Jesus last season were successful with Costa another recent example. I’m not quite sure that Lacazette is top top quality but in a team that creates as many chances as Arsenal with his ability to finish it’s a good platform for goal. If he gets pens that will also be a big bonus.
The fixtures to start are a bit mixed and if you’re going with Sanchez as your Arsenal player and captain plan for some games then it’s a bit of a stretch to get Lacazette as well.
Summary
A 26 year old French International with a proven goal record and very good actual and underlying stats even with pens stripped out. Compares ok with Lukaku and Costa albeit in a league considered to have less depth.
Top strikers in the title challenging sides have been able to succeed immediately in the premier league.
Getting penalty responsibility will be a major boost and a watch for pre-season.
Very quick, mobile, a good finisher and able to fulfil Wengers wish to press from the front
A mixed set of initial fixtures and the attraction of Sanchez if he is match ready after the Confederations Cup could put people off buying him.
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