Arsenal have used Lucas Perez sparingly this season, but is it time he was given a more important role?
The Spanish forward joined the club from Deportivo La Coruna last summer in a £17 Million deal, and he has impressed in spells in the first-team.
Lucas has scored six goals in his 13 appearances in all competitions this season, but he has been mostly playing in a wide role, and has been impressing beyond just his goals tally.
The 28 year-old gifted Olivier Giroud the winner in the weekend’s FA Cup victory over Preston North End with a sublimely skilful backheel, and has really been catching my eye in his appearance, despite a seemingly slow start, and whilst getting over the disappointment that his signing did not mean we had added a new out-and-out striker to our squad.
With Theo Walcott out currently, there could be room to give the summer signing an extended run in the first-team, although Danny Welbeck is also vying for playing time now.
Mesut Ozil is also expected to return following his illness next weekend, and will likely take his role back from Alex Iwobi, further enhancing the competition for the two remaining roles, with Alexis and the German having nailed down their place on the team-sheet when fit.
Olivier Giroud may well find himself back on the bench in the near future despite his form, with a number of our players knocking on the door for football, but who deserves to be playing most regularly?
Pick two players from our poll who you believe deserve the two remaining attacking roles in our first-team.
Who deserves to play alongside Alexis Sanchez and Ozil in attack?
- Lucas Perez (33%, 968 Votes)
- Olivier Giroud (23%, 677 Votes)
- Danny Welbeck (15%, 448 Votes)
- Theo Walcott (13%, 364 Votes)
- Alex Iwobi (12%, 343 Votes)
- Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (3%, 73 Votes)
- Chuba Akpom (1%, 30 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,186
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Although I think the system works better with Sanchez upfront, there’s no denying Giroud’s form. The main problem with Giroud starting, is that we don’t really play to his strengths until the latter stages, when we’re desperate for a goal. So I think he should benched on that basis.
I would go for:
Perez, Ozil, Iwobi
Sanchez
or when Walcott is fit:
Walcott, Ozil, Perez
Sanchez
Thirdman – I agree and like both your suggestions. The advantage of Perez on the right is that he scores easier from the right. On the left he is very accurate with his crosses.
@3rdManJW
Walcott and Welbeck on the wings. Then Welbeck -Perez. Or Walcott-Perez. Iwobi is too allergic to tracking back for my taste…
He has a first team role or am I missing something? He has started 7 matches, that is one more than Giroud and only 1 less than ramsey.
Football is about a squad not x1 players. That is not even about 2 players for each position it is about more than that. As I see it we have 8 players competing for the “front 4 roles” alexis ozil Walcott, giroud, perez, chamberlain, iwobi and welbeck then we have adelaide akpom providing back up. Similarly in the centre we have coquelin, cazorla, ramsey and elneny fighting for 2 positions, with adelaide providing back up. Finally our main 8 for the 4 defensive roles are jenkinson, bellerin, Mertesacker, Gabriel, koscielny, mustafi, Monreal and Gibbs. In addition we have Niles, Debuchy, Holding and now bramall. Have to say I think if anything it’s the defensive cover that looks likely to change, I can’t see Debuchy or jenkinson staying whilst I also thing Sanogo should go if he hasn’t already. In goal, surely even at arsenal we don’t need 9 keepers to cover the matches we have left at all levels. Out of the EFL cup, out of the fa youth cup and out of the youth champions league.
Honestly, I don’t think Perez has actually played enough to justify being played at the RW based on his defensive lapses which tend to expose the right fullback. And more so, as a right footer, I expected him to mostly cut in to his favoured foot at most times and go for goal. Instead he tries to play one two with the fullback along the line which doesn’t favour him in the ending. At the moment Walcott is our best option when fit at right wing. no one is holding the left wing down at the moment(assuming Sanchez is playing CF). He needs a run of games though.
Yes he does.
Off topic, but Fifa is now only driven by money expanding to 48 teams in WC. You qualify for two years and if you lose the first game your almost out.
Uefa is also a joke to make euro into 24 teams. The last tournament were an absolute fail.
Portugal one zero games in group and went through in third place to the easier half to the draw. They only one one game in regular 90 minutes in the whole tournament.
For me I’m less interested in these tournaments now. Hopefully Champions league forever remains 32 teams.
@HA559
As if it’s not bad enough. Now imagine a full EPL season, with all the cup matches and extra international matches thrown in…”They shoot horses, don’t they?”
I agree. There are too many tournaments. I thought the Euros were boring and all the interruptions to the PL season to watch meaningless international WC qualifier games like Germany – Lichtenstein are just plain ridiculous.
There should be fewer not more football games. IMO even the CL is a joke and has too many teams which have no reasonable chance of winning. There used to be a time you needed to be a champion to play in the CL now you can finish 4th and still play in it with no reasonable chance of winning it.
I have to admit I am getting saturated with all the football games and am losing interest. Partially because there is nothing to expect at Arsenal (same story with no reasonable expectations of a different outcome) and partially because of the abundance of games.
Lucas should have been starting a long time ago. he should have usurped both Ox n Iwobi on the leftwing.
‘Walcott-Alexis-Lucas’ -start
Giroud is plan B
Iwobi is backup for Ozil
Welbeck is 1st backup for Lucas
Ox is 2nd backup for Walcott after Lucas.