Lacazette: Arsenal should focus on CL qualification

Matt Morley 6 years ago 1.1k
Lacazette says that Arsenal need a miracle to win the Premier League. AFP

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette says that the club should effectively give up on challenging for the title this season, saying that it would be better to ensure that the 'Gunners' return to the Champions League next term.

Arsenal have picked up just one point from their last two game and find themselves 17 points behind runaway leaders Manchester City.

Whilst City are dominating at the top of the table, things are more congested a little further down, with Arsenal knowing that depending on results they could end Wednesday either in fourth place in the Premier League or in seventh.

The huge gap between Arsenal and top spot has led Lacazette to call a title challenge all but impossible and to encourage the club to return to their pre-season goal of qualifying for the Champions League.

'It would be really complicated to win it at this point,' he explained when asked about the title.

'We would really need a miracle. City would need to lose a lot of their games and we know their record. But the goal in coming here was always to qualify for the Champions League and if we could get the title, fantastic.'

Meanwhile, the £53m man also revealed that it was Arsene Wenger who convinced him to make the move to the Emirates during the summer.

'It was really the meeting with the coach that made me want to come here, it was something I had thought about since I was little,' he said.

'I had spoken about it a lot for many years with (Arsenal midfielder) Francis Coquelin but it was really all about that meeting with the coach.

'I benefit from his experience on a daily basis, especially his past and how he has worked with various strikers.

'We are always chatting about small things I can do to make little improvements. It will be a really nice record for him too.'

Finally, Lacazette admitted that he looks up to Thierry Henry but insisted that he wants to be his own man. 'I guess, in terms of inspiration I do admire him but I wouldn't want to copy him,' said the striker.

'Everyone has their own career, their own fate and everyone writes their own story.'

Lacazette could be rested for the trip to West Ham on Wednesday night, with Olivier Giroud in contention for his first Premier League start of the season.

Mentioned in the news story

A. Lacazette
Premier League