Here are the Arsenal evening headlines on Monday 6th April:
Sagna names ‘vital’ Arsenal player
Former French international Bacary Sagna has named Alexandre Lacazette as a ‘vital’ player in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side.
Sagna claims the under-fire Gunners striker is a crucial player “ because he gives everything for the team.”
He believes the criticisms surrounding Lacazette’s poor goalscoring run are overblown and that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s own scoring record would not be as good without the work his French counterpart puts in.
Lacazette has only scored nine times for Arsenal this season, with some supporters calling for him to be dropped permanently in favour of youngster Eddie Nketiah.
Arteta expects more from Torreira
Plenty was expected of Uruguayan midfield destroyer Lucas Torreira this season, but the diminutive No. 11 has largely underwhelmed.
Question marks over burnout have pervaded this season, after two consecutive campaigns of high-intensity regular action for Sampdoria and Arsenal followed by Copa America in Brazil last summer.
Injuries have persisted, while interest from Serie A has remained amid Torreira’s uncertain future.
For Arteta, Torreira needs to be the aggressive defensive midfielder who can also contribute to build-up from deeper areas. If he does not adapt, it seems the speculation on the Uruguyuan’s future will only become more intense.
Winners and losers under Arteta
Mikel Arteta’s reign as Arsenal has barely begun but suppositions are already being made concerning who will remain at the club next season.
Arteta has a three-and-a-half-year contract and will develop his vision over the coming months, but who has a future at the club?
The likes of Bernd Leno, Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding all appear in Arteta’s plans, but there are concerns for Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Ozil.
Many of the young players, including Bukayo Saka, Matteo Guendouzi – despite disciplinary issues – and Eddie Nketiah are all tipped to have long term futures at the club.
