Mikel Arteta joked he’d sleep much better at night if he could guarantee Arsenal had a trio of players that would hit 21 goals between now and the end of the season.
The Gunners’ top-four challenge has threatened to go up in smoke in recent weeks, losing three matches on the spin and handing the initiative to Tottenham in the race for a Champions League berth.
Only Brighton and Wolves have scored fewer than Arsenal’s 45 goals and in their recent miserable run of form, they have found the net only once. Their struggles in front of goal have been a contentious issue for much of the season, particularly since allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave the club in January.
No player has reached double figures for Arsenal this season, with Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe carrying much of the burden with nine apiece. In terms of the forwards, Alexandre Lacazette has scored just once since the turn of the year, while Gabriel Martinelli has five and Eddie Nketiah has failed to score a league goal all season.
Lacazette’s form has come under sharp focus in recent weeks, with the Frenchman set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Frenchman risked incurring the wrath of Arteta and Arsenal fans alike, admitting he is in talks over his next move, despite what is a pivotal end to the season at his current club.
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"I am in discussions with a lot of clubs," Lacazette told Canal Plus. "I am open... I have never cut contact with Lyon since I left. I try to return to the club once or twice a year to see the medical staff because we are really close. Lyon knows that I am free, they have come to the information."
Arteta opted to be diplomatic regarding Lacazette’s admission, but suggested that talks with the veteran striker will not begin until they discover which European competition they will be in next season.
"His contract situation allows him to make a decision about his future. We have expressed our intention is to speak in the summer. For the rest, I just want him fully focussed on his duty which is to defend Arsenal in the best possible way," Arteta said on Tuesday.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, the Gunners boss was adamant that Lacazette remains fully committed to the job at hand: “It’s difficult sometimes, he’s having talks as he said. His future is to be decided. But at the same time, you come every day here and the task that we have ahead, he is the captain when he’s here and he’s committed. I’ve seen him fully committed.”
But asked about his striker’s struggles in front of goals, he quickly replied: “This is what we have! This is our reality! I wish I had 40 goals in the team. I have three players in the squad in the next seven games that are going to score 21 goals…I’d go to sleep very nice and say ‘tomorrow is going to be great’.”
