5 reasons why Alexandre Lacazette could flop at Arsenal

#3 Arsenal – and Arsene Wenger – are in decline

Some Arsenal fans believe Arsene Wenger has been in decline for a long time

Despite winning the FA Cup, nobody can suggest with a straight face that 2016/17 was a successful season for Arsenal. It was the first time they’d dropped out of the top four places since they first made it to the upper reaches of the table in 1996/97, and to rub salt into the wounds, it was the first time they’d finished below bitter rivals Tottenham since the Premier League began.

There’s no denying that the competition has become tougher at the top of the table over the past few years. Manchester City have broken into the elite thanks to the massive amounts of money spent by their oil-rich owners, Tottenham have built one of the league’s best sides under Mauricio Pochettino, Manchester United are rebuilding following the David Moyes disaster, and that isn’t even mentioning Liverpool and Chelsea.

But what can’t be denied is that Arsenal has slipped recently.

Despite being home to some of the Premier League’s best players – Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla to name three – they just haven’t looked right in a long time now, even when a late surge managed to take them to second place in 2015/16. And Arsene Wenger remains a figure of controversy, despite finally signing a lucrative new contract ready for the start of this season.

It still feels like half of Arsenal’s fans want him out, and he’s certainly not the revolutionary figure he was seen as in the 90’s anymore.

So can Lacazette really be the man to sort the club out? I find it doubtful myself. The addition of one striker, however great he is, just can’t paper over the cracks that Wenger’s still leaving at Arsenal. Lacazette has joined a club seemingly in decline, and that makes it even harder for him to succeed.