Alexandre Lacazette backs Arsenal's group of leaders to step up
Stand-in Arsenal captain Alexandre Lacazette backs his team’s group of leaders to step up after Mikel Arteta’s call to strip Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the armband due to a number of disciplinary breaches
- Arsenal entered the top four after defeating West Ham 2-0 on Wednesday
- It was their first game since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang lost the captaincy
- Alexandre Lacazette took the armband to help lead Arsenal to victory
Alexandre Lacazette believes Arsenal have a number of potential captains.
Striker Lacazette has been handed the armband for now, replacing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who was stripped of the honour this week after a number of disciplinary breaches.
Lacazette’s long-term future is currently uncertain with his contract up next summer though the Frenchman says manager Mikel Arteta will not be short of captaincy options.
Alexandre Lacazette captained Arsenal in their 2-0 win over West Ham on Wednesday
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was stripped of the honour due to disciplinary breaches
‘Yes there are a quite a few,’ he said, assessing the candidate among Arteta’s young squad.
‘Big Gabi [Gabriel] has got a huge presence and leadership at the back for example. I think when he is more fluent in English that is going to help the team even more. Ben White as well is a leader at the back. He’s maybe more quiet but by the way he plays he can be a good leader and I think age that will build up more.
‘Also [Albert] Sambi Lokonga but he has already been a captain in the past [at Anderlecht] in the past so that’s no surprise.
‘Also I think Kieran Tierney has been a captain in the past, maybe for the national team so you can see we have plenty of leaders in the squad.’
Lacazette, one of the members of Arsenal’s leadership group, is currently the man in possession having led Arsenal out in their last three games, including Wednesday’s 2-0 win that took the Gunners into the top four for the first time.
Lacazette said that defender Gabriel is already an influential figure in the Arsenal squad
The striker also paid tribute to midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga’s leadership attributes
Arteta said: ‘Well he’s the next in line and he’s taken it the way everybody saw today – with such a pride and commitment, and I’m really happy with the way he played.
‘Absolutely [he is relishing the role] but Laca has always been like that in the dressing room. You see the way he acts with the young players, how willing he is to help.
‘It’s in his nature. He’s not a selfish player. He’s happy when he makes the rest better, and he’s like that in the dressing room as well.’
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