Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has leaped to the defence of struggling manager Unai Emery amid the club’s drastic dip in form.
The Gunners have won just once in their last seven games in all competitions, having just lost 2-0 to Leicester City at the weekend after a run of four draws in a row.
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This is clearly far from good enough for a club of Arsenal’s ambition, particularly with the football being served up by Emery’s side looking a level below the stylish and attack-minded play of the Arsene Wenger era.
Lacazette, however, has defended Emery’s record, hitting out at those who were not so vocal during the team’s 20-game unbeaten run last season.
The French forward believes the team will now benefit from the upcoming international break, in what could be an opportunity for the players to mentally and physically reset.
“Last season when we were unbeaten in 20 games in a row nobody said anything about the coach or manager,” Lacazette is quoted by France 24.
“We miss confidence and we need the international break. I hope we are going to come back well. We want to be top four, of course.
“Now we are nine points behind Chelsea and Leicester and it is going to be hard, but everything is possible in football.”
Arsenal fans probably won’t be too convinced by Lacazette’s argument here, with Emery seeming to become increasingly unpopular at the Emirates Stadium after failing to take the team forward in his year and a half in the job.
The Spanish tactician previously shone at Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla, winning the Europa League three times with the La Liga club, though expectations at Arsenal are very different and he just hasn’t looked quite the right fit so far.