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Could Arsenal turn back time and deploy two strikers?

By Kian Long

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his sides second goal with Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal and his team mates during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Stoke City at Emirates Stadium on April 1, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 01: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his sides second goal with Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal and his team mates during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Stoke City at Emirates Stadium on April 1, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal may find it beneficial to start playing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang & Alexandre Lacazette together.

If you would have told any Arsenal fan last season that they would soon be choosing between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang & Alexandre Lacazette each week, they’d have called you mad. Since Robin van Persie left the club, the Gunners have had a bad experience with strikers.

Don’t get me wrong, Olivier Giroud was very undervalued, but he was never going to be the striker a club of Arsenal’s stature needed. That’s why it shows great intent that they now have both Aubameyang and Lacazette under their wing, in the space of just half a year.

The Frenchman arrived in North London last summer, and he became Arsenal’s record signing. He soon proved his worth, as he scored within a few minutes of his Premier League debut. After that, though, the Frenchman’s time has been somewhat lackluster.

That was until Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was bought from Borussia Dortmund. The two seem to have quite the connection, although the game-time in which they share is limited. The arrival of Aubameyang has brought out the best in Lacazette, and Arsenal fans will wish it continues.

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However, with two star strikers in their ranks, Arsenal must be smart about how they go about it. Of course, they have been lucky (to some extent) that Aubameyang isn’t eligible to play in the Europa League, so Alexandre Lacazette has been able to get frequent game-time.

In the Premier League game against Stoke City, the two had their first glimpse of each other, and it was picturesque. Stoke City held the Gunners to a stalemate for a large part of the game, but both of the strikers ended up on the score-sheet, Lacazette once, Aubameyang twice.

Now, this opens the discussion of playing a striker partnership, which is somewhat of a taboo in the modern game. Particularly in the Premier League, the thought of a front two brings plenty of nostalgia, but it’s relatively unheard of nowadays. Arsenal have fond memories of it, of course, as they remember the Arsenal Invincibles.

By no means am I saying that pairing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang & Alexandre Lacazette will give the dynamism which Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp brought. However, it does have the potential to be a success.

The same discussion was held when Arsenal brought Alexandre Lacazette. I like many others, thought that he would make a good partner with Olivier Giroud, but it never quite materialized.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang & Alexandre Lacazette are two different players. Where the former likes to make runs into space and exploit defensive frailties, the latter is one to drop deep and link play between defense and attack.

Of course, both are deadly finishers, so this partnership could be worth looking into. Arsenal take on Newcastle this weekend, and with no Europa League anytime soon, it’s certainly worth experimenting.

Related Story: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is having a positive impact at Arsenal

What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

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