Arsenal did not ‘respect’ Mikel Arteta’s tactics and game-plan, blasts Alex Lacazette after dramatic 3-3 West Ham draw

ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE astonishingly claimed he and Arsenal’s players did not ‘respect’ Mikel Arteta’s tactics and game plan against West Ham. The French striker, 29, was the hero as he completed a comeback from 3-0 down to earn a point against the Hammers on Sunday. However, after conceding three inside the first 32 minutes at the […]

ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE astonishingly claimed he and Arsenal’s players did not ‘respect’ Mikel Arteta’s tactics and game plan against West Ham.

The French striker, 29, was the hero as he completed a comeback from 3-0 down to earn a point against the Hammers on Sunday.

Reuters

Alexandre Lacazette claims Arsenal’s players did not respect Mikel Arteta’s game-plan against West Ham[/caption]

AP

The French striker rescued a point for the Gunners against the Hammers on Sunday[/caption]

However, after conceding three inside the first 32 minutes at the London Stadium, Lacazette insisted it was the players who had let their manager down.

He told Sky Sports afterwards: “My feeling is mixed between being proud of my team for coming back in the second-half and being disappointed with the first-half.

“We didn’t respect the game-plan from the coach and we conceded three goals.

“This is not what we wanted.”

West Ham punished Arsenal’s sloppy start with Jesse Lingard, Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek all finding the net.

But they failed to stretch their points advantage in the Premier League over their capital rivals as they allowed them back into it.

Lacazette said: “Maybe we were under pressure because we knew it was a big game, this is where we have to improve as well.

“We have to work a lot to be ready for the rest of the season.

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“It’s really complicated when we play these kinds of games, the difference at half-time. We need to work a lot.

“I think given the bad first-half, we could come back and score more, but this is football. We can’t be perfect.”

Lacazette also feels he should have ended the game with two goals.

He thought he had bagged a brace only for his first effort to be awarded as a Soucek own goal instead.

He said: “I think the first goal is mine. That’s not nice.

“The second goal, the third goal in the second-half, we came back for the draw.”

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