Arsenal’s weekend couldn’t have got much worse. They were embarrassed 4-3 by Liverpool at home in their first match of the league campaign, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi picked up injuries and, to make matters worse, summer target Alexandre Lacazette had scored a hat-trick for Lyon just prior to the start of their match.
With Olivier Giroud still recovering from his Euro 2016 hangover, Arsenal started the season without a recognised striker. It was an issue Arsene Wenger would have been fully aware of, but one he failed to address. Instead, Alexis Sanchez was deployed through the middle to little success.
Arsenal did attempt to sign Lacazette but their offers were knocked back and nothing has happened since. Instead, the 25-year-old lined up against Nancy in Lyon’s first league game of the season and netted all three of his side’s goals.
His three goals on the opening weekend mean that only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (26) has scored more goals in Ligue 1 in 2016 (Lacazette – 18).
He was joined in the Ligue 1 Team of the Week by teammates Maxime Gonalons and Jeremy Morel after the former completed more passes than any other player in the match (50) and a joint high 11 tackles and interceptions combined across the league’s action. Morel, meanwhile, completed a last man tackle to ensure Lyon kept a clean sheet.
For more stats on Lyon’s 3-0 win over Nancy, click here to visit the WhoScored match centre
