Watching Arsenal nowadays swings from being a shocking bore (0-0 draws against Stoke City and Sunderland, I’m looking at you) to incredibly fun, nerve-wracking stuff (7-5 Reading, 2-2 Schalke 04 and 3-3 Fulham). It’s frenetic pinball stuff, where you never quite know where the game will end up.
This naturally, has led to an incredibly wide-range of punditry being espoused in Arsenal’s direction: ‘Steve Bould has shored up Arsenal’s defence’ (after the 0-0 draws at the start of the season). ‘Steve Bould has broken Arsenal’s defence’ (after Reading scored 4 first half goals against the Gunners). ‘Giroud is crap’ (after the first 3-4 games of the season). ‘Giroud actually looks pretty great’ (after his brace against Fulham).
As you can see, opinions change quickly and are likely to keep doing so across the breadth of this season. With this new look Arsenal, it’s difficult to know where to stand. I’d argue that it’s a little foolish to put forth an opinion at this stage of the season, but I’ll do it nonetheless.
Olivier Giroud is the man to lead Arsenal’s attack. Not Lukas Podolski, not Theo Walcott.
As much as I’d love to see the Gunners revert to a 4-4-2 and have Giroud and Walcott upfront, it just wont happen. Arsene is now completely stuck in his way and the Gunners ace midfield trio of Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla necessitates a 4-3-3, with one striker through the middle.
Unlike Theo or Lukas, Olivier is a genuine target man. He’ll get the Gunners goals from set-pieces (a rarity at Arsenal). He’ll cause defenders problems due to his physicality. Indeed, after his bad start with the club, he can only get better.
His showing against Fulham proves he has plenty to offer Arsene Wenger. He’s a genuinely great header of the ball, takes up smart positions and has a really powerful shot on him. Once he’s settled in, stopped letting the pressure get to him and re-gained the confidence that he must have lost, I think he’ll be a real force.
Podolski may be unhappy with the role that he currently plays at the club, but he’ll have to learn to put up with it. He was signed as a winger and has shown with his crossing ability that he’s capable of fulfilling the role. As for Theo, I doubt he’ll be here past this summer. If he does stay, I’m sure he’ll be given the occasional opportunity to play upfront.
Arsenal struggled to score goals earlier this season. That struggle appears to be over. The man at the heart of it is Olivier Giroud (Theo deserves credit too!) so let’s get behind him!
What’s your take? Should Arsenal fans persevere with Olivier Giroud?
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Yes, you are right in pointing out the fickleness of the supposed supporters. I think all that any Arsenal supporter would like are the answers to the obvious, e.g. why was Santos selected at ManU ? Why has the Walcott situation dragged on for months ? Why do injuries, supposedly a few weeks, take months to heal ? (My biggest query) why are Arsenal the poor relation of the top clubs when it comes to PR. We used to have Arsenal TV when Setanta was around, but now we do not get Live matches of the Reserves,Under 18s or even the Ladies. No interviews,no analysis. just dear Tom Watt doing his best out of a cupboard.
What Theo and Padolski need to realise they can become second strikers when the attack is up the opposite side to where they play Man U players do this well and that’s why they score so many and Padolski scored that way on Saturday running inside from the left wing so why complain that they want to be in the middle?
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