By now it seems to be an established fact that Arsenal need to sign a striker during the January transfer window. The only debate seems to be over whether the individual should be a replacement for Olivier Giroud, or somebody who would act as the Frenchman’s stand-in whenever necessary.
Giroud has worked hard this season and earned his role as the Gunners leading man. He always looks like the most exhausted man on the pitch at the end of the game and with good reason. He spends most matches bumping off of defenders, battling it out in the air, enduring shoulder barges, jostling for possession and harrying defenders.
Don’t let his lack of mobility disguise his hard-working nature. Giroud is capable of putting in a shift. Luckily enough, his tireless performances often reap dividends. The Frenchman holds the ball up well, links up neatly with the Arsenal midfield and knows how to find the back of the net.
He’s Arsenal’s most important player at the moment, simply because he’s good at what he does and there’s nobody in the squad who could replace him.
Arsene Wenger needs to right this wrong during the transfer window. He needs to bring in somebody that’s good enough to keep Giroud on his toes, without making him feel like a second class citizen.
That’s why I can’t help but feel that Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko would be a good fit for the Gunners. So too do The Mirror, who suggest that he is a target for Arsene Wenger.
He’s not an entirely dissimilar player to Giroud. He’s smart, hard-working and he’s a natural goal-scorer. He’s the kind of player who can make a difference as a starter, or coming off the subs bench.
At 27-years-old, Dzeko should be enjoying the best years of his career. Instead he’s enduring frustration at Man City, where he’s currently behind Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo. It’s unlikely that he’s ever going to get ahead of that dynamic duo in the pecking order, so perhaps it’s best he moves on.
He’s not good enough that he’ll intimidate Olivier Giroud. But he is good enough that he’ll make a big difference in Arsenal’s title-chase this season. As Giroud’s legs begin to ache, Dzeko would be there to pick up the slack.
That sounds like a winning partnership to me.
What’s your take? Would Edin Dzeko be a good strike partner for Olivier Giroud?
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