By: Temitope Bolarinwa
If you ever wondered why Arsene Wenger’s priority over the summer was
to get a striker, I guess the game against Manchester United and Monday’s game against Chelsea would have been the final pieces in your jigsaw, if not; maybe you were not just looking.
MATCH STATS
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR MANCHESTER UNITED ARSENAL
SCORES 1 0
POSSESSION 40.5% 59.5%
SHOTS ON TARGET 2 2
SHOT ACCURACY 40% 33.3%
GIROUD RATED GOAL.COM‘S Flop of the match.
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR ARSENAL CHELSEA
SCORES 0 0
POSSESSION 59.5% 40.5%
SHOTS ON TARGET 2 4
SHOT ACCURACY 61.4% 38.6%
If the need to bolster the striking force of the erstwhile league leaders was not obvious before the game on Monday, I am sure even the blind can point it out as the reason Arsenal could not take their chances and why although it was a game against one of the big teams,
it was two points dropped rather than one point gained.
Arsenal’s frustration in going forward in the game against united is further exposed by the fact that their best combination of passes in their nearly 60% control of the game was between Koscielny and Vermalaen whereas Manchester United had their best combination in Valencia and Rooney.
Giroud’s criticism in the Man Utd game can start from the goal Van Persie scored, he was flat footed in the duel and although running towards the ball gave Van Persie some advantage he allowed Van Persie leap over him to put David Moyes’ charges one goal up.
He continued the game showing how poor he can be with off the ball runs, not trying to get behind the Man Utd defence line when arsenal was in possession limiting arsenal to the same number of shots on target as their
opponents even though they had 20% more of the ball.
Furthermore arsenal put in more crosses in the game than united and had more success with their crossing accuracy than United but the wastes of the crosses got even worse when he was joined by want away Nicklas Bendtner. In the Chelsea game which is the most recent show of shame from a forward player hoping to lead his team to the title, Giroud’s criticism can start anywhere really.
GIROUD AGAINST CHELSEA
TOTAL PASSES PASSING ACCURACY DUELS WON AERIALDUELS WON Goal.com PLAYER RATING
31 64.5% 43.8% 30% 2/5
Arsenal attempted a total of ten shots in the Manchester United game twice as much as the red devils. Only two of those shots were credited to Giroud. In fact Arsenal is now third in the league’s goal scorers’ chat only to Man City and Liverpool. Of all the 33 goals scored so far only 7 [21%] have come from a Giroud. Liverpool who are the next best
to City in the league with points have scored 42 goals with 19 [45%] of them coming from, you guessed right Suarez.
Wenger really is insulting the Premier League by attempting to win it with a striking combination of Giroud and Bendtner or if you prefer I say Giroud and Podolski. Let us take a look at what strike partnership have delivered the
league in the last 5 years.
YEAR CLUB STRIKE PATNERSHIP TOTAL LEAGUE GOALS
2013 MANCHESTER UNITED ROONEY & VAN PERSIE 12+26=38
2012 MANCHESTER CITY AGUERO AND DZEKO 23+14=37
2011 MANCHESTER UNITED CHICHARITO & BERBATOV 13+20=33
2010 CHELSEA DROGBA & LAMPARD 29+22=51
2009 MANCHESTER UNITED RONALDO & ROONEY 18+12=30
For the sake of doing an estimate, if we assume that Giroud would find the net in the remaining two games of the first round of matches. That would bring his tally to 9 for the season and if he enjoys the same form he had at the beginning of the season sometime during the second round of matches he would have 18 goals by the end of the season which
would be match to the poorest goal haul by a league winning team’s top
scorer [Ronaldo in 2009].
The days of the defensive woes are definitely over with Arsenal sitting as the second best defence in the league so close to midway in the season. Save the Man City game Arsenal have kept it tight at the back and are far more stable at the back. If Wenger really intend to carry on his title challenge, end Arsenal’s
trophy-less run and above all consolidate the presence of arguably the best creative midfielder in the World, he should really consider changing the attacking options for the rest of the season.
Giroud not only fall short with his finishing but also with his connecting the
team together in leading the attack. The team has a number of options which includes Theo Walcott and Podolski who arguments can be made for about some prolific record in the past. Sanogo is largely unproven and Bendtner is struggling with confidence.
Every other striker who would be fit the pursuit of Arsenal this Season is cup tied in the Champions league, a safe attempt for the while would be Lewandowski to drive home the title challenge and put the squad in a good position for the season to come. A wild card would be to loan Adebayor for the rest of the season to help with the title push and the Champions league as well. To reposition Arsenal, a major attacking option is needed as soon as can be added
