I think if we have Sanchez buzzing around, a real striker up there supporting him, he will get a lot more time and space to put the ball away. Margins for error at this level are wafer thin. If he gets on a roll with confidence, he might make a fool out of you. I'm not convinced either way though.
My point is that wouldn't it be great if we had a striker that had all Giroud's attributes but also, when put through on goal, would 9 times out of 10 put the ball in the back of the net?
Against teams like Sp*rs, Stoke, Sunderland et all (ffs even Bendtner scored 2 goals in 2 home games against such teams) with the odd 2 goals at home (where we're expected to dominate) against Dortmund (yet we still lost) & Napoli. Any striker in the world playing regularly behind our creative midfielders would score 20+ in all competitions. How many of those goals were against Bayern, Chelsea, City, Liverpool, hell even Utd under Moyes? These are the games that matter because a win gets 3pts and denies your direct rivals 3pts at the same time. No one is saying he's sh*t - I'd be the happiest person on earth if he can prove me wrong - just not good enough!
Who is there who does that? There are quicker players, more technical players and better finishers but I can't think of many "units" (and let's face it, that's what he is) who are much better than Ollie. Mandzukic/Dzeko are slight upgrades (maybe) but would cost dollars. There aren't that many big lads out there who can do the hold up play and unglamourous stuff as well as Giroud but also chip in with 20 odd goals. Personally I'd like a completely different forward so we have another option should we need it. Sanchez can go up front, as can Theo but I see them being used mostly out wide.
I'd love Lewandowski but does he put in the graft Wenger is asking for? Personally I think we've the players to work well with him but I think we'd miss OG's work in certain games. Would definitely be nice to have the option though!
I don't see how in a team game you can put this on Giroud. This makes no sense to me whatsoever and is exactly what I mean about oversimplification. You would have to look at the games in a lot of depth to try and figure out the exact way in which those larger sides nullified our entire team before you could conclude that Giroud was to blame for not scoring. Did you guys not listen to your coaches when you were kids? It really doesn't matter who puts the ball into the net!
Definitely - I'd snap your arm off for a striker like that, no matter how much he cost (within reason).
You say that and yet Bedtner only scored 24 goals in his whole career for Arsenal and he had players like Fabregas, Nasri, Ozil, Cazorla, Rosicky, RVP supplying him! Also Drogba hardly ever managed that with the Chelsea midfields and their dominant teams. We played pretty poorly against most of the top teams and not many of our attacking players scored - I blame Giroud not being fast/clinical enough to carry an attack on his own, Wenger setting up the teams wrong, no pace, and crippling injuries on a lot of those results/failures to score. But with a (hopefully) fully fit Walcott and Sanchez, and a (hopefully) improving Oxo, and a keen Campbell then Giroud should never have to carry and attack on his own, and should now be droppable as well.
I beg to differ. There are plenty of strikers who wouldn't. Giroud didn't score against the big teams and that's where his game lets him down, but other than that he is a very decent front man.
This is the main criticism levelled at Giroud. I think everyone thinks that he is a good player but as our main CF or for any top 4 team that is aspiring to win the League, you need a better calibre of striker. From all the Wenger years, he is one of the least outstanding, even if his figures are decent. But I think he will do a job as our CF unit by bringing our better attacking players into the fore - Sanchez and Walcott.
What seems to be agreed, either those for or against Giroud, is that he is a good asset to have around. However, he is only an asset, against the teams from outside the top 4 or 5. You need better quality than him over the season imo. Against the top sides like Chelsea or City, games and titles are won on gilt edged chances; yes those chances may be created for someone else from Giroud's hard work, but, they may also fall to Giroud himself, and I would not fancy him sticking it in the net when it really matters.
To the OP's question-I don't think you are ready, not to win the Prem anyway! You look at Chelsea, and they have not only added quality, but it is the areas that they were let down in last season, in short, they have addressed their weaknesses. City, again have strengthened some areas; GK, CB, RB, the only area you could say they perhaps could have freshened up is either another striker for Dzeko or Negredo, and possibly some quality in the wide areas, but overall slightly improved on what was already excellent. Liverpool will fall backwards, mostly for the loss of Suarez, but also more games, and integrating lots of new players. Man Utd, will improve considerably, but too much to ask for them to launch a realistic assault. Arsenal, aside from Sanchez, not really improved the squad, or significantly, improved the weak areas. At the end of last season most would say the areas that needed to be addressed were DM, Striker, GK, then perhaps CB. With Sagna leaving that changed a bit, but basically you have added to the one area you possibly did not NEED to add to. I see you leaving off where you left last season, winning most games you are expected to, but failing in the big games, bar perhaps a win or 2 at home to your rivals, but still not enough to win the Prem!
People need to get out of this 1990's mentality. We have THREE forwards in this system. The wide men have to contribute goals also. It's not like Wingers in a 442 - Walcott/Sanchez will have very little defensive responsibility. Girouds finishing can be wayward, he has a bad habit of going quiet against the big teams BUT he has not played badly. If Walcott and Sanchez can hit their potential we have two World Class players capable of tearing teams apart with pace. For me I would like to see Giroud improve his finishing but as long as he keeps working hard, holding the ball up and playing in the widemen and midfielders we should be able to challenge. He's been improving every year so Im hopeful Giroud will continue that trend this Season.
I would say that he has played badly in many big games. If you take away the backheel assist in the FA Cup final, he had a thoroughly poor game; he almost looked like he didn't give a monkey's, he constantly gave away possession, didn't make many runs and persistently miscontrolled the balls that were put through to him.
