After playing 23 Premier League and Champions League games, there is something different about Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud – something which says that the French international seriously needs to throw in the towel for a while and recharge himself.
In the last few games, the striker’s early season sharpness and agility has gone down a notch or two which in a league as tough as the Premier League (apart from the European excursions) makes a world of a difference to the overall performance.
The case was pretty much evident in the home draw against Chelsea where Giroud was far from the in-form striker who, along with Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil bamboozled defenses in the early stages of the campaign. The sharpness and agility was nowhere to be seen against Jose Mourinho’s men. Those chances that were missed during the second half, the Giroud of August, October and November would have dispatched with minimum fuss.
As things stand, Arsenal lead Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table by just a solitary point and though a 3-1 win over West Ham United saw glimpses of the Arsenal side that started the season so brightly, Giroud’s overall performances left a lot to be desired. However, unlike last season where he struggled to get the grips of the workings of English football, it is not Giroud’s form that has suffered. Instead, it is the former Montpellier striker’s fatigue level that is hindering him from playing at his devastating best.
Just a couple of seasons back, Arsene Wenger relied heavily on Marouane Chamakh who was brought in from Girondins de Bordeaux. The Moroccan international started life in England brilliantly till the first half of the campaign and at that time, seemed one of the greatest bargains made by Wenger in the transfer market.
Unfortunately, the return of Robin van Persie, coupled with too many games played too soon, Chamakh’s form deteriorated to an extent where he became a luxury on the bench that his manager could not afford. Though he is a totally different player, Giroud might suffer the same fate if he is not given proper rest. Playing in England and Europe takes its toll and the Frenchman should be given some time off.
And it’s not like that the Gunners have no options available any more. The return of Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott means that even if Giroud does not play, the Londoners have players at their disposal who can share the goal scoring burden.
Theo Walcott in particular has been efficient in front of the goal having scored four times in the last three games. The Englishman’s finishing has massively improved and Arsene Wenger can take advantage of it by playing the former Southampton man upfront. Lukas Podolski on the other hand scored the third and the final goal against West Ham after making his first appearance for the Gunners since August with a well placed finish. The German has played as a centre forward in the past for his former club FC Koln and can deputize with aplomb if given the opportunity.
Moreover, Nicklas Bendtner, when he is not contemplating much on being the best in the world, is not that bad of a player if used wisely. The big Dane has not disappointed whenever given the chance and might be out to prove a point to a manager who was so eager to ship him during the summer transfer window.
Even though there is a widespread opinion that Arsenal need to find a better striker than Olivier Giroud, the Frenchman has performed admirably this season and is the right man to lead the line for the Gunners. Furthermore the former Montpellier man fits in perfectly in Arsenal’s philosophy, works hard and is always willing to drop back and help defend when the back line is under pressure. If given a sufficient amount of rest Giroud can possibly return to his best and help Arsenal end their trophy drought this season.
