Arsenal have had a slow start to the season, with a lot of people blaming frailties in their defence as they have had to use the likes of Hector Bellerin, Calum Chambers and Damien Martinez more frequently than they would have liked. It’s clear they need to strengthen at the back and add a bit of much needed depth next month when the transfer window opens. However, the return of Olivier Giroud has provided impetus into the side’s attacking line. This has been highlighted by his goal return since he recovered from his injury last month. He is a really good striker, who knows where the goal is and his ability to convert chances will see Arsenal climb the league as they had struggled to be prolific in the final third so far this season.
Olivier Giroud has only played in seven league games this season, with four coming from the bench and his tally for the season stands at four goals. That is a good start, especially as he is still getting back to match fitness. Last season, his goals in the early part of the season were a huge reason why the club were seen as genuine title challengers for a large part of the campaign. Danny Welbeck has been a good purchase, but he hasn’t been as clinical as Giroud can be. He has a goal every 81.25 minutes, highlighting his quality and his ability to make an impact in a short time on the pitch.
The Frenchman has been averaging 2.6 shots per game, showing that he can be a constant danger over ninety minutes, as he continues to get in the right positions to get his shots away. It’s his striking instincts that make him so difficult to defend against, as he is always posing problems with his movement. He isn’t the quickest, but he has the strength to get past defenders.
He is a complete striker as he can link up well with the array of Arsenal attacking midfielders. On Saturday, he showed that he has already managed to build an on field relationship with Alexis Sanchez as the two were linking up incredibly well, and created a lot of chances between them. If they continue to do so and stay fit, Arsenal could have an attacking partnership that could see them move up the league and secure their position in the top four. The squad at Arsenal is quite strong at the moment, and with a couple of additions, they will be serious title challengers.
Arsene Wenger has come under a lot of pressure this season as his side have been inconsistent and they haven’t progressed as was expected after the side won their first trophy for nine years. The injuries to major players like Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Giroud have created holes in the side, and Arsenal have a big squad, but the title challenging quality spreads over only nine or ten of them. To move forward, they need to acquire more quality, especially in defence and in the middle of the park as a quality defensive midfielder would be a great addition to the squad.
Olivier Giroud has had a positive impact since his return, as he is a better finisher than Danny Welbeck, while his positional awareness is also a lot better. He has the experience that means his positioning in the final third is better than Welbeck, who is sometimes inexperienced and too keen to make an impact that he isn’t always in the best position to score a goal. Giroud brings an aerial presence that the other attackers can’t and that was evident in the opening goal on Saturday as his leap  and header were both world class. If he continues to score goals over the coming months, this season could be a lot better for Arsenal fans than they had thought.
