Having started the last three Premier League games on the bench, it’s clear that Olivier Giroud’s status as first choice centre-forward for Arsenal is under real threat.
Theo Walcott got the nod in the league, and has scored twice so far this season, while the Frenchman blew his chance of staking a claim with a soft sending off in Zagreb.
However, Arsene Wenger has backed the former Montpellier man to show his quality and react to the disappointment he must be feeling.
“With Olivier Giroud it is a competition with Walcott,” the manager told Arsenal Player. “When one plays people always ask, ‘Why did you not play the other one?’
“When you have two top-level strikers, some games Giroud plays and some games Walcott plays. Nobody anymore can play 60 games per season.
“What we want to do is make the right decision for the right game. Giroud is a guy who has a positive attitude, who is ready to have a go.”
It remains to be seen who will start at White Hart Lane tomorrow night, but the feeling is Giroud, level with Walcott on 2 goals this season, will be the man with the England international kept in reserve with Saturday’s trip to Leicester in mind.
And with the Capital One Cup a competition in which young blood has often been used, tomorrow night’s team is likely to be an experienced one with some rotation, simply because the young players who might have got a chance are gaining experience elsewhere.
“At the moment the youth-team players, many of whom are ready to play for us, are away on loan,” said Wenger.
“The next players who have the talent are not completely ready to play at that level. With the difficulty of the opponent as well, you do not want to throw them into a game where they look out of place.
“There are no fringe players, there is only a first-team squad. It is an opportunity for Arsenal to win an important game and for the players who play for the club to defend our club and qualify.”
Let’s hope we see a reaction to the last two games.
I 8 Spuds
Guess luck is on our side… first Gabriel’s red card is overturned so he can play and then we have news the youngsters are away so the first team squad will be selected.
Load the cannons and blow the cunts to smithereens!
Forever COYG!!!
If we get beat tomorrow (well writing this at 2:52am I suppose its today) .. but you know what I mean. But, If we get beat, I think it’s officially time to press the panic button extremely hard. Like you mash it so hard, that the red light stops flashing on inside, and it wont return to its original position, probably because the spring is broken or some sh*t like that.. Then you have to call up the maintenance department and get them to send someone up to fix it. And they always send up the same a**hole as last… Read more »
Is that you rambling pete?
No, Rambling Pete is much, much better.
Rambling Pete has not been seen for a while… whereth rambles he?
Rambling pete wannabe
Giroud is a fantastic striker. I’m he would prove many wrong this year..
I reckon he will score 20 pl goals this year.
Giroud is a fantastic striker. I’m sure he would prove many wrong this year..
I reckon he will score 20 pl goals this year.
Mistake that.
I don’t like Spuds but over the weekend I saw a boatload of their fans tweeting about how disgraceful the behaviour of Costa and Mourinho was and how Arsenal were hard done by. That wouldn’t have happened a few years ago and I think it’s because they don’t see us rivals any more. I hope Wenger takes this opportunity to give Alex Iwobi some minutes tomorrow and also give guys like Gibbs/Debuchy a chance to redeem themselves after Zagreb. It’d be a shame if we dropped points at Leicester due to our ‘best 11’ having been forced to play the… Read more »
We just don’t have the fire power….
It’s mid September and our squad is looking very thin….Wenger has messed up again!!
team for tomorrow
Ospina, debuchy, gibbs, gabriel, koscienly, arteta, ramsey, flamini, ox, campbell, giroud
It will be calamitous losing this game at spurs
No it won’t because we’re not going to lose it.
No it won’t because it’s the least important competition we enter.
Get a grip.
Yeah I wouldn’t mind if we played our kids, had a good go …don’t mind getting knocked out of this competition in those circumstances much as it’s just a distraction from CL and PL.
Though Dean was not reprimanded,at least Gabriel wasn’t banned.I would have preferred Arsenal to win and Gabriel sent off.
The game against Spurs is going to be tough.Kane will want to show he is no flash in
the pan. How is it he hasn’t been able score so far?Well defenders have studied his
dossier and know how to stifle him. Same with our Sanchez.Hopully class is permanent.
I expect a close encounter with the tie going to et and the match decided by penalties.
I kind of disagree with the two top level striker comment. How he can call them that with the chances they’ve missed so far I don’t know. I know why he said it but I just don’t believe him. Sometimes wenger looks a bit silly with some of the stuff he comes out with. Top top quality does better in those situations. I agree with Henry. And the financial stuff that I read from Swiss ramble really rubs salt in the wounds
He said top level not work class. Anyone who plays for Arsenal is clearly top level.
* world not work
Fair point mate. I’m just disillusioned with our lads at the minute. I think wenger has lost his killer instinct. We should of signed a striker full stop. And a combatative midfielder. When coq is out we have no alternative and get beat by a team that hadn’t won a champions league match in what 15 games was it? I’m fed up of being disappointed in the same manner each season
I choked on my beer when I read that “When you have two top-level strikers,…” bit. I presume he’s trying to boost their confidence and publicly show his faith in them. Let’s just let them show what they can do in the pitch please AW and avoid these sort of comments that will just give your enemies ammunition as to how out of touch you are. I’m sure we all want Theo and Olly to do well and prove Le Prof’s faith in them was justified but don’t tell me how great they are just yet please because so far… Read more »
The top guys in the line up have not been delivering. It’s about time they start doing so.To do that please see how CP beat Chelsea and Wh defeated MC. These teams don’t waste time with the passes. The passes were swift and direct and no intricate patterns. As with our top guys,Kane and Son and company will want to beat the gunners .Its about time our super stars delivered.Kane has been shackled lately and not given much and space to manouvre. Breathe down his neck and the others. But Wenger believes you must let the other team play.It is… Read more »
From what I’ve seen so far even though we’ve wasted a lot of chances this purposeful competition between Theo and Giroud has been really good for Theo so far. He’s shown up with determination and has been constantly getting into scoring positions the last few matches. Having a real competition for a spot on his hands just may be working at the I moment to keep him up. Yes, he had a stinker match, but he’s tuning in recently with a bit more of a run in the position. Obviously Giroud isn’t quite so well but I think that is… Read more »
I’m still hoping to see both of them on the pitch at the same time. Two years ago before Theo got hurt, that combination was ripping other teams to shreds.
that won’t happen this year, I think. Primarily to accommodate Ramsey and develop Ox. And I don’t think there is anything wrong in it. Ox can be much better than theo on wings in my opinion, given that he gets a run of games.
Agreed AP, they were really developing their Automatisms.I miss that too, and hope to see it in appropriate situations.
I also see Ox staking a claim right side, especially with Wenger’s repeated calls for him to step up there this year. ‘Pends who we’re up against and who’s on form- hopefully they all pick it up and the Manager can gleefully batter the opposition’s weaknesses with the right player at the right time.
Unless we somehow dust off the old 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 for something interesting, but from what i’ve seen i’m not holding my breath.
Who really cares about the Capital One? more worried about Leicester and Man Utd to come and Europe. We are shite at the moment. MInd you, a 4-0 over Spurs would be a tonic for the season.
I think that Tonic is exactly what’s more important than the Capital One. Besides, they’re constantly annoying me with email offers and thanking me for being a member even though I’m not. Scared the fuck out of me that I’d been hit with some kind of identity theft. (Not a wannabe Pete, that’s just the truth.)
But if we happen to somehow stumble upon it without much fuss along the way, wouldn’t mind so much!
My name says it all. COYG!
Lewandowski scored more league goals in nine minutes than…
Liverpool, Newcastle and West Brom have this season
Six of Bayern’s Bundesliga rivals have managed
Anyone in the bottom half of La Liga
Seven Serie A sides (league leaders Inter have only matched his nine-minute haul)
Wayne Rooney has in 2015
Mario Balotelli did in his season at Liverpool
Nicklas Bendtner has in over three years
From BBC.
Petition to remove Dean from Arsenal matches up to 90 thousand. More than attend a match.
Lol. Petition the govt to get involved in Football.
A) never going to happen
B) they will have to discuss this in parliament now which is just a waste of their time
Actually, it’s a petition to the FA. Sign it.
https://www.change.org/p/the-football-association-the-fa-prevent-mike-dean-from-refereeing-another-arsenal-game
guys, i am on a visit to UK for today and tomorrow from India and would like to visit the match today if anyone is willing to sell a ticket. if yes, please email me at [email protected] or drop your phone number..
As per usual, the only team capable of beating us is us.
If we’re on it, they have no chance but with the mighty Arsenal ‘if’ is a gigantic word.
I just hope one of our strikers, just anyone, starts playing in form and becomes our new coq. I don’t care if it’s Campbell or Giroud, just score goals like crazy!!!
Anyways, fuck spurs. COYG!!!
I miss Guitar.