The Arsenal Thread XXII

Because most fans - I'm throwing every club under the bus here - haven't a clue as to Giroud's role at the club. The guy gets slated because he doesn't score thirty goals per year, but Wenger never signed him to do that, and knows full-well that Giroud doesn't have the potential to be a thirty goal per season striker.

However, his physicality and technique make him such an underrated player. Not only does he have all the attributes required for the target man role: he's tall, he's strong, he knows how to hold the ball up and bring others into play, and is a threat from set pieces; but his little touches/passes around the box make him a considerably more cultured target man than his English counterpart in, say, Andy Carroll.

His goal ratio and assists are pretty good considering he only cost £10m~.

And yet there are fans crying out for a 'world class striker'. Funnily enough, whenever you ask them who we should sign, you get the same replies: Cavani or Benzema. £50m seems to be the minimum PSG and Real would accept for the aforementioned strikers - and you could easily argue that neither are willing to sell (Perez loves Benzema, and with Ibra retiring in two years Cavani makes perfect sense).

Since 2013, Giroud has 33 goals in 69 appearances, whilst Cavani has 40 goals in 71 apperances, and Benzema has 43 goals in 88 apperances. Cba digging up assists, but you get the gist.

Oli G's underrated as ****.

Bamzooki, LOOOOOOOOOOOOL, you won comment of the thread bruh, Bamzooki was the **** back in day though, can't even lie.

Anyway to contribute to the thread, what XI do you think Arsenal should start with against Monaco?

Remember trying to make my own zook using that downloadable kit. Couldn't even get mine to ****ing move.

Unfair to use Cavani from his PSG days onwards as he has been playing on the wing for large parts of the past couple seasons while Benzema and Giroud pretty much play up top. Benzema's role at the club is supplying to Ronaldo and being his link up man, I'm pretty sure he'll score more goals playing for Arsenal than at Real for that reason and the setup is taylor made for him. Benzema's hold up and link up play is just as good as Girouds, while he's much more mobile a player so is capable of floating on the wings and creating space for e.g. Ramsey and Ozil to exploit, while Giroud doesn't have that in his game(i.e. the movement on the wing and the versatility to effectively play outside of central positions)

Giroud isn't underrated, he's just not a top striker, neither is he the best big game player who regularly drags Arsenal out the dirt against teams superior to them in tactical setup/personnel. There is little scope for improvement in his actual game, unless he is starting to play with better players(see Mandzukic at Wolfsburg compared to his Bayern/Atlético spell). A world class striker would improve your team immensely and there are too many squad/nearly players in the first 11, players such as Debuchy/Arteta/Coquelin/Chamberlain/Welbeck/Mertesacker should not be starting regularly or at all at this moment in time yet they have been starting for prolonged periods this season. That is the difference between a team who are challenging the top 4 and a team that are challenging for the title.

Bamzooki was amazing, but the nerdy little kids who got onto the show always created pathetic little bug things that looked like someone had beat down a gorillapod.

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said, a world class striker isn't what we require. It's evident that the problem with our squad is the lack of defensive cover and lack of a world class CDM.

Splash the cash and get a top CDM who can allow Cazorla and Ozil to do their **** without having to worry too much if they lose the ball. None of this Coquelin **** - he's good enough for the bench, but he isn't getting into the Chelsea, City, Utd, Liverpool, Spurs or even the Southampton team.

I agree. I was just saying that if the situation ever arises that you can get Cavani or Benzema to upgrade Giroud without breaking the bank do it.

CDM ain't the only part that needs improvement, but it's the most pressing part that needs improvement as of now.

I like Wilshere in the line up providing he's 100% fit, and I agree with starting Welbz on the wing with Walcott as a sub in the second half.

But Cazorla on the bench is criminal. No way, José.

I don't know where to put Cazorla though, unless we played a 4-1-4-1 and he moved alongside Ozil. In a 4-2-3-1 Cazorla can be overwhelmed at times, and I would prefer an actual CM like Wilshere (preferably Ramsey though) alongside Coquelin. I wouldn't take Ozil out because he has been our best player in the past few games, wouldn't stick Cazorla on the wings, so putting him on the bench is a necessary evil. Besides, it would give him a well earned rest.

I don't know where to put Cazorla though, unless we played a 4-1-4-1 and he moved alongside Ozil. In a 4-2-3-1 Cazorla can be overwhelmed at times, and I would prefer an actual CM like Wilshere (preferably Ramsey though) alongside Coquelin. I wouldn't take Ozil out because he has been our best player in the past few games, wouldn't stick Cazorla on the wings, so putting him on the bench is a necessary evil. Besides, it would give him a well earned rest.

Whilst I agree with most of what you've said, a world class striker isn't what we require. It's evident that the problem with our squad is the lack of defensive cover and lack of a world class CDM.

Splash the cash and get a top CDM who can allow Cazorla and Ozil to do their **** without having to worry too much if they lose the ball. None of this Coquelin **** - he's good enough for the bench, but he isn't getting into the Chelsea, City, Utd, Liverpool, Spurs or even the Southampton team.

Nah, Coquelin is ideal type of player you want as the water carrier. Put a player that can actually defend and distribute the ball (i.e. Schneiderlin, and unlike our other current CM's) and the midfield would look a lot more solid. All about discipline and synergy at the back of the midfield because we have more than enough creative talent in forward areas that it is not so important in deeper midfield areas.

Wilshere and Ramsey cannot play together.

The rest is the only argument I had in mind - I can't remember the last time I saw him on the bench.

That's exactly what I said.

Great bench material and is definitely blasting 36 Chambers in the dressing room.

Water carrier, not water boy.

He is very disciplined and will stick to his one thing, which is defending and keeping back. So, on that basis, he is better than anything we have in dm at the moment. Better than Flam who does not even bother to look behind him to see Aguero making a decisive run for example.

If you are playing two deep midfielders he'd be in there. 4-2-3-1. Put him with a good distributor and defensive minded midfielder and that would work.
4-1-4-1 would also work but not with physical lightweights like Cazorla in front of him.

You're not serious.

Coquelin as our #1 CDM?

Surely you jest, good Sir?

Who do we have that is better in CDM?

Unless Flammy decides to go black, grow a few inches, develop great footballing ability and rename himself "Vieira" we just do not have anyone available.

Rename himself Gilberto*

We don't have anyone better. But it's about time we actually replaced the great Silva and brought in a good CDM.

Who do we have that is better in CDM?

Unless Flammy decides to go black, grow a few inches, develop great footballing ability and rename himself "Vieira" we just do not have anyone available.