Arsenal FC: It's Time for Marouane Chamakh to Move on from the Gunners

It had all started so well for Marouane Chamakh.

Forced into a starting role from his very first competitive days with Arsenal, the tall Moroccan looked in every way to be the attacking piece Arsenal had been missing in recent seasons.

He had the technical subtlety Nicklas Bendtner lacked and provided the aerial option that is not exactly Robin van Persie's most notable attribute.

While never known as a goalscorer with Bordeaux, the club he'd signed from for Arsenal in the summer of 2010, he had six strikes in his first 12 games for the Gunners (all competitions) and 10 in 19 matches.

His goals were great, but it was his ability to link up play between the attacking third options that was one of his most impressive attributes.

He was drawing raves from announcers throughout the first half of the season. Heck, he'd even been producing before the actual season began.

In his first appearance in front of an Arsenal crowd, Chamakh scored against AC Milan in the Emirates Cup in a 1-1 draw.

It was a tidy finish, but it augured far more than that. Here was what Arsenal had been missing; an attacker who showed no fear in the goalmouth area, who could provide a physical presence that the aforementioned savvy Bendtner often appeared bereft of.

With Robin van Persie nursing injury, Chamakh was a major reason why Arsenal were able to enjoy a very good opening to their campaign.

But then van Persie got healthy at the end of 2010, and then he started scoring goals like they were going out of style at the start of 2011.

In little over a month, Chamakh went from key starter to fringe substitute. Was it his fault? Not really.

His form hadn't dipped precariously; he'd simply been replaced by a man Arsene Wenger deemed more integral to the Gunners' chances.

His confidence seemed to nosedive because of it.

Since the first day of 2011, Chamakh has scored just twice for Arsenal in 35 appearances.

His floundering form sees him rooted to the bench, now lucky to get a game in the Gunners' secondary outfits, used during the Carling and FA Cup competitions.

It surprised very few people, then, when Bordeaux president Jean Louis Triaud made headlines Wednesday morning by saying that, should Chamakh want to, he would be welcomed back to his former club with open arms.

While Arsenal is not exactly steeped in cover at the forward position, it is time for Chamakh to move on from the club.

His star burned brightly for half a season, but it has come crashing spectacularly back to earth since. How much of that is his fault is a matter of conjecture, but the fact remains: He appears a shell of his former self on the pitch for Arsenal these days, with an injury-time consolation header against Blackburn serving as his only goal of the season.

With Wenger expected to add some attacking options this offseason (Lukasz Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Clint Dempsey are three names that have arisen from the transfer kerfuffle), they should be fine in adapting to life without Chamakh.

Speaking of the 28-year-old Moroccan, Triaud told French radio station RMC, "I have spoken with Marouane and told him that he is welcome at Bordeaux and that we still have room for him."

More power to him, Chamakh has said he is determined to change his fortunes in England and rediscover his sparkling form from 2010.

He has admitted that if he were to leave Arsenal, it would be to return to Bordeaux.

This is no time to be noble; Arsenal are expected to get rid of a number of fringe players this offseason in order to free up funds for an expected summer spending spree.

Chamakh is in the final years of his prime and it doesn't look like he'll get many more games with Arsenal—especially if reinforcements arrive, as they are expected to.

Therefore, Marouane, it was nice knowing you, but it's time to bid you adieu.