Arsenal's Olivier Giroud Conundrum: Has He Done Enough to Be Their Main Striker?
Arsene Wenger, per The Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson, will receive £50 million to allocate in the 2015 summer transfer market.
No doubt wanting to address goalkeeper, centre-back and holding midfield, there is groundswell of sentiment requesting a fourth item be included on the manager's shopping list: a world-class striker.
These recommendations/outcries have put current centre-forwards at the Emirates on notice.
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Arsenal bought Olivier Giroud on 26 July 2012 for £12 million, per BBC Sport; since three summers ago, the former Montpellier HSC striker has played 120 matches, scoring 52 goals.
For the price and subsequent production, Giroud has been a relative success for the Gunners. Take this season: Missing 11 EPL games through injury and/or suspension, he has compiled 10 goals—including five in his last seven starts.
Neither particularly quick nor agile, the French international has existed largely on his supreme 18-yard-box prowess. His aptitude for reading situations, running to the correct post and finding space in dangerous areas is fantastic.
Given history in France, Giroud—depending on the competition—can win a team titles. Montpellier won the 2011/12 Ligue 1 crown by three points over Paris Saint-Germain. The 6'4" forward produced more than 30 percent (21 of 68 goals) of his side's offensive production, winning Ligue 1 Top Goalscorer honours in the process.
Despite manufacturing serviceable statistics in London, the notion Giroud can carry a Premier League load has been generally contestable.
Strikers have often been Arsenal's calling card. Whether Ian Wright, Thierry Henry or Robin van Persie, the Gunners have been blessed with world-class No. 9s—their current crop, in good conscience, cannot be classed as such.
To counter his striking deficiency, Wenger has procured (arguably) the best attacking-midfield collective in England.
Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all supremely talented and make up slack for underwhelming centre-forwards, but they can only drag the north Londoners so far.
Since finishing third in 2011/12—when Van Persie scored 30 goals in 38 games—Arsenal have managed no better than fourth place. Though third looks attainable for the Gunners this season, they will face stern competition from both Manchester United and Liverpool for 2015/16 Champions League football.
Giroud is without question a Premier League player, but being a Premier League striker is not the same as being an Arsenal striker. Surrounded by sumptuous attacking quality in a free-flowing style, an Arsenal No. 9 should score at least 20 goals a season, but the Frenchman has yet to break 17 goals in nearly three years at the Emirates.
This is no indictment of Giroud; he is simply playing to his potential.
One cannot charge a person to do things outside of their limitations, then when they predictably fall short of expectations, harangue them—that is lunacy. One must rather evaluate the status quo, then choose whether they are comfortable with the situation.
As such, Wenger must decide whether he can afford to linger with this experiment until summer 2018, when the 28-year-old forward's contact ends.
Based on the acquisition of Danny Welbeck last September, Arsenal insinuate (through their purchases) a hint of dissatisfaction and/or frustration. By spending £16 million on the former Manchester United man, the Gunners returned to their bargain well.
Were Wenger serious about winning the Premier League and possibly the Champions League, an emphasis on acquiring top-tier talent would be made. Issuing a £40 million-plus-one-pound bid for Luis Suarez in 2013—via the Guardian's Andy Hunter—Wenger and the Arsenal board demonstrated they know what is required but have yet to apprehend one of the world's elite No. 9s.
The criteria for Arsenal's main striker depends exclusively on the club's ambition.
If the aim is to achieve top-four status and earn Champions League football, winning the odd domestic cup competition, then Giroud is perfect; he has proven over three seasons his aptitude for such work.
Winning the Premier League with Giroud at the helm, however, is an altogether different conversation—with a completely reversed answer—especially sans fresh, bold scaffolding bolstering others areas on the pitch.
*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase.com and TransferMarkt.co.uk where not noted.
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