Olivier Giroud Slammed by Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard After Arsenal Loss

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has taken some harsh criticism from former England duo Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard after the Frenchman was sent off in the Gunners' 2-1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday.

Giroud missed a handful of chances before being shown a second yellow card in the 40th minute, leaving Arsenal with 10 men as they lost their opening Champions League group game of the season.

His first yellow card was issued for dissent, the second for a foul on Dinamo right-back Ivo Pinto, and BT Sport pundit Gerrard put the blame squarely on the 28-year-old for getting himself sent off (via Goal.com's Eliot Rothwell):

"

He's been brought into the team to try and hold play up and bring Arsenal's attacking players into the game and everything's bounced off him. He hasn't held it up well at all. He's been booked stupidly for dissent. He's only got himself to blame for the red card even though I feel the second one is really harsh. The first one he's upset the referee with dissent. The referee's got it in for him and he's looking for one mistake and he's made it.

"

Giroud started up front for the Gunners at the Maksimir Stadium, having scored from the bench in Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League win over Stoke City on Saturday.

However, he did not have his scoring boots on against Zagreb, as he missed a couple of early chances. Former Manchester United defender and BT Sport pundit Ferdinand described his performance as "terrible" (via Rothwell).

He criticised his attacking play, suggesting Giroud was ineffective in his role as the centre-forward, per BT Sport:

Giroud's poor performance will only have served to increase Arsenal fans' clamour for manager Arsene Wenger to sign a new striker in the January transfer window.

The Gunners boss came in for criticism at adding no new outfield players in the summer, leaving Giroud as the only genuine striker on Arsenal's books, per Bleacher Report's Andy Brassell:

Theo Walcott has been utilised at times this season in the No. 9 role, and he scored a terrific goal on Wednesday, but serious questions have been raised about his finishing, per Sky Sports' Nick Wright. 

However, Ferdinand believes the Englishman deserves a run in the side as the central striker, per BT Sport:

After Giroud's performance against Zagreb, Wenger may well turn to Walcott in Arsenal's vital Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday.

However, there is no hiding from the fact that Arsenal's strike unit is not up to scratch, and it could prove their downfall this season in both the Champions League and the Premier League.