Thursday, May 2, 2013

Collection FC: Evalutating the Gunners' Stunning Options Without Olivier Giroud - Bleacher Record

Make no mistake, this top four race should go down to the line. Just three points split up third-place Chelsea and fifth-place Spurs right now, with fourth-place Arsenal sandwiched among. The three London competitors now head into the final stretch of games understanding that every single level counts, and like it will go down to the very last day of the summer season it is looking. Arsenal, nevertheless, will soon be without Olivier Giroud, their key man in advance, for another two matches, while the Frenchman was shown a right red in the Gunners' 1-0 make an impression on Fulham last week-end. For all the criticism he's received, Giroud has 17 objectives in all tournaments, that is not bad by any stretch of the imagination considering it's his first time in England. That said, the former Montpellier man has had his ups and downs. When he is perhaps not in just one of his purple patches of kind, Giroud could be frustratingly wasteful, and on significantly more than a few occasions he is missed odds that the certain Dutchman surely might have buried. Arsene Wenger has been overly dependent on Giroud up top in 2013 as he appears to be the only out-and-out striker at the club, and the Arsenal boss will undoubtedly be forced to improvise given that the French global is stopped. Although do not require seem to be right strikers, the way it is seen by me, you can find three possible contenders for the position of only striker in a Giroud-less Arsenal area. Gervinho I think when I say that out from the three alternatives, this is the person we least desire to see at the start I speak for most Arsenal supporters. Though Gervinho had a good cause of form as striker in the beginning of the period, rating some targets in the Premier League along with the Champions League, his confidence dropped to rock bottom when he endured a dreadful work of form in the wintertime, highlighted by this neglect. The Africa Cup of Nations could not came sooner for the Ivorian, who regained his form having a great contest, despite Ivory Coast being pulled out in the quarterfinals. Gervinho was then gradually cut back to the first group after returning from his national duties, before finding another good plot of form where he scored two aims and notched up three assists in just three games. Now back to making replacement hearings, Gervinho will need to impress again to get himself back in the starting 11, and it generally does not look like he will function as one having the nod to play up front because of the fact that his finishing is simply so frustratingly sporadic. Lukas Podolski Just like Giroud, Lukas Podolski has had his ups and downs in 2013. There's no arguing with his 14 goals in every competitionsa'a very good tally considering he is spent most of his time on the left winga'and he's actually won a couple of crackersAwith his famous left foot. But research and YouTube features aside, Podolski's tendency to move down in games simply cannot be overlooked. There has been numerous times this seasona'in particular during the big matchesa'when I forget Podolski's also on the frequency, simply to be reminded when he's taken off by Arsene Wenger. And this raises still another point about Podolski, which is his inability to complete 90 minutes. Obviously it is a worrying leg injuryAthat's been plaguing him all time, which could also function as the reasons why he was strangely from the first group for most of March and April. While he's more than capable of playing striker, rating 18 objectives from that place for FC Cologne in the Bundesliga last season, as mentioned before, Podolski has been used at left side for the absolute most part this season. It was Podolski who was given the go-ahead to start out up front in Arsenal's 1-1 bring with Manchester United, but eventually set in a disappointing performance where he appeared to lack energy and had trouble getting into the game, before characteristically being tried in the 71st moment. Nonetheless, I will give him the benefit of the doubt for a performance against United. He has not played striker in over a year, let alone against the league winners, so going into the last three matches of the growing season, I had prefer to see Podolski given a couple of more chances at the start. The German international is probably the best finisher at the club,Aand against the likes of QPR, Wigan and Newcastle, he can positively do some harm. Theo Walcott Walcott has already established by far his best period within an Arsenal top, scoring his 19th target in all contests in the Gunners' 1-1 draw with Manchester United. Most of his goals have come as a winger, but Walcott has finally been given the chance in a central striking part in 2013, gettingAfour goals and two assists in his six games played as a strikera'but the numbers do not tell the whole story. Three of the goals and both of the assists got because spectacular performance against Newcastle, indicating as a forward he's scored only once in another five games. I think, Walcott is most effective to the side and much less a central striker. His hold-up play is non-existent, as are his aerial talents, indicating the only credit he has is speed. He is perhaps not planning to score from getting a head on a combination or holding up a before turning and having a shot; rather, he will score from hugging the neck of the past defender, getting on the finish of a through ball and completing it. Fortunately for Theo, Arsenal's last three accessories have Walcott's name written all over. The 23-year-old's best performances frequently come against so-called "smaller clubs" with weak defenses, therefore already-relegated QPR, an 18th-placed Wigan staff enjoying three at the back, and a Newcastle part which may have already felt Walcott's full wrath are all the types of clubs that the England international grows against. He might not need the next at the club as a, but Theo Walcott might be crucial because place in Arsenal's top four run-in. Arsene Wenger's options up top are restricted as a result of his own faults in the transport market, but his best bet would be to choose either Walcott or Podolski, providing Podolski another chance against Queens Park Rangers next weekend and allowing Walcott play striker in the following fit against Wigan. It is these types of decisions that generate professionals the big bucks, therefore Wenger's selection may have to be a great one as Arsenal absolutely must get nine points from their ultimate fits of the summer season to be able to secure that top four place. Seriously, you Gunners.

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