Umm let’s be clear here, weren’t quite a good proportion of those 15 games sub appearances? If I remember rightly they were, but maybe I’m wrong. It was a dry spell but an overegged dry spell because he got dropped and became a sub. That aside for around 40 games before that and all the subsequent games this season he’s averaged about a goal a game.
I’m not a Giroud fan, I don’t him as first choice but as a rotational option. I’m pointing out that the barren run isn’t put into context, ie plenty of those 15 games he didn’t even start. 12 of his appearances were off the bench throughout the season.
In the season as a whole he managed 3 more leadue goals than Alexis despite starting less and having slightly less minutes overall. Obviously it’s a bit easier starting leading the line but still.
His minutes per goal ratio this season is 71! He is top by far in that chart, Aguero is next with a goal every 101 minutes.
Not saying he should be starting every match, but his stats and what he brings to the team shouldn’t be sniffed at. Yeah he had a bad run last season - but most strikers go through a dry spell. He certainly shouldn’t be judged on that period alone.
When I checked before this game he had a higher goals per minute ratio and assists per minute ratio than Messi lol
Meanwhile Sanchez continues being joint top scorer (with an absent Costa). Perez seems to be scoring as well, even Iwobi seem to get them in the net huffing and puffing so it looks like we have the striking power for now.
Coincidentally our midfield is instead disjointed and dysfunctional, while our wing/wide attacking options are subpar together with full backs who aren’t good enough to compensate. It actually seems our two best wide options Iwobi and Perez are on the same (left) side as well so no luck in that regard either. As long as we grind out the wins we can pick it up though.
Next week could be good to concede a game on the bench, playing with Welbeck or Perez as starter despite an home game against a team like Burnley isn’t properly the right type of game to keep Olivier on the bench.
Dont kid yourself. Wenger never had any intention of demoting giroud to second striker.
Wenger has waited his time to slot Giroud in and now Giroud is number 1 and we will remain top 4 at BEST until we get rid of Wenger .
As soon as that hairy, chiseled chin of his wedged itself between the door, you just knew we would be seeing him start often. I really don’t like it. Regardless of results, we play so much more fluidly.
I guess I just thought we’d see a lot more rotation upfront at this point, regardless of Giroud’s contract extension, it almost feels like we’re obliged to use him for that matter alone.
At least Giroud is bloody loyal. Loves the club. Will play 90 minutes or 9 minutes with a smile on his face.
I’m not saying Giroud should be starting for us every week, he obviously shouldn’t be, but if we hadn’t luckily got the penalty at the end today, us drawing would not have been his fault. He is such an easy scapegoat. Sometimes he gets criticised when he doesn’t even play!