Giroud dropped for Arsenal v Stoke – Official teams and preview

Even though Olivier Giroud is out of form and lacking in confidence after his slow start to the season with Arsenal and the France national team, whose friendly fans helpfully booed the big striker this week, I did not expect Arsene Wenger to drop him for the clash with Stoke City today, but that is what the Frenchman has done.

Theo Walcott comes in and will probably occupy the centre forward position, although I would not mind seeing Alexis Sanchez given another chance to show what he can do there. THere is not likely to be a lot of space in behind as Stoke will surely try to stifle the game and defend deep.

THe only other change is Gabriel replavcing Mertesacker who does not even make the bench so must be struggling for fitness or with illness. But I think that could make our back line stronger and could be the shape of things to come for Arsenal in the future.

This is a big game for the likes of Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey as it could be a difficult and patient job to break down a stubborn and determined Stoke side. And early goal would, of course, be ideal and if we get one this could be a goal fest. Any win wil do though, so Come On You Gunners and get the job done.

Tags Gabriel Walcott

115 Comments

  1. I like Paulista starting and giving Walcott a go up front. Good for Giroud motivation and hopefully good for the team / result.

    I still think Walcott is a winger but hey, I support the team.

  2. It’s only a matter of time before ramsey gets injured again, he plays every minute of every game, wenger is not managing him well as he is injury prone too. He needs to sit on the bench some times, he is one of the few player in epl to have played every minute this season. I will like chamberlain to be given like a 5 game run on the right wing as i was really excited to see his progress after preseason. Hoping for a 2-0 win.

  3. Naismith……………. Hatrick Against Chelshit!…………….. Something Giroud has never done even against a relegation team!

    1. yea i Love him(Giroud) thats why i challenge him to do better…….or get replaced………. Think i’m more of the Latter

    1. yea @ muff…………Stones……..Lil wonder why Moaniho was willing to fork out well over 30something miL for him………. Thank God! The transfer fell through

  4. Chelsea lost for the third time in five matches, sms have given up 2+ goals every March this season, yet Arsenal are the specialists in failure. Piss off Mourinho, I can’t wait for you to get fired, again.

  5. So…chelsea was active in the transfer window….so…..the just lost to Everton. …so…..3-1…so…
    Wenger out!!!!!!

  6. I like this line up ?
    Whatever Naismith can do, Walcott can do better ?
    I got a good feeling we will smash the potters!
    7 or 8 nil … now then, where did I leave my crack pipe ?

  7. It’s even more important for us to win now because of Chelsea result to start building up points against our rivals.

    Must winger use Ramsey, santi, Ozil and coq in the same match.

    He need balls to bench one of the first three.

    1. I would prefer to use Oxlade myself, but I can see why in theory a better passer with a better scoring history could prove more useful trying to break a ten man defense. However ..Oxlades dribbling capabilities should not be underestimated in trying to ware down rigid backlines.

      If we are winning I have no qualms with it but if we are finding breaking the deadlock a stubborn thing well then it makes even more sense to get our best dribblers out there.

  8. Well go look at Walcotts twitter account. He tweeted praise for Sanchez then tweeted this about himself ….

    “Alexis played well as a #9 for Chile and Theo looked great in his best position as a wide right forward. #afc

    So at last Walcott admits he is no striker and that the wing is his best postion.

    Bob …. Please note this.

    If Walcott is playing as a striker, I expect a performance which will be less than what Giroud, Wellbeck and Sanchez would produce. I therefore think Sanchez should be up front. He can play with his back to goal unlike Walcott, will not keep turning into centre-halves and will have 3x more chance of scoring a goal and 5x more chance of giving an assist.

    Has Walcott ever made an assist as a striker? Has he even passed the ball to another player before it is snatched away from him while playing as a striker?

    Please don’t have Walcott up front.

  9. Walcott is Shitty up front
    Put Cavani up front….oh wait, I forgot we didn’t get him
    Put Giroud up front

  10. Anyone see a pattern here? Miss tons of chances, slowly the game will even up, maybe even concede a set piece.. COME ON, BURY THE BALL ALREADY!

  11. Not happy. Well happy about the goal but we should be 3-4 nil up. We are like 8 goals behind City’s GD, we need to be more clinical. I heard we are the worst team in the league, after Liverpool, in finishing. This needs to change.

  12. Bloody brilliant top class goal by Theo. Started with a top class tackle, followed by a world class assist and finish.

    Credit where it’s due. Yes, attempts were missed beforehand, but practice makes perfect and breeds confidence.

  13. Walcott been making great runs all game, need more long balls to take advantage of his incredible pace.

    Maybe hang back a bit with Walcott upfront, to give him running space.

  14. It’s either Cazorla and Ramsey, Cazorla and Ozil, pr Ozil and Ramsey. We cannot have all three and leave a proper winger in Oxlade out of the team. Wenger needs to understand this. One goal from Stoke, even a freakish one, and we will regretting those missed chances.

    1. Arnautovic, what a pu*sy.

      Watching us miss those chances is agony..

      We have made Butland look like the England #1

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