So it seems that the Arsenal and France centre forward Olivier Giroud is fit again after the mystery toe injury that I for one am still a bit dubious about. For reasons of fitness, injury, form or whatever else, the big striker has yet to start a game this season, for Arsenal anyway as he did start once for his country in the September international break.
And I think that Giroud will still be waiting for his first Gunners start after the EFL cup clash with Reading tonight, even though Arsene Wenger has suggested that he is in line to play. What the manager did not say, however, was that last season’s top scorer would be in the team from the start.
Wenger also spoke to the Arsenal website about Lucas Perez, the Spanish striker signed in the summer, and it sounds to me as though he is the player more likely to start at the Emirates this evening.
The boss said, “He did extremely well against Ludogorets because he came on and gave two great goals.
“He was a bit like the rest of the team against Middlesbrough, in that he could not have as big an impact because the whole team was not functioning as well.
“I believe he has the potential to be a great player for us. In training he continues to show he has the potential to play, he now has to transfer that into the games.
“The more he does that – against Reading he will have an opportunity – the more we will be tempted to say, ‘let’s do it’.”
While the Frenchman thinks Lucas is ready to shine, he must have some concerns about Giroud being rusty after playing so little football so far. Lucas could play out wide I suppose, but with Iwobi and the Ox also set to play I think the Spaniard will get his chance through the middle. So will the big Frenchman have to wait on the bench for his own chance to impress? Or will he start Lucas on the wing and Giroud in the centre?
Bob.
Both of them for match fitness. Giroud to replace Akpom.
Definitely start them both. They will both be eager to impress Wenger, but might not pass to each other!
Wenger specifically said Giroud will be ‘involved’, I assume he’ll come on 60th minute or so.
I don’t know
Wenger has a tendency of substituting very late
I would love to see them both start
But okay with Perez starting and Giroud coming later or vice versa
The main thing is that we WIN :=)
We had a bad Home game on weekend. We MUST win this Home game
Being shaky at home is not going to help us
We need to play well both Home and Away but we need to improve our Home performance
from last game
Team to play Reading: Martinez, Jenkinson, Holding, Gabriel, Gibbs, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi, Lucas.