Which Arsenal striker should start which game?

The old European fixture nightmare has come back to Arsenal with a bang this season and this week sees the Gunners faced with their hardest few days. And although Arsene Wenger has suggested that he will focus on each game individually, I am sure that the short rest period will play a part in his team selection.

A nice long trip to Zagreb for the first group stage match of the Champions League on Wednesday means that the squad will not be getting back into London until the early hours of Thursday morning and we could hardly have asked for a worse follow up, an early Saturday kick off away to one of the big Premier League rivals.

Some players will have to start both games, but at least the boss now has two very real options for the centre forward position. He will want Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott to rotate and stay sharp and I reckon that each will get to start one of our next two games. But who should start in Zagreb on Wednesday and who should start at Stamford Bridge on Saturday?

My guess would be for the Frenchman to start in Europe. While Zagreb are at home and are totally dominant in the Croatian league, they have a terrible recent UCL record; earning just a single point from their last group stage and losing every single game the time before that. So I think they will be very defensive and deep and that is when Giroud´s strength, aerial ability and link up play are more useful than pace.

Chelsea on the other hand will be desperate for a win as a point does not really help them out of the deep trouble they are in. That sounds like a case for Walcott to me. What do you guys think?

Tags Chelsea Giroud Walcott Zagreb

25 Comments

    1. yup.. because there was a possibility we could have really bought both lewandowski and benzema in one transfer window 😀

  1. I usually find Gary Neville’s comments on Arsenal hard to stomach on the basis that he used to play for ManU, But there is one thing that struck me that he said.. Which is the lack of game time that a few Arsenal players are gettning (speaking mostly in reference to Chambers, Gibbs and Campbell) im paraphrasing here but the basis of his argument is how do you expect a player to be able come of the bench and be capable of doing a job for team and perform competently with a very limited or no game experience… Considering we have Chelsea at the weekend it seems t would be a great time to start giving those players game experience and resting a few of the starting 11 perhaps with the exception of Walcott i’d like for him to get more game time at Cf… his finishing is diabolical… and learning how to pay as a striker takes time.

    1. Yes. This has been an obvious problem going back to last season. Wenger overused Chambers in the beginning then just ignored him later on.

      And Wenger would rather constantly play Ramsey or Ozil out of position than give a start to other midfielders. So it is not just the defense. By starting the trio of Ramsey, Ozil, Cazorla every game, the opportunities for the likes of Ox and Wilshere are very limited. Even Campbell and Rosicky will need some game time eventually or what is the point of having them in the club.

      Though I will admit it is not any easy process for Wenger. He feels rightly compelled to put his “best” side on the pitch and would likely be criticized if he did not. He will need to find a better balance though.

    2. Chambers played against Liverpool. Not a stellar performance. Gibbs also played albeit mostly as a sub. Good performances. Campbell is a mistery, I agree. I see what Neville is doing here. Put some more gas on the fire, afterall he only enjoys Arsenal getting the rap. But yes, I believe we will see all three of them playing at Zagreb. At least Campbell and Gibbs. And who knows, maybe even Chambers. Two more days and we will see. Can’t wait.

      1. and if we only get 1 point (draw), what’s you excuse budd?
        maybe like your wenger worshipper to make more excuses hah….

        uhh…uhhh….the fixtures too tight and unfavor us….

        …uhh…uhh…da….

        what a …..?

      2. Couldnt agree more. I was also pretty surprised LVG placed Ashley Young and took off some of his top signings. It payed off. They are rotating and finding the right balance. I think with us, we are comfortable with certain players and scared/unwillingly to try anything new. I would like to see Campbell and Gibbs play. I have never seen what other people see in Chambers. He is no better than Debuchy or Jenkins. Bellerin is so superior that it seems strange to rest him. Debuchy is the clear sub IMO. Although I wish it was Sagna! Shouldve paid the warrior.

    3. Stoke also gave us so much time on the ball. I doubt that Chelsea will sit back like that. I worry it will be a fast paced attack and Arsenal with rare counter attacks. Will be a tough game.

    4. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a front three of Sanchez Giroud Ox on Wednesday. Wenger will go for Sanchez so he can try and get on the score sheet. and I think that will be good for his confidence going into the Chelsea game. it would be better if he scores early, so he can be subbed off early. I’ll personally like to see Campbell given some game time. he could do a Coquelin….you never know.

  2. I thought nothing could ever turn me away from Arsenal……..

    But then joozhey mentioned the idea of becoming the Arsenal manager.

    That would do it.

  3. Yes Giroud in Europe , walcott at chelsea , tho I personally would leave the whole squad that played against stoke at home except sanchez , ozil & boss on the bench

  4. Yes Giroud in Europe , walcott at chelsea , tho I personally would leave the whole squad that played against stoke at home except sanchez , ozil & boss on the bench….everyone has to be fresh and fit for chelsea

      1. Thumbed you down because at least Theo moves about which creates spaces for Alexis and Ramsey to get into… (Grrr, Why Ramsey out on the right? Why not the ox?)

        Theo isn’t a hold up play artist, he is the type of player who will run into the channels and give the wide players a chance to burst into the box, Theo is more of the CF we need atm compared to Giroud who has been a lazy lump on the field recently.

        I wonder if Ozil thought we was playing with 10 men against stoke when he played that wonderful assist?

  5. There’s nothing wrong with saying that a player didn’t play well, and blaming them. However, there’s everything wrong with saying they can never do well.

  6. Giroud: Zagreb
    Walcott: Chelsea

    I’d like to see both start upfront against Spurs. It’s worth a go and I think it could turn out to be a decent partnership.

  7. Zagreb: Walcott
    Chelsea: Giroud
    Spurs: Campbell (it’s only League Cup so rest both Walcott and Giroud for important competitions)

    1. Hhemm…..maybe it’s a brilliant idea to shift GIROUD to center back……

      maybe all the opponent forwards will be soft to see his babyface and might not to hurt GIRUDE feelings by not to score. and maybe they prefer to ask to date him.

      what do you think?

  8. When will we see #17 #12 #14 play as our front attacking line. OG should play with Theo as a back up if anything goes wrong such as an injury. Ox should be able to come in for Theo Sanchez LeCoq Santi or Ozil. Ramsey and Santi should rotate not OG and Theo.

  9. You’d think they’d just show the game on sunday for fs. Not only sat but early kick off too, I think they do this believing that more mistakes will happen meaning more goals. It’s difficult to not already think about the che game, I’m sure Mourinho will have been practising tactics for the Arsenal game all week, not sure if we would have been doing same. It is che, and it is away, even though they are shot confidence wise it wont be difficult for them to be pumped and ready for us. I would obviously love to go there and compound their misery but I think it is one of those games you say must not lose.

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