If Arsenal had not won the game away to Leicester City on Saturday, it would not have been a complete shock, as the Gunners have flattered to deceive about so far this season, while the Foxes of Claudio Ranieri have been one of the surprise packages.
But it would have been a big concern to the Arsenal fans, especially if the strike force of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and then later Olivier Giroud would have struggled in front of goal once more. Before the game at the King Power stadium, the Gunners had taken just six percent of the chances created.
So there was pressure growing on our forwards and also on Arsene Wenger, as the boss had declined the chance to add to his strike force during the summer transfer window and a lot of us were not happy. So it is hardly surprising to hear Wenger, in a report in Arsenal.com, talking happily about how well his strikers played.
The Frenchman also revealed that all three of our scorers have been looking good and sharp in training, and he explained that our top scorer of last season, Alexis Sanchez, has only been getting back to his old self, both mentally and physically, after helping his country Chile to win the Copa America in the summer.
Wenger said, “Certainly it was the most convincing [display of the season] going forward, yes. It was a tricky game because Leicester hadn’t lost, and I was a bit concerned because we did not want to lose ground on the other teams – so it was a big win for us.
“I am pleased with [the strikers’] games. Giroud is sharp in training and in the matches as well, I think he played well at Tottenham.
“Walcott is improving game after game, he holds the ball better up front, his movement is great and both of them scored, which is what you want.
“I believe [Alexis] wasn’t back to his best after the Copa America, it took him a while to get his competitive edge and now he has played well again and he is back to his level.”
So is the boss being proved right with his decision to not sign a new striker for Arsenal this summer, or will it still come back to bite him on the bum?