Why Arsenal are sticking with Giroud by Sam P.
The final decision on the future of the Arsenal and France international centre forward Olivier Giroud does not lie with his agent, of course, but you would think that Michael Manuello would have a fairly good idea where things stand with his client and his role with Gunners.
And he seems to be pretty sure that Giroud will be playing for Arsenal once again next season, as a report by The Mirror explains, and the agent was totally dismissive of the recent Arsenal transfer rumours that suggested that the big Frenchman was going to be going in the opposite direction if Arsene Wenger could seal the deal to bring Gonzalo Higuain to the Premier League from Italy’s Serie A club Napoli.
Manuello said, “Everything I’ve read on the Giroud is not true. I personally have only said that if Arsenal want to sell him, then we will see.
“I do not know where [the Napoli story] came from.
“We never talked to them and there are no other people appointed over me that can do this. We need to clarify this.
“You always need two strikers, [injured Danny] Welbeck is out for nine months unfortunately. And it’s quite normal. If you play in a great team, it is natural that we could face strong competition.”
While it is not always a good idea to believe what a footballer’s agent says I think we can this time. Not only are his comments about a big club needing options up front very true, it is clear that our manager sees Giroud as an integral part of the Arsenal team and our style of play.
Arsenal fans may sometimes be down on our main striker, mainly due to his lack of pace and his missing of some good chances, but most of us can appreciate what he does for team on the whole. And if Wenger is determined to stick with his tactics of having a target man and a centre forward that can link the play and bring the likes of Ozil and Ramsey into play then it is hard to see why he would abandon Giroud.
We may think that different types of forwards like Griezmann and Higuain are better but who else is there we could get to do the same job that is better than Giroud?
Sam
+1. We need 2 strikers, and dump Theo. I am convinced our board does not have the balls to offer 90m for anyone, and we dont want to send our stars to Napoli in a cash+swap deal, may be bit part players but why will Napoli take them? So as much we all like Higuain, he aint coming. So what are our next options for pure CF?Draxler is not one for that position immediately, he does not have the build. Lacazette is not that good. May be Gabigol? Milik? We dont need 18 year kids, but we dont get top strikers for 50M, which is what we can expect board will pay!!!
Giroud
Welbeck
Sanogo
Walcott
Akpom
No wonder Wenger can’t find any strikers that can ‘improve’ the squad
All I want before the season start is some STRIKing love from Arsenal…….
Counting the days until the transfer window’s shutdown for good [infact, i can’t wait]…………..
& This is by far a much better Hobby compared to having high expectations for quality signings!
Higuain overall game is very similar to Roberto Saldado game. They play predominantly as striker with limited pace and dribbling skills, stays in the box and take shots on goals. Apart from goals they give you nothing else. Higuain will not drift wide, will not drop deep and cannot hold play, Higuain style of play will not incorperate players like Sanchez and walcott in wide areas who like to drift into the box.
Balotelli can play both wide areas and as a striker, has good dribbling skills, pace, can hold play and a good finisher. Balotelli biggest problem has been his personallity, but over the last year he look to have overcome that problem. I believe Walcott can have a good season, I also believe Welbeck could do well upon his return But I cannot see Giroud haaving a good season with his one touch football.
Higuain, being a limited striker at the age of 29, with a transfer fee of £78 million and demanding astronomical wages is the worse buy on the market for any team. Balotelli being a complete striker at the age of 25, with a trasfer fee of £16 million is the best buy on the market. Therefore, Balotelli should be in Mr. Wenger consideration.
Balotelli can be gr8 when he wants to, last year AC Milan vs Juve saw got him noticed again, was the best man on the pitch. But he has lost the hunger to play and prosper at the top level day in and day out. No way he is coming to Arsenal!
With Olivier Giroud overall football rapidly deteriorating and Welbeck out for 9 months Arsenal need an immediate performer. That is, preferably someone with Premier league experience who is more than likely to have a good first season at Arsenal.
In my opinion, Balotelli fit that description, he would be a much better buy than for instance Takuma Asano, a 22 year old, 5ft 6in flimsy frame Japanese who is not a quick as he appear to be, with limited arial ability and no presents in the box.
Looking at the present striker situation at Arsenal, reguardless of how much Wenger pays for him if he does nothing at Arsenal this season, Takuma Asano would will count as a poor buy.
Giroud is still at his peak and given his play style he will still be at his peak for the next 2~3 seasons.
No I dont want Balotelli in Arsenal squad, this is a team sport and the team spirit is important, I don’t want anyone that is unprofessional and undetermined regardless of how good he is, and tbh he is not that good anyway.
We never get new Striker till Wengers retire.
So many forwards gone
Gotze to Dortmund
Hulk to Shanghai
Ibrahimovic to United
Janssen to spurs
Mktharyan to United
Batshuayi to Chelsea
Nolito to City
Morata staying @ Madrid
Icardi staying at Inter
Almost impossible: Greizmann, Lewandowski, Aubmeyang, Reus
Possible if we fork over the money: Lukaku, Lacazette, Draxler or Mahrez
Least acceptable: Turan, Kokorin, Barbosa, Bacca, Van persie
Those four ‘possible’ names are pretty damn tasty though…
a front line of draxler sanchez and mahrez would have most defences very nervous ..throw in giroud and iwobi from brench… and get ozil and cazorla to take more shooting risks …looks good to me and doable
For 100mil ish doable… I’d take it, but would prefer lacazette/lukaku over one of them as they have experience in the striker posi which we need. Like… Now!