Perhaps this is a little bit of good news for Arsenal fans after the depressing news about Alexis Sanchez and Hector Bellerin getting injured while off on international duty. It is clear that if Sanchez comes back with an injured hamstring then the Gunners have enormous problems in the striking department ahead of our vital clash with Man United next weekend.
With Lucas Perez, Danny Welbeck and Chuba Akpom already out it would seem that Olivier Giroud is our only option left at centre-forward, so it was a big worry when Didier Deschamps publicly admitted that Olivier was not fit ahead of last night’s World Cup Qualifier against Sweden.
“He [Giroud] is not 100 per cent fit, I know it and he knows it too,” Deschamps said.
“He has started one match [this season] because he was injured, and that is why he couldn’t be with us last month. But do not interpret that in one way or in another.”
But it would seem that the France coach was not totally correct, and he actually started Giroud in last night’s game and left him on the field for the whole match. Afterwards Giroud himself declared that he really does not have any problems. He said after the game: “I have not been back to the Stade de France since the [Euro 2016] final,” Giroud said.
“It was a special moment for me and it felt good to play 90 minutes again.
“I have no problems with my injury. I feel good.”
So that is a relief. At least we will definitely have one striker available to face Man United, even though he may not be most fans first choice. Unless, of course, he gets injured in Tuesdays game against the Ivory Coast!
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