While the vast majority of Arsenal fans (I assume) are hoping that Arsene Wenger pulls a transfer rabbit out of his hat in the next couple of days by signing a top class centre forward, it looks like the current first choice options Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are hoping that he doesn´t.
While neither of the two strikers has been in good form in front of goal so far this season, they have proved in the past that their finishing can be much better and are clearly hoping that the manager does not lose patience with them so early in the season.
Giroud spoke to Arsenal Player before the game against Newcastle, perhaps already aware that Wenger was planning to replace him in the starting line up. And while he emphasised that he brings more to the table than just goals and is all about the team, the big man also spoke with confidence about improving on his perfectly good scoring record of last season.
He said, “I would like to score more than last year and to get a better ratio than last year. It can be between 15 and 20 goals in the Premier League. In total, more than 20 goals would be nice.
“If I succeed to reach this number, I think the main thing for me is to reach our team aims, that’s most important. If we reach our targets, it means that I would have been efficient.
“I’m used to playing when I feel good. My body is good and I’m pleased with that. As long as I’m in good form and my body is in good shape, I’ll try to give my best for the team and I want to play more and more games to score more and more goals.
“It’s such an honour for me to get to 100 games and it means that in three years, even if I have been injured for three months, I’ve played a lot of games for my club and that’s what matters the most.”
Walcott is also desperate to get more chances on the pitch after his recent injury hell and although he admitted that he could have done better with his chances against Newcastle, he is confident in his ability to find the net. But he also seemed to accept that he might have to take one of the wide forward positions if he is to be in the starting line up more regularly.
Theo told Arsenal Player, “I enjoy playing anywhere in the front line. The manager gave me an opportunity and it’s a shame I couldn’t help him out there by getting those goals but they’ll come.
“It was difficult after they went to 10 men, but you need to be able to adapt. I’ve been very patient since my knee injury and just want to play football for this team because I feel like we can go places this year.
“Once they did go to 10 men we found it more and more difficult to actually get in behind them. They condensed the pitch and we found it difficult.
“The game plan was pretty difficult after that but we had to adapt to what we were put up against and we just had to be very patient.
“We said at half-time to just be patient and luckily in the end we got a deflected goal.
“I had opportunities but I just didn’t take them. Like I said before, I would on another day. If I came out and had no chances at all I would be very disappointed.
“It’s good that I was in there and I know that I can do better, but we got the three points and that’s most important.”
So Arsenal fans, are you convinced that these two will start to get us plenty of goals? And with Welbeck soon to join Alexis and all back in the available squad, can the Gunners afford to let the transfer window close without a new striker?