Look, as the Arsenal boss says about four times in every press conference, I am not having a go at Olivier Giroud here. I know that a lot of Arsenal fans out there are not too keen on the France international centre forward and like to call anyone who dares to praise or stick up for him a blinkered fanboy, but he is our first choice centre forward and has done pretty well for Arsenal since he signed from Montpellier three years ago.
People seem to have forgotten that Giroud was a massive part of the way that the Gunners lit the blue touch paper in the second half of last season. After saving us from defeat against Everton in August, he suffered that freak leg break and we really struggled without him.
So why am I saying he should be left on the bench and used as a super sub? Well for his own sake as much as ours, because Giroud has often thrived in that situation. He was voted Man of the Match after coming on and scoring a beauty in the Community Shield win over Man City last season. And when he did come back from that tibia injury, Giroud scored with almost his first touch, and what a touch it was, in the game against Man United.
I think the Frenchman just needs something to kick start him this season and being left on the bench but then brought on might just be the thing, while Theo Walcott gives us a really good option. What do you think Gooners?