Arsene Wenger still has the return leg of Arsenal’s Champions League knockout stage against Barcelona to consider, but the Frenchman has already hinted that he is looking at that game as a huge long shot and so is likely to prioritise the Premier League and FA cup matches.
And with injury problems mounting up, especially in the threadbare defence, it is not going to be easy to win the quarter final clash with Watford on Sunday. So I do not think we will see much tinkering from the boss and I expect him to pick the strongest possible line up.
The question is, though, what will that be? After Wenger started Danny Welbeck against Tottenham last weekend it looked as though the Englishman had overtaken the big Frenchman in the pecking order, for a while at least. Now that Giroud has ended his longest ever goal drought as an Arsenal player and in some style with his well taken double at Hull, should he start again against Watford?
It might seem a little harsh on Welbeck But I think Giroud should keep his place. We want to make the most out of Giroud’s renewed confidence and form and I expect the game at the Emirates on Sunday will be more suited to Giroud’s abilities. Then Wenger can start Welbeck in Barcelona and hop[e that his counter attacking pace can help us to upset the odds.
Is this how you would use the two Arsenal front men?