Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan insists that Odsonne Edouard likes to play alongside another striker, which Arsenal may have to take into consideration when planning their summer splurge.
The Gunners have recently grown comfortable and confident playing in a 4-2-3-1 formation which is working wonders at present, with our club having won seven of the 12 matches since the switch.
While that form may not be out of this world, you have to consider that we were on a winless run of seven matches before the change.
While a return to 4-4-2 appears to be out the window, the system in place does usually include Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang however, which could be perfect for Edouard, but Gordon Strachan is insistent that the Celtic star is more of a second-striker, than the guy you line up to score all the goals.
“I think Edouard definitely needs somebody up beside him or more people around him. He’s basically a Bergkamp rather than an Ian Wright,” Strachan told the Football Pass. “I know for a fact that Edouard likes playing with another striker,” he added.
Interestingly, while Strachan insists that the French Under-21 international isn’t the out-and-out goalscorer, his numbers would seem to insist that he can be.
Edouard may play in a front two for Celtic, but it is he who is the main outlet for goals with 19 goals from his 29 appearances this term, while his numbers for last season were crazy.
The 22 year-old bagged himself 28 goals and 19 assists DESPITE the fact that Scottish football was cut short thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic. Edouard finished last term with 21 league goals and 12 assists in his 27 appearances, more than one goal contribution a game on average, while this season he has 15 goals and four assists in 21 Premiership outings, just shy of one GC per game.
I certainly wouldn’t be worried about Edouard’s ability to play at CF with those numbers, albeit in the Scottish league, and while his signing this summer may only see him enjoy one season alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to help contribute up top, we have the likes of Gabriel Martinelli (and hopefully Folarin Balogun) to help out in the following years.
Would Edouard be the ideal replacement for Lacazette, or do you think he would need us to change the way we play?
Patrick
I think the last lone strike still in the game is Luis Suarez. The position is slowly disappearing
It may be irrelevant. His form has dipped this season to match the lower price. Apparently because he wasnt sold in the summer he lost interest. Do we need a player with this attitude problem?
Not entirely true. He’s also entering last year of his contract and clearly last season Celtic overpriced him. Therefore his price tag will be moderate.
I think for £15m or even less he would be a good investment, and very risky one.
He’s been among the top 5 players in the league this season according to whoscored. Stats look pretty good.
Top 5 in Scotland? Damned with faint praise…
A good player yes, better than we have now, possibly. But as good as we need to get to the next level? Average opposition can make any good player playing for the top club in a lower standard league look better than they are. For me that makes him unproven. Cheap for a striker but a risky buy.
Aren’t we after a back up striker? Surely Aubameyang will be our main striker next season too?
Anyone can recommend a top, top striker who would want to join us next season when we are unlikely to playing even Europa League?
Gordon Strachan has never managed Odsonne Edouard
He is a world class striker, better that Arsenal’s current lot.
G lol so a player that has never played in any of the top5 league is better aubamayang who has proven himself in France Germany and England. What a daft post.
If he can’t hold the opposition’s CBs like Giroud, than he’d be useless
Lacazette’s hold-up play and ability to turn in tight spaces are very good. So we just need to find a younger CF with similar abilities, but taller and faster than Lacazette
Having seen him in the SPL on dozens of occasions I can assure you G, that he is not remotely near World class.Basically he is not good enough for Arsenal.
NOT THE QUALITY WE NEED. CONSIDERABLY OVERHYPED. I SUPPORT CELTIC AS MY SCOTS SIDE BUT DO NOT RATE HIM MUCH. Poor division and not good enough for us at all.
That might be difficult since there aren’t even that many profilic goal scorers available, at least not more than one season wonders..
i think 15million is worth the risk. if MA thinks he can get the job done so be ot
£15m is a lot to us at the moment. For example I’m not sure any if our potentially outward bound players would fetch much more than that. £15m risked on Edouard could mean for example we couldnt scrape together enough elsewhere to buy, say Odegaard. I for one dont want to spread what we have too thinly and risk not being able to make even one marque signing.
we have Laca & Auba’s experience and leadership, to help make way to likes of Nketiah, martinelli and Ballogun all eager to perform & grow.
Not sure we need anyone unless we bring Mbappe or Ansu Fati who will need to beef up as his former masia fellow Adama Traoré…
Cant wait to see our young guns step up before all…They are our future and most valuable asdet; Arsenal academy!
If your willing to take a chance then may as well go for the brentford striker 24 goals is no mean feat but of course as he is not a recognised name this will get dismissed by most people on here!!
Toney will command an astronomical fee.. probably 30-40 million pounds.
Danny,I would certainly not dismiss Tone of Brentford who has impressed me this season.Indeed a couple of weeks ago I suggested Tone was on a par with Watkins who has done well at Villa.