I may be looking a bit too far ahead here, with Arsenal first having two crucial Premier League games away to Swansea City and at home to Man United to get through, with the international break sandwiched in the middle, but the news that Olivier Giroud will be back in training next week made me consider when the centre forward would actually be back in action.
The France inter4national has been out of action for a couple of months, but it should not take too long before he is fit again, so there is a chance that he could be ready to play for the Gunners again after the international break. The first game after that is United at the Emirates on Saturday November 22nd, but I very much doubt whether Arsene Wenger will start him in that.
The manager will surely give Danny Welbeck the chance to shine against his former club and will probably give Giroud some valuable game time before the end. But then I think he could bring Giroud back for the massive Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund the following Wednesday.
I do not expect Arsenal to win our group, even if we do beat Dortmund, but if we lose it could leave us needing to win in Turkey on the final day and that could be a disaster. So do you think Wenger will unleash the beast that is Giroud when Jurgen Klopp and his players come to London?