The Arsenal and France international striker Olivier Giroud may have made 14 appearances for the Gunners already this season, with eight of those coming in the Premier League, but the 31-year old is still waiting for his first league start of the current campaign.
I have a feeling that his wait may soon be over though, for a couple of good reasons. Unless Arsene Wenger has been oblivious to how today’s visitors to the Emirates stadium have been playing away from home this season, the boss will have prepared his players for a stubborn and dogged defensive display from Swansea City, with 10 men behind the ball and very little space to play our famous flowing style.
It is games like this in which the talents of Giroud can be most useful, as we can use the width of the pitch and get balls in the box to exploit his size and power in the air, while his strength and ability as a target man to hold the ball up and bring other players around him into the game is a huge weapon.
If that was not a good enough reason to give a first EPL start of the season to Giroud, perhaps his excellent record against Swansea will convince Wenger, as his fellow countryman has three goals and two assists from seven games against the Welsh club.
Do you think the Frenchman should start today or is it another day on the subs bench for the big man?
Sam P.