Arsenal Definitely need a new striker… but why is everyone convinced it has to be Alvaro Morata?
I’m going to come out with it straight away; I think Alvaro Morata is overrated! Especially with the supposed numbers that are being talked about to bring him to the Emirates. I understand that ‘he is one for the future’ and the kid has a very impressive CV to date, that would convince anyone that he is destined for great things. My problem now lies with the cost; for years now we have been moaning about the board not allocating money to Wenger, which the last time i wrote on this website dispelled as a lie; he justified spending £16 Million on Calum Chambers; which with the greatest of respect, I’m yet to see him pay of 50% of that value. The fact that he cost more than pretty much established internationals under the pretence that he is one for the future, shows me that Wenger has a lot more power than you make him out to have; For god sake Virgil Van Dyk cost 3 million less and is only 3 years older.
Anyway moving away from that issue before I have an aneurism; Granted that we have never spent more than £20 million on a center forward, and in this day and age that is the bare minimum required for a top class center forward. If reports are to believed in Italy, Juventus though are completely unwilling to let him go, will take around £24 Million from Real Madrid. Now could someone justify spending even £24 Million on this guy? Cause I sure as hell can’t. We need an established center forward, not someone who has the eventual potential to become good. If we bring in another striker, it has to be someone who from day one is a threat to Olivier Giroud’s stranglehold on the center forward position; I’m tired of this notion that we have to bring someone to support him. He has influenced every major transfer decision in our attacking line up for the last 5 years. Just in case you think I’m talking rubbish, take a minute to consider the forwards we signed in the last 5 years. To the best of my knowledge I don’t recall an ‘out and out’ center forward being signed; yeah there is Sanogo, but the less said the better. The point being we’ve been hell bent on signing individuals who fit around Giroud. When a guy has 16 Assists mid-season and sets a new Premier league record with a 116 Chances create, how do you justify going 14 games not scoring; it’s equally as stupid as finishing 3rd in a 2 horse race. He doesn’t need any more support – he needs to be replaced.
Back to my original point the signing of Morata is a clear indication that somehow there is still faith in Giroud, because let’s be honest he won’t replace him in his first season; he would most likely be his back up or play along the wing or as an inside forward, where he is frequently used for Juventus. And I know people keep saying that the goals can come from elsewhere; but let me stop that in the tracks right now. As we saw last season consistency in terms of goal scoring is not always guaranteed, especially if you’re not a natural goal scorer, so this over reliance that someone will come good, when Giroud eventually loses form, needs to stop. I’d much rather our situation with the strikers be like it is with our midfield, Since the signing of Xhaka, none of our center midfielders or defensive midfielders can for certain say that they’d be guaranteed a place in the starting line up (I’m referring to the likes of Ramsey, Elneny, Coquelin, Wilshere) perhaps Cazorla, but given his age now it would still be questionable.
There is no question that we need another striker, but does anybody think Morata is that guy? I don’t and especially at the supposed value, considering there are a plethora of strikers we could afford, who are far better within the £24-35 Million price range..
Eddie D