Every season since van Persie left the club, the fans have demanded for the addition of a centre forward, one they feel will take them to the next level. Most fans feel the strikers currently at the club are not title challenging quality, some even feel they are not Premier League quality.
Before really talking about any player in particular I would love to make a classification of what I believe are the types of strikers in modern day football. Firstly a target man, some one who is good aerially, has good hold up play ala Giroud. Goal scoring is not their biggest quality, the biggest quality is getting other players into the game. Secondly a poacher, some one like Chicarito for example, who pounces on mistakes by opposition, and almost always is at the right place at the right time. Third is what one could call a complete striker, the ones who love a dribble and create chances on their own out of nothing ala Suarez, Aguero etc.
Obviously and certainly there could be different types in other people's opinions, but this is my opinion. Right, so the fans want what would be a complete striker, some one who scores out of nothing, creates chances on his own. Who wouldn't? Now before we look at the different options we should look in the transfer window, let us have a look for an internal solution.
1. Olivier Giroud
Before really talking about any player in particular I would love to make a classification of what I believe are the types of strikers in modern day football. Firstly a target man, some one who is good aerially, has good hold up play ala Giroud. Goal scoring is not their biggest quality, the biggest quality is getting other players into the game. Secondly a poacher, some one like Chicarito for example, who pounces on mistakes by opposition, and almost always is at the right place at the right time. Third is what one could call a complete striker, the ones who love a dribble and create chances on their own out of nothing ala Suarez, Aguero etc.
Obviously and certainly there could be different types in other people's opinions, but this is my opinion. Right, so the fans want what would be a complete striker, some one who scores out of nothing, creates chances on his own. Who wouldn't? Now before we look at the different options we should look in the transfer window, let us have a look for an internal solution.
1. Olivier Giroud
The Frenchman joined Arsenal from Montpellier for a bargain fee of 9.6 million Pounds, after he finished top scorer of the French League and was one of the key reasons in the club's surprise title triumph. He was initially signed to support van Persie, before the Dutchman left the club for close to 25 million.
This is a player who every season has only improved through leaps and bounds, yet is a player who divides opinion more than most.
He is certainly not a world class striker, but is better than what most fans put him down to be. He is considered a waste of money and a lamppost by some fans, while some love him to bits due to the sheer passion he shows.
This is a player who every season has only improved through leaps and bounds, yet is a player who divides opinion more than most.
He is certainly not a world class striker, but is better than what most fans put him down to be. He is considered a waste of money and a lamppost by some fans, while some love him to bits due to the sheer passion he shows.
He has gone from averaging 0.42 goals every 90 minutes in 2012/13, to 0.47 every 90 minutes in 2013/14, to 0.68 every 90 minutes in 2014/15. Even the amount of chances he has created has improved this season.
So what has the problem been this season that has led to so much criticism by fans? As with all seasons for him it has been 2 things- inconsistency and not performing in big matches.
With regards to his consistency, from 18th January to 4th of April, he scored 12 goals and assisted 4 in 15 games. Statistics of a world class striker isn't it? He only then went on to scored exactly 0 goals in his next 8 games. Awful for a player of a top 4 team. No doubt of his quality, if in form, seems excellent, else almost invisible.
Now considering the games we played against Spurs, United, Pool, Chelsea and City, i.e 10 games of which Giroud played 7, scored 1 goal in 29 minutes over 2 appearances against United, scored 2 over 2 games against Liverpool, scored 1 against City in our awesome win at Etihad and assisted Ozil during our loss at Spurs. The only team he failed to impact was Chelsea, which to be fair no one even turned up.
So considering he averages a goal or assist every 93 minutes in the games he has played against the big teams. Not too bad isn't it? Consider this, in the games he has played, he has had a direct influence over 45 percent of the goals the team has scored. If that is not a big game player, what is?
Another very important contribution in regards to Oli, is the way he gets the other players into the game. The biggest exapmle being Ramsey. In 11 games that Giroud hasn't played and Ramsey has, Rambo has assisted just 1 goal and scored 0. In 24 games Giroud and Ramsey have played together Ramsey has scored 7 goals and assisted 5.
How is that for a statistic? This is exactly what a target man has to do and he is doing that. He certainly is not the world's best striker, but he is good enough for a title challenging side, provided we have atleast another striker that we could depend upon.
It is for a reason that he is so highly rated by his team mates and manager, and for less than 10 million seems an astounding bargain.
Now let us have a look with how he compares to Diego Costa, the main striker for the title winning Chelsea side.
So what has the problem been this season that has led to so much criticism by fans? As with all seasons for him it has been 2 things- inconsistency and not performing in big matches.
With regards to his consistency, from 18th January to 4th of April, he scored 12 goals and assisted 4 in 15 games. Statistics of a world class striker isn't it? He only then went on to scored exactly 0 goals in his next 8 games. Awful for a player of a top 4 team. No doubt of his quality, if in form, seems excellent, else almost invisible.
Now considering the games we played against Spurs, United, Pool, Chelsea and City, i.e 10 games of which Giroud played 7, scored 1 goal in 29 minutes over 2 appearances against United, scored 2 over 2 games against Liverpool, scored 1 against City in our awesome win at Etihad and assisted Ozil during our loss at Spurs. The only team he failed to impact was Chelsea, which to be fair no one even turned up.
So considering he averages a goal or assist every 93 minutes in the games he has played against the big teams. Not too bad isn't it? Consider this, in the games he has played, he has had a direct influence over 45 percent of the goals the team has scored. If that is not a big game player, what is?
Another very important contribution in regards to Oli, is the way he gets the other players into the game. The biggest exapmle being Ramsey. In 11 games that Giroud hasn't played and Ramsey has, Rambo has assisted just 1 goal and scored 0. In 24 games Giroud and Ramsey have played together Ramsey has scored 7 goals and assisted 5.
How is that for a statistic? This is exactly what a target man has to do and he is doing that. He certainly is not the world's best striker, but he is good enough for a title challenging side, provided we have atleast another striker that we could depend upon.
It is for a reason that he is so highly rated by his team mates and manager, and for less than 10 million seems an astounding bargain.
Now let us have a look with how he compares to Diego Costa, the main striker for the title winning Chelsea side.
Diego Costa is better with his accuracy of shots and his goal scoring, something Giroud can improve upon and that has been seen to constantly improve since he joint us. But Giroud has been a far better outlet aerially and narrowly edges Costa in terms of assists. Giroud isn't far off Costa to say he isn't good enough for a title winning side, but he certainly isn't as good as the Spaniard just yet.
The thing for Chelsea was, they had 2 additional strikers in Remy and Drogba who contributed importantly at times Costa was injured. Remy won Chelsea close to 9 points during the close end of the season. For us Welbeck has sadly not been potent enough in front of goal although I expect him to be better next season.
I am certainly a Giroud fan and feel at times although he is frustrating to watch and has missed easy chances, he is an excellent player and does not get near enough credit he deserves.
2. Danny Welbeck
The thing for Chelsea was, they had 2 additional strikers in Remy and Drogba who contributed importantly at times Costa was injured. Remy won Chelsea close to 9 points during the close end of the season. For us Welbeck has sadly not been potent enough in front of goal although I expect him to be better next season.
I am certainly a Giroud fan and feel at times although he is frustrating to watch and has missed easy chances, he is an excellent player and does not get near enough credit he deserves.
2. Danny Welbeck
Danny joint us as a deadline day signing last summer, almost as a reaction to the Giroud injury at Everton. He joint us for 16 million Euros, a fee almost exact to what Liverpool payed for Balotelli, a much sought out player for Arsenal fans.
There was a minor outrage given we rejected Balotelli for Welbeck, but there was some satisfaction for signing an English international, who no doubt has his best years ahead of him. Many fans were happy with the hope that Danny turns out to be another Sturridge. Both of them had the same problem, they were strikers, made to play wide. Sturridge turned out to be a fantastic acquisition for Liverpool, that hope was there for Arsenal fans.
He also added to the growing British contingent in our team, the likes of Gibbs, Theo, Ox, Jack, Carl, Rambo and Chambers.
Last season, a horrendous one for United (YAY!) Welbeck scored 9 goals in 26 League games. Interestingly he played 7 games as a striker in that period and scored 6 goals. Something which induced hope in me, that maybe he could do a good enough job for us.
Now at the end of the season, Danny has played 37 games and scored a partly 8 goals, which is shocking for a striker. But he has played only 14 of those games as a striker and scored 5 goals. Again nowhere near to the expected standard of a title challenging team.
There were 2 major highlights he gave us, a Champions League hattrick, which only increased the hopes of fans on him. More importantly, knocking United out of the FA Cup.
As a striker I find it hard to classify him in any of the 3 types I had told earlier. He can dribble no doubt, but has to score way more goals. Next season there is no excuse for him to underperform.
Like with Sir Alex, Arsene uses him out wide for his work rate. Him and Alexis out wide is a terror for any defence with their pace and pressing.
So how has he performed?
There was a minor outrage given we rejected Balotelli for Welbeck, but there was some satisfaction for signing an English international, who no doubt has his best years ahead of him. Many fans were happy with the hope that Danny turns out to be another Sturridge. Both of them had the same problem, they were strikers, made to play wide. Sturridge turned out to be a fantastic acquisition for Liverpool, that hope was there for Arsenal fans.
He also added to the growing British contingent in our team, the likes of Gibbs, Theo, Ox, Jack, Carl, Rambo and Chambers.
Last season, a horrendous one for United (YAY!) Welbeck scored 9 goals in 26 League games. Interestingly he played 7 games as a striker in that period and scored 6 goals. Something which induced hope in me, that maybe he could do a good enough job for us.
Now at the end of the season, Danny has played 37 games and scored a partly 8 goals, which is shocking for a striker. But he has played only 14 of those games as a striker and scored 5 goals. Again nowhere near to the expected standard of a title challenging team.
There were 2 major highlights he gave us, a Champions League hattrick, which only increased the hopes of fans on him. More importantly, knocking United out of the FA Cup.
As a striker I find it hard to classify him in any of the 3 types I had told earlier. He can dribble no doubt, but has to score way more goals. Next season there is no excuse for him to underperform.
Like with Sir Alex, Arsene uses him out wide for his work rate. Him and Alexis out wide is a terror for any defence with their pace and pressing.
So how has he performed?
When we signed him the main reason I was happy was I felt he could be a plan B to Giroud, with his pace and dynamism he would be a far better target for the likes of Ozil to find him with through balls. He did perform OK early on and I would not just yet call him a bad signing. He has the potential still and if anything watching him play for England has given me more hopes that he could well be an excellent option yet.
Given his superior dribbling ability and pace to Giroud, it's no surprise he has a better take on percentage. He has a surprisingly good aerial duels win percentage as well. The goals have to be far better.
Remy signing for Chelsea was similar to us signing Danny. Both are the 2nd options for their clubs to play as the striker. Remy however played far fewer minutes than Danny and has scored more goals. He played for Chelsea 19 times in the league, starting just 6 and scoring 7.
That has been a major factor in the difference between us and them. Their 2nd striker has performed when called up, but we depended rather heavily on Sanchez to carry us when Giroud was injured.
Danny will improve next season, but how much is the question.
Giroud and Danny will not strike much fear into an opposition's head one would think, but they are nowhere as bad as most fans make them out to be. If Danny converts his international form to club and if Giroud is more consistent who knows?
Given his superior dribbling ability and pace to Giroud, it's no surprise he has a better take on percentage. He has a surprisingly good aerial duels win percentage as well. The goals have to be far better.
Remy signing for Chelsea was similar to us signing Danny. Both are the 2nd options for their clubs to play as the striker. Remy however played far fewer minutes than Danny and has scored more goals. He played for Chelsea 19 times in the league, starting just 6 and scoring 7.
That has been a major factor in the difference between us and them. Their 2nd striker has performed when called up, but we depended rather heavily on Sanchez to carry us when Giroud was injured.
Danny will improve next season, but how much is the question.
Giroud and Danny will not strike much fear into an opposition's head one would think, but they are nowhere as bad as most fans make them out to be. If Danny converts his international form to club and if Giroud is more consistent who knows?