The call for French Forward, Olivier Giroud to start more in the Premier League than in cup competitions seems justified after the striker came off the bench to salvage a vital point for the Arsenal fc against the Saints a few weeks ago and will definitely give manager, Arsene Wenger, a big selection headache as the Gunners travel to London Stadium on Wednesday. As fate would have it, Olivier Giroud started ahead of his compatriot, Alexandre Lacazette, and struggled to make an impact in his first Premier League start in many weeks. Lacazette went on to regain his starting berth against Newcastle, but Giroud got the nod, as he’d always had, in the lower cup competitions when West Ham came to town a few days ago.
The Frenchman has played more of a substitute role since he moved to the Emirates in the summer of 2012 from French side Montpellier for a reported fee of £9.6 million. He has featured majorly in the cup competitions having started every game in the Europa League and the League Cup, and has started only one Premier League game so far, this season having started 13 times from the bench.
The former Montpellier striker has always delivered when called upon and a typical example was when he came off the bench in the FA Cup final last season against Chelsea to assist Aaron Ramsey in scoring the winning goal as the Gunners secured a record-breaking thirteenth FA Cup triumph.
The French international boasts of a Premier League goal per minute ratio every 63 minutes and his goal at the St. Mary’s last weekend saw him equal Ole Gunnar Solksjaer substitute Premier League record of 17 goals from the bench.
Giroud is a regular starter for his National team and has been urged by France Coach, Didier Deschamps, to leave the Emirates in other to get more playing time if he wants to be guaranteed a starting berth at next summer FIFA World Cup in Russia.
His link-up play and aerial presence makes him a big threat in the opposition box and a valuable asset to the Gunners, but if Wenger can’t guarantee him a starting berth, he might heed to the words of Didier Deschamps in other to boost his chances of earning a starting berth for his country in Russia next summer.
The 31-year-old has featured in 21 games for the Gunners in all competitions so far, this season and has scored seven goals. With his current hamstring injury outlay, he certainly would be getting any game time soon, so he can focus on recovering as there would be many more games when his services will be required in the course of the season.
This guest post was written by Patrick from IPC Publishing
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