The former midfielder believes Giroud should still be leading the line for the Gunners.
Jermaine Jenas has hailed the strength and depth of Arsenal’s squad this season, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, but has maintained that they are a better side with Olivier Giroud up front.
The Gunners look as good a team as they ever have in recent years and have started the Premier League season in excellent fashion.
The biggest notable change to their side, apart from the additions of Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka, has been the dropping of Giroud to the bench in favour of playing Alexis Sanchez in a more central attacking role.
Giroud returned from an extended break after Euro 2016 at less than full fitness and has since suffered a toe injury which kept him out of action. He has played just five times for the Gunners so far this term with all of those appearances coming as a substitute.
In his absence from the starting XI, Arsene Wenger’s side are unbeaten in all competitions since the opening day of the season and look like genuine title challengers.
However, though Jenas made a point of praising the Gunners’ strength-in-depth, he insisted that the side are still better with Giroud because of his ability to link up play.
Jenas told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Every season there is a worry, ‘what if Coquelin gets injured?’ or ‘what if Giroud gets injured?’
“Last week they completely changed their centre-midfield, they went from Xhaka to Elneny – Cazorla played there the week before. Coquelin came in [too]. They’ve got the ability to do that now.
“I still think they’re better with Giroud in the team. Only because he allows Sanchez, Iwobi, Walcott, Ozil – the three behind him – to play a lot better with him as a focal point.”
Arsenal fans may disagree, and the fact of the matter seems to be that there is simply no room for Giroud in the starting XI at present.
Playing in the central attacking role, Sanchez has already racked up six goals and five assists in 11 starts.
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