Olivier Giroud is the most substituted player at Arsenal this season.
Arsenal’s number one striker Olivier Giroud has an unwanted record this campaign – has has been substituted more than any other Gunner.
The forward has been brought off 13 times by Arsene Wenger, more than his nearest teammate Tomas Rosicky (10).
The Frenchman is just three shy of the highest total in the league this season, shared by Kevin Mirallas and Samir Nasri of Everton and Manchester City (16).
The figure relating to Giroud further illustrates the view that the striker is running on empty, with his performances in recent weeks being illustrative of a player who is tired.
Arsenal have no real competition for Giroud, with Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo short of the standard required, and both have themselves struggled with fitness.
Teammate Laurent Koscielny spoke as far back as November about his teammate showing signs of fatigue, and the fact Wenger has chosen to bring Giroud off so frequently asks further questions as to why he did not sign an adequate alternative.
| Player | Team | Pos | Total Sub Off | Apps | Mins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olivier Giroud | Arsenal | FW | 13 | 31 | 2,669 |
| Tomas Rosicky | Arsenal | MF | 10 | 23 | 1,392 |
| Mesut Özil | Arsenal | MF | 9 | 22 | 1,834 |
| Santiago Cazorla | Arsenal | MF | 8 | 27 | 2,259 |
| Lukas Podolski | Arsenal | FW | 8 | 15 | 728 |
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