Will either Olivier Giroud or Lucas Perez be able to make an impact on the Arsenal squad upon their respective returns from injury?
Arsenal’s injury crises are well documented. Season after season, rows of key players are mown down by an invisible injury machine gun, leaving the club in the lurch until their recovery.
This season, however, has proved different thus far. Looking at the Gunners’ record at the start of the campaign (W7 D2 L1 in all competitions), the casual observer would not think that they actually had seven players out injured.
At this moment in time, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Olivier Giroud, Lucas Perez, Per Mertesacker, Danny Welbeck, and Chuba Akpom have yet to make an official return from injury.
Of that list of seven, the latter three are still some months away from fitness, while the former four are on the brink of a return to action.
It would seem that Arsenal are in the midst of a striker shortage. Yet, no one has noticed thanks to Alexis Sanchez’s fantastic form up front. In fact, the injuries to Lucas Perez and Chuba Akpom may well have escaped your notice – they certainly escaped mine.
However, the return of both Giroud and Lucas throws up an interesting question.
With Sanchez performing as brilliantly as he is up front, will manager Arsene Wenger persist with his experiment now that two more ‘natural’ strikers have returned from injury? Or will he restore Sanchez to a wide position?
If he chooses the latter, that creates another uncomfortable dilemma. Which of the current starting wide players should be dropped? Theo Walcott has been on a fantastic run of form on the right, and has struck up an excellent understanding with Sanchez. At the same time, youngster Alex Iwobi has been a revelation on the opposite flank, and it would be harsh to drop either.
Furthermore, if Wenger were to do so, which of his returning strikers would he restore to the starting XI? Both players offer vastly differing qualities. Giroud brings an aerial presence and is a focal point up front, while Lucas possesses raw pace and acceleration.
While it is entirely possible Wenger will do otherwise, the likelihood is that he will choose not not tinker with a winning formula. All three of his forwards have performed admirably, and the Frenchman will most likely use Giroud and Lucas as options off the bench, or as tactical options against certain opponents.
Both strikers will have to bide their time on the bench and seize their opportunities in order to displace one of Iwobi or Walcott and be restored to the starting XI. Sanchez’s form and undeniable quality make him near-undroppable, but an injury or loss of form for one of the other two could create a chance.
Both Arsenal fans and Wenger will be very pleased to have so many options and so much depth in attack. With Oxlade-Chamberlain on the bench and Welbeck still to return from injury, the Gunners have options aplenty going forward, making them a dangerous proposition indeed.
Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud warms up before the match
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