Olivier Giroud Set for Three-Match Ban for Arsenal

In a moment of madness, Olivier Giroud jumped up from the ground to confront Nedum Onuoha. The defender had fouled Giroud from behind, pushing him into the onrushing goalkeeper as the Arsenal man looked for the Gunners’ second goal in their eventual 2-1 win over QPR.

Giroud chased down his assailant and delivered a headbutt to the defender in full view of the match official. It was a few seconds in a match with many big moments, but the rash challenge left Arsenal with 10 men for final 37′ and short of options during the busiest part of the calendar. The striker was playing in his seventh League fixture since returning from a broken leg suffered 23 August at Everton. His recovery will now be sidelined as he serves a mandatory three-match suspension.

It was a deserved red card. Madness is a strong word but he didn’t kill him, he touched him and should not have done it. He should have been in control. Olivier Giroud knows he made a mistake and I know him well enough to think that he will not do it again. – Arsene Wenger

The implications for Grioud are clear – the French international will miss the Gunners’ next three matches which includes trips to West Ham and Southampton in the League and a fourth round Cup tie with Hull City.

The impact on Arsenal is less clear, but the glare delivered by the boss as Giroud stalked down the tunnel tells a tale.

Without Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Mesut Ozil – you know the list by now – Arsene Wenger is significantly short of options and will have little option to rotate his tiring squad. Alexis Sanchez in particular, he of 1407′ in the League alone, will not be given a reprieve from the burden of three matches in eight days.

Live Feed

Hotspur HQ

Nor does Arsene Wenger have a ready-made replacement. In 458′ this term, Giroud had scored five goals. Even more impressive, he has scored those goals from just 24 shots (10 shots on target). No other Gunner has been as proficient in the League – not even Alexis Sanchez whose 10 goals have come from 48 shots (22 on target).

The man most likely to replace Giroud at the tip of the spear is the player he had just unseated: Danny Welbeck.

And, unfortunately, Welbeck has scored a scant three League goals despite taking 43 shots (17 on target) in 1311′ pitch time. In fact, Giroud trails only Alexis in League goals despite playing barely more than 5 matches worth of minutes.

It is not only the goals scored which separates Giroud from his potential replacement. The key difference between Giroud and Welbeck is their quality of possession and Welbeck’s inability to adapt to his new position.

In Giroud’s first two weeks back he played 14′ and 77′. In those two fixtures (home loss to Manchester United and away win at West Brom), Welbeck was an offensive force. The England international created four chances in each match, he had four shots on goal, scored once and was not dispossessed a single time while recording the full 90′ in each.

However, since gameweek 14, Welbeck has been a different player. He has recorded the full 90′ in three of six, but earned 80′ or more in five of those. Despite the minutes, he has created four total chances, made five successful dribbles and – pushed out wide – not made a single successful cross. More worrying, Welbeck has been dispossessed eight times in the past three matches including five times by a QPR defense that ranks amoung the worst in the League. Giroud has been dispossessed only nine times this season.

More from Arsenal News

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

The truth is that Wenger does not have a ready-made replacement in the current squad. The best replacement, based on the role and statistics, for current, in-form Giroud is a healthy 23-year-old Theo Walcott.

In 2012/13, Walcott posted a remarkable 14 goal, 10 assist campaign in the Prem. It was not merely the raw statistics which are impressive, but the ratios. Walcott achieved those totals in 2286′. That is a 20 goal, 15 assist campaign, had he managed a full season, which slightly betters Olivier Giroud’s pace from 2013/14 when he was on track for 18 goals and 12 assists.

Barring a miraculous recovery for Walcott (who has played a mere 23′ this season), Wenger and Gunner’s supporters should rightly be concerned that this squad will drop vital points between now and the New Year against two high-flying sides, both of which are challenging for a European place.

All statistics produced under license from Opta – courtesy of Togga: Fantasy Premier League, except minutes played which are maintained by PremierLeague.com.

Follow Pain in the Arsenal on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.