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Edinson Cavani Bringing Feelings of Deja Vu to Arsenal
By Josh Sippie
It was a year ago today that Arsene Wenger had gone the entire transfer window without bringing in the striker that Arsenal so desperately needed to back up Olivier Giroud. As the clock ticked, Wenger was only linked heavily to one striker – Edinson Cavani. Falcao was (thankfully) set to go elsewhere and it appeared to be a situation of “Cavani or Bust.”
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Well, depending on who you ask, that is how it worked out, with Danny Welbeck joining Arsenal seemingly after the transfer window had closed.
This year, the same thing is happening yet again to our dear North Londoners. With inconsistencies riddling Arsenal’s striker crop, many are (still) calling for Arsene Wenger to sign that ‘world-class striker’ that we have supposedly been lacking for so many years.
However, Wenger stuck to his guns, rightfully pointing out that Olivier Giroud is a class striker and behind him we have options in Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott. The problem with that assessment has been exposed with the first month of the season. Walcott has paled to say the least, looking helpless any time he touches the pitch. Danny Welbeck has been out injured rather inconveniently, as we have been unable to gauge if being a striker is within his grasp yet.
Then there is Olivier Giroud, the man who proved that scoring is not everything for a striker (that is sarcasm).
The point is, we yet again find ourselves with only one viable striker option and we yet again find ourselves in a situation of “Edinson Cavani or bust.” I am by no means opposed to bringing in someone like Charlie Austin but that is not going to be a popular decision, much like Welbeck, unless he can hit the ground running.
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The problem with Arsenal’s striker crop is in its credibility. Only Olivier Giroud is a proven out-and-out striker. Neither Welbeck nor Walcott has done enough to warrant the title of ‘striker’ and without them and with Chuba Akpom being on loan, it truly is all up to Olivier Giroud again.
A world-class striker is not a necessity for Arsenal. It would be a nice luxury, but just a plain old striker would be enough, so long as he has the credentials of actually being a striker. Inside of this creative vortex of an attack (and it really is creative, despite what they have shown), all a striker would have to do is provide a target for the midfielders to feed the ball off of.
Edinson Cavani is still a long shot, despite what they are saying about Arsene Wenger being in Paris. I am sure that Wenger has plenty of options in mind, we will just have to wait to the last minute and beyond.
Next: 'Fitting In' is not Cavani's Problem