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Arsenal Striker Situation Needs No Reinforcements
By Nasra Osman
Arsenal fans and pundits want the club to buy a striker in January’s transfer window. But is another needed with Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in form?
The January transfer window is a period of time that has never yielded many quality players for Arsenal, due in part to Arsene Wenger’s notorious reluctance to buy in the middle of the season. Last year saw Danny Welbeck added to the squad. It was a decent buy by Wenger, given the injuries that Arsenal sustained in that position at the time. Fast forward a year, and there is once again widespread calls for Wenger to purchase another striker, with fans and pundits alike claiming that Arsenal cannot win the Premier League absent a “world-class striker”.
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Last January, I would have agreed with anyone that felt as though Arsenal needed another striker, but this time around, I’m not so sure if the calls for a signing up front are justified. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that Arsenal can win the Premier League with the current striker tandem that they have. Theo Walcott’s emergence as an out and out striker has undoubtedly made a world of a difference for Arsenal in the sense that it has diversified Wenger’s attacking options. It was Walcott himself who asked Wenger to take a chance on him and let him play in his preferred position.
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Since then, Walcott has made good on that chance, scoring three goals in eight appearances while playing in the striker’s role. The England international even managed to usurp Olivier Giroud from his place in the starting lineup with his stellar play, and has forced his way into becoming a mainstay in the starting XI this season. His pace alone has caused opponents trouble, which makes him an invaluable asset at Wenger’s disposal.
On the other hand, Giroud has been Arsenal’s go to guy up front. He has been reliable and consistent when it comes to scoring goals. It is worth mentioning that Giroud responded impeccably to his demotion in favour of Walcott. He put in the work and effort in training and was soon recalled to the starting XI alongside Walcott, with whom he has struck up a potent partnership. So far this season, Giroud has scored 15 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions, enough to be Arsenal’s top scorer thus far in this Premier League campaign.
Both Walcott and Giroud have been firing on all cylinders for Arsenal, and have provided much of the team’s offense this season. Combined, Walcott and Giroud have scored 13 of Arsenal’s 32 goals in the Premier League, which accounts for 40% of all goals. Their high degree of efficiency in front of goal means that Arsenal is not necessarily lacking in the attacking position. Does that mean that another striker isn’t needed, though? At the present time, it would seem that way.
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Even if Walcott and Giroud suffer a drop in form, Alexis Sanchez is always there to pick up the slack. There is not another player in the current squad that works harder on the pitch than Alexis. You can expect him to rack up the goals, especially if Mesut Ozil continues to dole out assists at his current rate. Danny Welbeck can also contribute in the goal-scoring department when he is fit, and Joel Campbell can be an impact player off the bench if need be.
In all seriousness, there probably is not a player currently on the market that Arsenal want, who can best what is on offer in the squad, as it is. There are a few talented players rumored to be linked with Arsenal, such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but again, there is a question of availability and what that means for Arsenal’s chances of making a decent signing in this transfer window.
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Even if a new recruit does not walk through the gates at the Emirates, Arsenal are still in excellent shape up front. Walcott, Giroud and Alexis have provided enough firepower thus far to vault Arsenal into first place. So, it is perfectly reasonable to believe that they can muster enough goals to win Arsenal the title this season.