Arsenal: Would Jamie Vardy Actually Start?

Arsenal are being very heavily linked with Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, but if he was brought to the club, would he actually start for the Gunners?

Arsenal are finally becoming major players in the transfer window. That is a crazy sentence to write, but after signing Granit Xhaka for an undisclosed figure thought to be in the range of £30 million – certainly a figure of significance – and now very serious rumors that Arsenal are in the market for Jamie Vardy, then it is fair to say that the Gunners are becoming serious about brining in players to the Emirates.

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However, if Arsene Wenger and Arsenal are able to pull off the incredible deal, would Jamie Vardy actually start in current Arsenal system?

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First and foremost, Wenger is not going to change his system just to accommodate Vardy. Arsenal will continue to employ the five man midfield that has been utilized to great success over the past few seasons. That means playing a solo striker, a role that Vardy is not particularly accustomed to.

Now, that does not mean that Vardy cannot perform such a role. He certainly has assets to his game that could allow him to be dangerous in the solo role, he has absolutely blistering pace in behind, but does he have the skills to excel in Arsenal’s style of play?

Olivier Giroud, while a player who does not score enough goals, is outstanding in general play. His touch is sublime, he’s phenomenal in the air and provides a focal point, a true hold up man, for this Arsenal attack. That is what is needed for this Arsenal side, and I am doubting whether Vardy can fulfill such demands.

His touch is not as good as Giroud, he does not possess the same physical stature of Giroud and could be out-muscled and bullied if playing up front on his own. Vardy’s skill set, a true world class goalscorer that is razor sharp in and around the box, someone is lethal in behind and loves to run the channels, does not accompany Arsenal’s possession based style of play.

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Whether Vardy comes to the Emirates or not remains to be seen, but if the incredible deal could be pulled off, I have my doubts whether Vardy would be Arsenal’s starting striker. That does not mean to say that he is still a bad signing, it simply doubts his starting credentials.