Arsenal: Olivier Giroud Nowhere Near Plan B Status

Arsenal has often been criticized for not having a ‘Plan B’ but just because we have alternatives now does not mean that Giroud is that ‘Plan B’.

Arsenal’s lack of a Plan B has plagued them in the past and it is/was still plaguing them this year. When Alexis got shut down this year, there was no alternative style of attack for the Gunner’s to assume to try to make a breakthrough.

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Now that Olivier Giroud is back and we have this alternative facet with which we can attack, some have referred to Giroud as the Plan B that was lacking. Arsene Wenger, however, is not a fan of this assessment and was quick to shoot it down. No player is ‘Plan B’ he says.

In Giroud’s case, he is absolutely right. The big Frenchman has been Arsenal’s only plan of attack for the past few years and now that we have this alternate option, it feels as though Giroud has been tossed on the backburner. On the surface, he is the Plan B, but digging deeper, the two styles seem to be equally viable.

Both Alexis and Giroud have proven to be powerful striking options, both this year and in the past, so maintaining both plans as alternate possibilities is crucial.

Plus, Giroud is too valuable to be a second choice. He has proven that in the short time that he has had in the starting XI since he returned. The man is a wrecking ball who can wreak absolute havoc on opposing defenses all by himself. He doesn’t even need to score goals to be effective.

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What’s nice about all this, and what further solidifies that Giroud is not a secondary option, is that both he and Sanchez, the assumed Plan A and Plan B, can be utilized in the same formation, forming a brand new alternative attack.

So essentially, we have two attacking options that can form three plans. No plan is superior to any other plan beyond circumstantial changes. If we are playing a team that holds a high line and goes toe-to-toe with Arsenal, perhaps we prefer a different plan compared to a situation where we’re up against a lower-tier team that sits back deep and invites pressure.

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No plan is proven to be any better than the other. The fact that we have alternate plans actually makes this team far more potent and makes each plan that much better as well.