Arsneal: Olivier Giroud Needed Now More Than Ever

Arsenal are, naturally, running into a pickle at striker with injuries and options being major concerns. Olivier Giroud, help us.

It wasn’t more than a couple of days ago that Jack Dooley here at Pain in the Arsenal wrote that Santi Cazorla was needed now more than ever. Which makes total sense, but there is another Arsenal man that I think is needed now more than ever as well, and that man is Olivier Giroud.

Related: Wenger’s 10 Best Signings Ever

The big bearded giant has had a rough start to the season in terms of playing time and sustained relevance. He can’t seem to latch onto the starting role and, as he knows better than anyone else, it’s hard to convince Wenger of something other than what Le Prof is working with right now.

Meaning that Giroud has an uphill climb to get back into the starting role for probably the first time in his life. At the age of 30, he is just now struggling for the first time in his life. But that is a topic for another day.

For now, let’s focus on the situation at hand. Alexis Sanchez is a bit tender in the legs with his recent injury and even when healthy, it’s painfully obvious that another options has to come up and has to make itself apparent – that other options is Olivier Giroud.

But it goes deeper than that. With Alexis looking more and more like the one Gunner that may opt for an exit, we need to see that we are still in good hands with Giroud.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 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

Obviously, if Alexis were to leave, we’d bring in someone to replace him and that someone would compete with an aging Giroud, but for the immediate future, we need to see that we have that steady pillar to lean on like always.

Not only that, but now there are these Giroud exit rumors popping up as well. Of course, the Frenchman has come out and noted that he has no doubts over his Arsenal future, I still can’t help but feel queasy at the thought of losing Giroud in January and Alexis in the summer.

That would be tough to recover from.

Next: Wenger's 10 Worst Signings Ever

Alexis may spot Giroud a run in the starting XI and the Frenchman has to step up. And frankly, I have no doubts. Giroud is a fierce competitor who, when backed into a corner, fights his way out. I can’t see that changing any time soon.