Arsenal Vs Chelsea: Olivier Giroud Should Be Banished

Arsenal travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday with faint title hopes. Olivier Giroud should be banished from the starting lineup as Alexis Sanchez starts.

The Premier League title is still a possibility for Arsenal. Despite the loss at home to Watford – which was an utter shock for all given the recent difficulties the Hornets have suffered from and the form of Arsene Wenger’s side – they still lie nine points off the top with a slim chance of overcoming the points difference.

Chelsea, who have been the best side in the country by some distance thus far, were held to a draw against Liverpool on Tuesday thanks to a late Diego Costa penalty that was saved by Simon Mignolet, who had earlier shockingly lacked the attentiveness to save a David Luiz free kick that took him by complete surprise.

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Given the gap, though, Saturday’s tie is an absolute must for the Gunners and Wenger has a huge selection dilemma to decipher. Olivier Giroud has been starting as the lone centre-forward in recent weeks but it is with Alexis Sanchez in the role that Arsenal enjoy their greatest success. When speaking with Sky Sports, former Premier League defender Danny Higginbotham, detailed as to why Sanchez must start up front rather than Giroud:

"“We’re used to seeing him stretch defences and running in behind, but what’s been happening more often than not is that he’s actually become the deepest of that front four. The problem has been that if you are a centre-half with a centre-forward to mark, what you’re going to do is follow him into certain areas. Whether it is Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil or Alex Iwobi, with Sanchez playing up front what happens is that there are runners behind him. He actually creates space for others.”"

Such comments from Higginbotham are wholly accurate. The fluidity of Arsenal’s movement in the final third is so much more difficult to defend against than the more stationary, one-dimensional Giroud.

Sanchez’s willingness to drop deep, drift and wide and roam free throughout the pitch creates space in behind for the pace of Theo Walcott and Alex Iwobi. It has been a tactic that Wenger has been encouraging his team to employ throughout the year and one that Mesut Ozil has enjoyed greatly as a player who excels when he is surrounded by electric pace and relentless movement.

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With Chelsea, unlike many teams that face Arsenal, probable to push higher up the pitch and squeeze the midfield space, there will be room to exploit in behind, down the channels, particularly in wide areas given Antonio Conte’s three-at-the-back system. Giroud simply doesn’t boast the mobility to exploit such space. If he starts on Saturday, then Wenger truly is clueless.