Arsenal Vs Sutton: Olivier Giroud More Than Plan B

Martin Keown has stated that Olivier Giroud offers a plan B against Sutton on Monday night. The Arsenal striker, though, is far more than a mere alternative.

It has been a rather miserable month for Arsenal. Consecutive losses to Watford and Chelsea all but ended their faint title hopes, while a dismantling at the hands of Bayern Munich last Wednesday leaves the Gunners needing a miracle to overhaul the four-goal deficit in the second leg.

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As such, this season is boiling down to two main priorities. Qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four for the 20th successive year and trying to reclaim the FA Cup, the third time in four years that Arsene Wenger would lead his side to the domestic trophy if succeeded.

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Consequently, Monday night’s visit to non-league Sutton United is of the utmost importance. With the Surrey side boasting an artificial pitch, there have been debates regarding how Wenger may approach the game, perhaps shifting his usual tactics. In his Daily Mail column, Martin Keown stated that Wenger could look to use Olivier Giroud as an alternative approach, even looking long to the towering Frenchman:

"“In the old days Luton and Queens Park Rangers had plastic pitches. Those were a lot more solid surfaces and they tended to play long balls. Arsenal can go long with Olivier Giroud if they want to. They have that different tool in the box. It’s not what they will want to do – they will want to play to feet.”"

Giroud is the perfect player to offer a change in approach late in games. His aerial threat, his physical presence and excellent first touch in holding up the ball and bringing others into play are invaluable traits when chasing a goal late in games. However, on Monday, Giroud should not be seen as a late-game-changer. Rather, he should be a starring character.

Sutton will play physically. They will hound and harass Arsenal, challenge them from set pieces and threaten from wide areas. Giroud is the ideal player to start in such a game. He is astute defensively from corners and wide free-kicks and provides a focal point in the final third against a defence that will sit deep and look to suffocate the space and frustrate their opponents.

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Giroud should not start on a regular basis for the North London outfit. He slows down the play, makes the attack one-dimensional and plagues the team with his lack of mobility and dynamism. Nonetheless, there are games where Giroud is the perfect option, and Monday night’s trip to Sutton is one of them.