Arsenal: Olivier Giroud Scapegoat Blame On One Man’s Shoulders

Olivier Giroud is often seen as a scapegoat among the Arsenal fan base. However, there is just one man who shoulder the blame for that: Arsene Wenger.

Ever since he was signed in the summer of 2012 to replace Robin van Persie as Arsenal’s starting centre-forward, Olivier Giroud has been an enormously divisive figure among the fan base. Some see him as a bruising, bullying striker, with great strength and power, holding the ball up, linking up play and scoring goals. Others, though, portray him to a lumbering, waste-of-space, lacking any sort of mobility capable of handling the ever-increasing pace of the modern game.

Related Story: Arsenal Vs Leicester City: Player Ratings

The truth likely lies somewhere in between the two. He has the physical and technical traits to be a top tier striker. While a little slow, his movement is intelligent, he has outstanding positional and spatial awareness, and is able to knit together the attacking moves with great effect as a result, and, this season, has maintained a remarkable goalscoring rate of 0.86 goals per 90 minutes, bettered by only Harry Kane of players that played more than 20 games in the Premier League.

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

And yet, his lack of dynamism severely harms the potency of the team’s attack. Throughout the year, Arsenal have looked far more dangerous with Giroud sat on the bench and a more mobile centre-forward starting in his stead. Giroud is a one-dimensional striker and the team have to play in a certain manner to maximise his effectiveness, something that has not happened this season.

As a result, Giroud has quickly become a scapegoat figure for the Gunners. Perhaps it is slightly awkward, unathletic style; perhaps it is the tendency to miss relatively easy chances; perhaps it is with the ease at which he goes missing in games. Whatever the case, Giroud is not the most popular figure in North London. But, he should not be the one to shoulder the blame for the often vicious criticism that he receives.

The type of player that Giroud is well-known. It is no surprise that, in a counter-attacking system, he struggles, and in a cross-orientated approach, with his back to goal, he excels. But Arsene Wenger has seemingly not deciphered how best to use his towering striker.

The FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City was the perfect the game to drop Giroud. Arsenal wanted to sit deep, surrender possession and exploit the greater space on the break with free-flowing, interchangeable, sweeping moves. Giroud does not facilitate such a style.

And then, Wednesday night’s hosting of Leicester City was the perfect game to start Giroud. The Foxes were happy to sit deep, soak up the pressure and suffocate the space with which Arsenal can work in. Giroud, in such a scenario, provides a focal point for the offence, making a nuisance of himself up against the centre-halves, and creating space for his teammates even in the tightest of final thirds.

Next: Arsenal Vs Leicester City: 5 Things We Learned

As you may have predicted, Wenger decided to start Giroud on Sunday and the drop him for the Leicester tie. It is a baffling decision, one that I cannot even fathom his reasoning. Giroud will never be a world-leading striker, firing his side to titles and trophies. But he does have his uses, if only they are tailored. Wenger must learn how to tailor to them.