Arsenal: Danny Welbeck negates Olivier Giroud

During Arsenal’s phenomenal win over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, Danny Welbeck negated the need for Olivier Giroud with an outstanding display of pace and mobility.

Arsenal were majestic in their FA Cup final over Chelsea. The 2-1 scoreline was kind on the losers, with the Gunners creating a number of golden opportunities to extend their lead, opportunities that were squandered in a spate of wastefulness that, at one point, threatened to cost them the trophy.

While there are concerns surrounding the lack of a ruthless streak in front of goal, what was pleasing was the number of chances that Arsenal were able to create. They totalled 16 shots through the 90 minutes. However, there were far more opportunities than that engineered, but the final touch or pass was a little loose, and hence the chance faltered.

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But the creativity and the ingenuity in the final third, especially of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, was a joy to behold. It was very much like the Arsenal of early in the season, with zipping passes, relentless, interchangeable movement off the ball and the caressing of the ball, killing it dead, such that you can turn and drive at an exposed and unprepared defence.

The space that Ozil and Sanchez enjoyed in between the lines – N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic were too high up the pitch, vacating the space in front of the back three that Ozil and Sanchez were able to drift into – was deadly for Chelsea. Receiving the ball with just the back three ahead of them and with such time on the ball, players of the quality of Sanchez and Ozil rip defences to shreds. And that is exactly what happened.

But, the key, underrated aspect to this approach is the presence of Danny Welbeck. Because of his pace in behind, none of the back three wanted to step up and challenge Ozil or Sanchez, meaning that both had time to turn and pick their passes and they so chose. Welbeck was not playing with his back to goal, looking for passes to feet, trying to hold the ball and bring others into play.

Contrast to had Olivier Giroud started as the central striker. Chelsea would not have been threatened by him running the channels in behind because of his lack of pace and athleticism. As such, they will have been able to step higher up the pitch, cramp the space with which the Gunners’ attacking midfielders can work it, press Xhaka and Ramsey on the ball in deeper areas and suffocate their attacking moves.

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The very presence of Welbeck opens up the whole attack. And the speed and the dynamism that he brings to the side cannot be replicated by Giroud. The Frenchman still has his uses, but barring injury, hopefully, his starting days have come to an end.

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