Arsenal: Europa League just as big for Olivier GIroud as Jack Wilshere

Arsenal will get made fun of all year for being in the Europa League, but all those people don’t understand all the guys it’s benefiting. Like Olivier Giroud.

Arsenal made the Champions League for two straight decades, no one bats an eye. They miss out for one year and everyone loses their minds.

We have talked in depth here at Pain in the Arsenal about all the players that are going to benefit from the Europa League. Rather than the early exit, high pressure Champions League, the Gunners can kick back with what figures to be an exciting mix of hungry veteran and energetic youth players and let them run free on the competition.

Jack Wilshere is obviously the first person that comes to mind that is going to benefit massively. With a pretty thin midfield, the Gunners certainly need to rediscover the excellence of Wilshere to add him to the mix of options.

As has been said numerous times, few players are better than an in-form Wilshere.

But I am going to reassert that statement with someone else. There are few strikers better than an in-form Olivier Giroud.

The big Frenchman has gone on some serious goal tears, where every ball finds the net and where defenders quiver at the knees when they come into contact with the big man. He simply cannot be stopped when his confidence in brimming.

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Which makes the Europa League such a weapon because, all things considered, it should be able to give Giroud some serious confidence. And that is huge when you then factor in his status as the super-est sub of North London.

Arsenal will find themselves in positions where they need a late punch in matches. No matter how much Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette are capable of, there will inevitably be times when they need to come through in the clutch and there are few better at this then Giroud.

Not just that, but Giroud has to be frustrated to see all of his loyalty and hard work not amount to a starting role. He hasn’t had a chance to assert himself and when he has, the circumstances haven’t been conducive to his advancement.

Being able to play 90 minutes at a time with a capable side like he will in the Europa League will restore Giroud to that glorious form that can change the day against anyone.

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And then we almost have a case of having too many attackers. How ’bout that?

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