Arsenal: Olivier Giroud injury an underrated restriction

Olivier Giroud went down during training with the French national team and could miss the North London Derby next weekend. His absence greatly restricts Arsenal more than people may quite realise.

As the final international break of 2017 rolls around — thank God for that –, Arsenal, after Sunday’s predictable defeat to Manchester City, sit in sixth position, within four points of second, but 12 off the blistering pace set by the weekend’s opponents.

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The relentless form of City is somewhat contorting the perceptions of the season. Such is the disparity between them and the rest of the league, that concerns over whether the summer protestations of a title challenge will be justified are beginning to rise. And rightly so. The Gunners, and others, do not look capable of challenging the might of City.

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If they are, then they must overcome Tottenham Hotspur immediately after the international break. Spurs, like their North London rivals, trail in the wake of City, currently lying eight points behind the table toppers. They did extend their lead over Arsenal to four points with a grafted win against Crystal Palace, and if they win on the Premier League’s return, establishing a seven-point gap would be substantial.

So the news that Olivier Giroud may miss the first North London derby of the season is not welcome for Arsene Wenger. The French striker left training early on Tuesday with what looked like a knee injury. While the seriousness of the issue is not yet known, and a diagnosis of the extent of his troubles and the period of his absence still to be determined, if he were to miss the early kick-off on Saturday, it would significantly restrict Wenger’s tactical versatility and threat.

Despite not being the assumed starter since the club-record introduction of Alexandre Lacazette, who, funnily enough, plays second fiddle for France, Giroud still provides a unique late-game option that has been, and could still be, extremely valuable.

Such is his aerial presence, his size, his stature, and his power, that, if the opposition sits deep and compacts the space with which Arsenal’s plethora of slighter, technical, attacking midfielders can work in, the ability to simply chuck the ball into the box is one that is sometimes more effective.

Moreover, against a team as physically imposing and defensive disciplined as Spurs, having an option like Giroud becomes even more important. Arsenal are a small team. Even with the summer addition of Sead Kolasinac. Giroud is different to his teammates in that manner. And that is why his absence would be extremely restricting, understatedly so.

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He may be a much-maligned, highly-questioned, strongly doubted and criticised figure. But he has a utility that no other player in the squad can replicate. Without him, Wenger loses yet another string to his bow. In a must-win game, pitted against a team as complete as Spurs, that is most worrying.