Arsenal: Losing Olivier Giroud fair but fearsome

French assistant coach Guy Stephan has stated that Olivier Giroud needs to find a solution to his lack of playing time if he is going to force his way into the World Cup squad. That could mean leaving in January. For Arsenal, it is a fair but frightening prospect.

Versatility in attack is crucial. Being able to create chances and score goals in a number of different ways is what separates the good from the great sides. The fast, free-flowing, interchangeable football may not always be so slick. Sometimes a more direct, physical approach is required. At other times, patience is necessary. At others, it is width, and others, pace.

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The point is simple: Teams need several different ways that they can score to consistently achieve a potent attack throughout a long and strenuous season. Arsenal, so far this year, have had that thanks to the dual-threat of Alexandre Lacazette and Olivier Giroud. Both have the ability to score vast amounts of goals. But they do so differently. Their games on founded differing talents and traits. That is why they are both needed.

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So French assistant manager, Guy Stephan, stating that Giroud needs to find a solution to his lack of playing time, at least in the Premier League, if he is to maintain his place in the France starting XI ahead of next summer’s World Cup, should be somewhat concerning for Arsene Wenger. Here are his comments in full:

"“It’s clear that he is not getting enough playing time and Didier has already spoken to him about it. He has to find a solution in the coming weeks. It’s up to him [if that solution includes leaving Arsenal]. He’s played very well in recent months with us. He has a very good goals-to-games ratio, but he now has to play.”"

If Giroud takes the warning seriously, and does look to leave North London in January, something that he was very close to doing in the summer, only to turn his back on an Everton switch at the last second, according to a somewhat bitter Ronald Koeman, then it will severely dent the potential of this Arsenal attack.

The threat that he offers from off the bench is unique. This year alone, he has already scored three goals as a substitute. In the past two years, he has scored nine from off the bench in the last two seasons alone. In fact, in his full Arsenal tenure, he has scored 16 goals as a substitute, which is the fourth most in the history of the Premier League. He has averaged 1.08 goals per 90 minutes this season in the league, a figure bettered by only Oumar Niasse of Everton.

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In every statistic, it is clear to see that attacking benefit that the Frenchman brings to the team. But if he were to leave, it would be difficult to blame him. It would, actually, be completely fair of him to force an exit, however frightening it would be for the team that he leaves behind.