Arsenal Vs Southampton: Olivier Giroud to prove his worth?

As Arsenal prepare to right the wrongs of last weekend, facing a disciplined and gritty Southampton side, I can’t help but feel that this is the game that Olivier Giroud may have to prove his worth once more.

A trip to Southampton is never a nice one. They are defensively sound, well-organised, and hard-organised. They tackle soundly, they track runs, they hound and harass their opposition in the midfield areas. They are, simply, a horrible team to play against, especially away from home.

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But for Arsenal, in trying to keep pace with the two Manchester clubs at the top of the table, they cannot afford to drop points. This, along with every other one, is a must-win fixture. And that is a worrying prospect for a team that, if their slick passing football does not flow, could come unstuck.

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In particular, Alexandre Lacazette will be working in tight spaces with the Saints’ defence sitting deep. They will defend the width of the penalty area, soak up the pressure that Arsenal will impress upon them, and break up the free-flowing moves that they attempt to string together. In recent weeks, he has proven an ability to be able to work in such circumstances, especially against Manchester United last weekend. But if the side’s play begins to slow as Southampton disrupt their rhythm, then he could have difficulties.

That is why having a versatility in attack is so important. Sometimes, plan A does not work as hoped for. That is very true for the Gunners, with Arsene Wenger demanding a ball-on-the-floor strategy that, if not running smoothly, can find difficulty. So it’s a good job that Olivier Giroud will be sitting on the bench.

Giroud, while a little limited in what he has to offer due to his immobility, his inability to threaten with the ball at his feet, and his lack of athleticism when stretching the channels, does provide an extremely different threat to Lacazette.

His size and stature make him a real danger in the air, he has the hold-up ability to play with his back to goal as a focal point for what can sometimes be aimless passing through the midfield, and he does have a knack for scoring goals.

In the league this year, he has scored three goals, all coming off the bench. Only Anthony Martial has scored more. He has scored 1.08 goals per 90 minutes, a ratio that is bettered by only Oumar Niasse, and now has 16 from the substitutes bench, which is the fourth most in Premier League history.

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Giroud is a man who knows how to score goals. He knows how to impact games from off the bench. Arsenal may need him to do both on Sunday. Could this be another game in which the Frenchman proves his worth once more?