Tag Archives: Olivier Giroud

BATE victory, Olivier Giroud and Jack Wilshere

1 Reply

BATE Borisov result

Like the wins against Cologne and Doncaster, not much can be read into them.

Another run out for Jack Wilshere (more latter) and Reiss Nelson looked good (let’s not overhype – Jermaine Jenas compared him to Neymar).

The important things is we win. And our Europa League journey is set to continue.

Olivier Giroud

He has never been everyone’s cup of tea, but this weekend Olivier Giroud scored his 100th Arsenal goal.

He joined the club in 2012, having been Ligue 1 top scorer as Montpellier lifted the French title.

A big, tall strong man, he certainly was not the nippy Thierry Henry, skilful Emmanuel Adebayor, or deadly Robin van Persie that fans had been used to.

But what  Giroud did have are a very particular set of skills. Skills he had acquired over a very long career. Skills that make him a nightmare for defences. 

It was a set of skills that many fans did not appreciate. And still do not appreciate. But his stats speak for themselves. In his 6th year at the club, he has hit 100 goals. Not bad for a player who has never been guaranteed a first team spot. A man who most fans call deadwood. A lamppost, even. A player who fans continually deride.

That 100 goals has come in 237 games. So how does he stack up against other Arsenal greats?

Jack Wilshere

Jack Wilshere had another good game following on from his performance against Doncaster. But fans calling for him to start against Brighton are premature.

Wilshere is a brilliant player. Our best central midfielder when fit. But he has had a horrendous time with injuries, and needs to be protected.

2 games in 4 days will be a recipe for disaster. It makes him an injury waiting to happen.

Let me put it another way, he plays against Brighton, gets injured, what will you all be saying.

“Why has Wenger played him twice in 4 days. He is being over played again.”

With an international break coming up, Wilshere will get some more R&R. After the break we have Watford. Wilshere should be on the bench.

After Watford, we face 3 weeks of midweek and weekend football. It is the midweek games which Wilshere should play.

Belgrade, Norwich, Belgrade. Play him in those games. Let him continue his rehabilitation.

If you are calling for him to play on Sunday, check your tweets from days past. Have you moaned at home being over played? If yes, you are doing exactly the opposite. Demanding he be overplayed.

 

Hope everyone has got back safely

Keenos

 

How do The Invincibles and Class of 2017 compare?

1 Reply

Yesterday Arsene Wenger cam out and claimed his current crop of forwards was the best options he has had in his 2 decades at the club, surpassing the invicibles:

“Certainly numbers-wise and quality-wise together [they are the best],” Wenger said ahead of today’s clash with struggling Watford.

“We had never so many players who could perform and score goals – certainly never.

“Dennis and Thierry had the quality but we did not have a large number. We had Sylvain Wiltord and Robert Pires as well so it was not bad.”

Many have used this of further proof that Arsene Wenger is a deluded old man who has gone senile. It is further quotes to prove that he now looks at the current set up through rose tinted glasses.

Arsenal’s current forward options are: Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Mesut Ozil & Lucas Perez. How can these compare to Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires, Kanu and Sylvain Wiltord. The invincibles.

Well the statistics do make for interesting reading:

Invincibles v Class of 2017

goals-in-order

So the Invincibles scored a goal every 2.96 games. Whilst the Class of 2017 are a goal every 3.01 games. Almost nothing in it. We are talking about a 5 minute difference. But of course, it disproves Arsene Wenger’s point. The Invincibles were superior goal scorers, but only just. And probably not by as much as people think.

For me there are main differences between the two groups of players is top end quality. The Invincibles had Thierry Henry.

Henry is by far and away the most clinical player out of the 12 players and the primary reason that the Invincibles scored more than the Class of 2017.

A minor reason is Dennis Bergkamp against Mesut Ozil. Bergkamp was much more of a striker than Mesut Ozil. Scored more goals.

Henry better than Giroud, Bergkamp better than Ozil. When you combine all 12 players into a single long list, it makes equally as interesting reading.

Long List

long-list

This list further proves that Henry was superior to every other player. Our greatest goal scorer of all time. But the next two on the list are interesting. Both from the Class of 2017. This shows that whilst the Invincibles were heavily reliant on goals from Henry, the Class of 2017 has two goal scoring options.

Lucas Perez has to kind of be disregarded as he has played so few games to make a true judgement.

You then have the next 5. Pires, Bergkamp, Wiltord, Welbeck & Walcott. Very similar games to goal ratio.

So the Invincibles had the best goal scorer, but the Class of 2017 had the better options.

Player v Player

side-by-sideA last comparison is just seeing players per their position.

Again, this highlights the importance of Henry and Bergkamp. Henry is vastly superior to Giroud. Bergkamp better than Ozil. This is not exactly ground breaking news.

On the left hand side, Sanchez out scores Pires, which again is not exactly surprising. Sanchez is better than Pires.

The right hand side of the midfield might surprise you. Walcott is more dangerous than Ljungberg.

Wiltord and Welbeck are both hardworking strikers who also cover the wide positions. Wiltord had played a lot more than Welbeck, but their record is identical.

Lastly we have Perez v Kanu. Not similar in style, but they are the lost ones left. Kanu on his day was a game changer, but was extremely inconsistent. A scorer of great goals, rather than a great goal scorer.

 

I think it is wrong to compare the Invincibles to the Class of 2017. The Invincibles won league titles, and went unbeaten. Add in a lot of FA Cups. Whilst the current crop have just those 2 FA Cups to show for their efforts. But the comparison does make interesting reading, and the difference is not as much as you would think.

The difference is Bergkamp and Henry.

Keenos

Note: I know I spelt Wiltord’s name wrong in the pretty pictures

Goodbye Sunderland – You will not be missed

39 Replies

132

Sunderland were awful.

There is no way of trying to big them up to make it look like Arsenal were brilliant in a 4-1 victory. Sunderland were truly awful.

An awful city, an awful football team, and awful journey there and back. There will not be a tear shed when they go down. Hopefully taking the equally awful Swansea City, Hull City or Stoke City down with them. Let’s start cleansing the Premier League of these horrible little clubs who have horrible little train journeys. They won’t be missed.

Arsenal played OK. No better than they have played recently, no worse. But Sunderland were just dreadful.

Why would you play a high line when you have John O’Shea at centre back facing Alexis Sanchez upfront? You are asking for trouble. And to compound it, 5′ 6″ Sanchez opened the scoring with a header.

All Sunderland could do was try and kick us off the pitch. Sanchez took some treatment and it is testament to his mentality that he kept it together. A lesser man (Suarez, Costa) would have got sent off or (Reyes) gone into hiding. Every time Sanchez got knocked down, he got back up again. He will wake up bruised this morning and deserves his ice bath.

How Sunderland kept 10 men on the park was only due to referee Martin Atkinson ineptness. He was as bad as Sunderland. And how he did not give that penalty I will never know. I imagine he will be joining Jon Moss in the lower leagues next weekend.

Luckily for Arsenal, two poor refereeing performances haven’t affected the results.

One thing that yesterday showed was just how much we missed Olivier Giroud.

I said after the bore draw with Boro that had Giroud been on the bench, we would have won. He is the best Plan B in Europe.

When teams are defending deep, he causes havoc in the 6 yard box with his strength. He bullies defenders, draws them towards him, and if not scoring himself, makes space for others.

Against Boro we missed him. They packed the middle and left space out wide, but we were unable to take advantage of it.

Giroud’s first goal was typical of the Frenchman. Space out wide. Cross in. Get in front of the defender.  Sweep it in with his left foot. 2-1.

He gets his critics, but remember, he was always bought as a Plan B. This was what I wrote in 2012…

When we signed Sanchez, the rumours were he would play up top, like he does for his country. He started there but was soon moved out wide. By luck of design, he has found himself as striker again this season. Yesterday took him to 50 goals in 106 games. A phenomenal record.

His form, alongside the returning Giroud, gives us options up front. We can now change things up. Changes styles. Depending on the opponents, on the in game performance.

And having Aaron Ramsey back is a game changer too. Being able to bring on players of his and Giroud’s class shows our incredible strength in depth. Even with no Walcott, Welbeck, Cazorla, Wilshere & Perez.

Ramsey’s return will give Wenger a head ache. With Coquelin, Elneny, Cazorla & Xhaka all potentially available for Spurs next weekend, 5 into 2 doesn’t go. Wenger needs to not only get the individual personnel right, but also the partnership.

Plenty of arguments on Twitter last night as too who should play. Few agreed.

A final thought, when was the last time every player in our 1st 11 was replaceable by someone else in the squad? Take out Ozil, replace with Cazorla, Walcott for Chamberlain, Monreal for Gibbs. The depth is incredible, and is forcing players to maintain top form.

So Sunderland are the worst team ever in the Premier League. They won’t be missed. Bye-the-lad.

Have a cracking Sunday

Keenos