Olivier Giroud provides reminder of his importance to Arsenal
Monday 26 December 2016 19:16, UK
Olivier Giroud rescued Arsenal with his late header against West Brom. He may no longer be Arsene Wenger's first-choice striker, but his importance to the side should not be underestimated, writes Nick Wright.
For 86 minutes of Arsenal's 1-0 win over West Brom, it was not difficult to see why Olivier Giroud has become a squad player this season. The Frenchman cut an isolated figure despite the Gunners enjoying 76 per cent of the possession, with his team-mates frequently bypassing him as they attempted to pass their way through the visitors' packed defence.
Giroud also had to contend with close attention from Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley. He had fewer touches than any of Arsenal's other outfield starters over the course of the 90 minutes, and his most notable contribution in a frustrating first half was to receive a yellow card for berating the linesman after a decision went against him.
The 30-year-old drew further frustration from the home fans when he failed to connect with an inviting low cross from substitute Lucas Perez midway through the second period, but his match-winning moment wasn't far away. Four minutes of normal time remained when Mesut Ozil aimed a diagonal cross into West Brom's box, and there was Giroud.
He used his strength to wrestle McAuley out of the way and, spotting Ben Foster off his line, directed a looping header into the net. On a day when Arsenal's intricate build-up play came up short, it was exactly what they needed. It was also the kind of goal that only Giroud could have scored.
And while it may have been Giroud's first Premier League start of the season, this was certainly not his first valuable contribution. The Frenchman scored with each of his first two touches after coming off the bench to inspire Arsenal's 4-1 win over Sunderland in October, and a few weeks later he rescued a point at Old Trafford with a brilliantly-taken header.
In total, Giroud has scored six goals in just 481 minutes of Premier League and Champions League action this season. Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Ozil may have netted more, but Giroud's strike rate of one every 80.2 minutes trumps them all. When Arsenal need a goal, he has a habit of delivering.
Giroud will be hoping his West Brom heroics lead to a run of starts, but the the reality is that Sanchez is unlikely to lose his place as Arsenal's first-choice striker. The Chilean delivered another outstanding performance against Tony Pulis' side, accounting for nine of Arsenal's 26 shots on goal and providing their primary threat in the final third.
Sanchez's ability to dominate a game even when he is moved to the flank was a reminder of why he has been chosen to lead the line this season. But while Giroud cannot match his relentless energy and technical brilliance, his aerial ability provides a vital alternative, and Wenger certainly values his contribution.
"He deserves it," Wenger said after the game. "I have a big respect for Olivier. He is always strongly motivated and very strong mentally. He always supports the group when he doesn't play. He's a fighter and he has shown that again today."
Arsenal could not afford to drop more points after their back-to-back defeats to Everton and Manchester City. A draw would have left them 11 points behind Chelsea and sent them into the New Year on a rocky path, and they owe it to Giroud that they are heading in the right direction again.
He is no longer the leader of their attack, but Giroud gives Arsenal depth and variety, and as they aim to sustain their Premier League title challenge in 2017, his importance should not be underestimated. "After two difficult results, we didn't panic and kept faith in our game," added Wenger. He will be glad he kept faith in Giroud.
