So, Nicklas Bendtner found the net inside two minutes on his first premier start for Arsenal in over two and a half years against Hull on Wednesday evening, after Olivier Giroud was rested ahead of a busy schedule.
This change in personnel has led to intense debate over Arsenal’s alternative options in the striking role. The Frenchmen has worked like an absolute Trojan up front all season, and has improved the finer aspects of his game significantly, as seen in his improved finishing (his near post effort to clinch the North London derby and his first time low finish away at Sunderland highlight this) and his remarkable array of assists (a deft flick for Jack Wilshere’s astonishing goal vs Norwich and his towering knock down for Aaron Ramsey’s crucial goal at Borussia Dortmund spring to mind).
However, the reliance on him game in, game out is something that cannot be continued all season long, particularly as we move into a very tricky run of vital games. Therefore Arsenal must be able to adapt to alternative options to Giroud, and here are a few, starting with Bendtner.
Nicklas Bendtner
The big Dane will have been relieved to have got off the mark so quickly against Hull, not least to prove to his proclaimed ‘haters’ and sceptical Arsenal fans that he can still do the business for the club, as well as effectively ‘putting himself in the window’, as we all know that he and the club do not plan on hanging on to him for too long.
With regards to his ability to consistently perform in place of Olivier Giroud (in the case of injury, loss of form or rotation), it must be said that he has only proven himself against Hull City, a low mid-table team at best, and failed to convince in one of his previous two starts this season, against an experienced Chelsea side in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup in October.
With this in mind, I do not believe he has the qualities to replace Giroud for an extended period of time against top quality opposition. Having said this, he is the closest like-for-like replacement we have for Giroud, with his aerial threat a key part of his game and something Arsenal would miss if they fielded neither him nor Giroud up front.
Theo Walcott
The mercurial forward’s return from a long injury lay-off is a huge boost for the Arsenal squad, as they search for another option to Giroud in the light of such a heavy fixture schedule.
Walcott’s qualities are obvious, his ability to get in behind opposition defenders is something the Gunners have missed since late September when he last played before being hit by an abdominal injury.
The prospect of Mesut Özil finding Walcott with defence-splitting through balls is a tantalising one for Arsenal fans, but it is his inconsistency in front of goal that is holding him back from being an out-an-out striker.
Having said this, last season gooners saw a marked improvement in Walcott’s finishing (evidently his 1st against Newcastle at home) as he finished the club’s top goalscorer with 21 in all competitions. A promising statistic for Arsenal fans hoping Theo can deliver in a central role this year in place of Giroud.
However, currently Arsenal’s attacking game is moulded around Giroud’s ability to act as a magnet up front, sucking defenders in and laying the ball off to team mates in the vacant spaces either side of him.
For Arsenal to succeed with Walcott up front, they must adapt their game to Walcott’s forward runs, something they are perfectly capable of doing with the creative elegance of Özil and Cazorla, as well as the hardworking and skilful likes of Ramsey, Wilshere and Arteta in midfield.
Podolski
Arsenal will soon welcome back Lukas Podolski after an ever longer period on the sidelines through injury.
Again Arsenal have a completely different option in the cheery German but he will not be available in the short-term as he lacks match fitness, and will not be 100% fit and firing until at least the new year.
Previously he has rarely been trusted with the central striking role by Wenger, which may be seen as baffling due to his impressive goalscoring statistics for his previous club Cologne, and the German national team. However, his build up play leaves much to be desired as he doesn’t offer much in the way of holding the ball up or intricate passing (in comparison to Giroud’s impressive qualities at both), which may be why the manager has played him up front so little in his Arsenal career.
Nonetheless, there is no denying his deadliness in front of goal, a quality that neither Walcott or Giroud abundantly possess, as proven by his powerful finishes away at Fulham which have proven to be his only strikes this season.
Conclusions
Once all of Arsenal’s forward players are back to full fitness, it will be very interesting to see who takes the centre forward position in the team, as so far Giroud has proven his ability to successfully lead the line and currently deserves his starting berth up front for the team.
However, as we go into a fixture-packed festive period and beyond, injuries and fatigue may take their toll, so Arsenal need to utilise their options up front effectively.
Evidently, as opposed to the beliefs of many, the Gunners do have alternative options to Giroud, however it requires the team to slightly re-jig tactically when attacking to accommodate the qualities of both Walcott and Podolski, whilst Bendtner remains a short-term similar replacement to Giroud.
Overall, in the event of a change in personnel upfront for Arsenal, it is clear the team has the individuals and the ability to deal with such a change, and should be able to continue their impressive winning streak, turning form into a tilt on the title.
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