Match Reaction vs Leicester City (home).

Catching up on the highlights now. Pretty decent header from Lacashite and shockingly, a decent touch and finish from Ramsey. :faint:

Classic Giroud header too, there isn't a better plan B in the business than that big oaf. Somehow Welbeck managed to make a tap-in look clumsy as fuck as well...

Unconvincing stuff as usual but at least we managed to start with 3 points this time. Wenger out saved for another day.

I hope Sanchez feels ashamed, the team should've waved their middle fingers at him at half time :lol:

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Originally Posted by Jeebus

I hope Sanchez feels ashamed, the team should've waved their middle fingers at him at half time :lol:

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He was late returning from the Confed cup, ill and then had an abdominal strain. Next week he'll have a headache and the following week he'll be washing his hair!

Well, let's not pretend that wasn't an exciting match. I'll take those nuggets of entertainment because they are few and far between.

We aren't going to win the league but if we can be entertained like that, then this will do.

Giroud, when used as a sub is a real asset to the team. That, coupled with him being an acceptable starter when better options are unavailable, make him a very important part of the squad.

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Originally Posted by Özim

That's not how it works though, if a player isn't performing then he gets the blame, in the grand scheme of things yes the manager is to blame though, but everyone knows that Wenger i to blame for all the problems in the team and the personnel, but the player will always get some blame.

Giroud is and always has been a squad striker, what I will say is he's was looking for a move this summer as he wasn't playing enough (in the end he didn't go though), which suggests he see's himself as good enough to be a starter, if that's the case though he needs to deliver on the pitch when he does start and more often than not he doesn't.

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But Giroud is performing. That's my point. He is not and will never be an Henry (spoiler alert, I don't think we'll ever see a player like that at Arsenal again) but at the level he's at, he is performing. He had a great record last season, his goals/minutes ratio was better than everyone bar Kane. Yes, he is more effective when coming on as an impact sub than a starter but then it's up to the manager to make the most effective use of him. Giroud won't win you the league but he could be part of a squad which could.

His goal was actually really impressive. No one else in the squad was scoring that.

I'm happy with the 3 points and the fact we came back from behind but we still look a real mess tactically from what I have seen of the highlights.

As others have said, we won't be winning the league this season but I'd take that entertainment we got yesterday every week!

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Originally Posted by Letters

Fine, but then your ire should be directed at Wenger, not Giroud. You direct it at both as do many, seems harsh on Giroud who actually had a very good record for us last year.

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No. Because he's a professional footballer who gets paid a fortune for the privilege. He's not good enough to be the main man, yet he has stepped on the pitch often enough in that roles. So he takes the rewards and is also entitled to the criticism when he fails.

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Originally Posted by Letters

But Giroud is performing. That's my point. He is not and will never be an Henry (spoiler alert, I don't think we'll ever see a player like that at Arsenal again) but at the level he's at, he is performing. He had a great record last season, his goals/minutes ratio was better than everyone bar Kane. Yes, he is more effective when coming on as an impact sub than a starter but then it's up to the manager to make the most effective use of him. Giroud won't win you the league but he could be part of a squad which could.

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Is he though, I know he scores a few goals but he also goes on long spells without goals, his goals generally come in groups of 2 rather than in an even spread over the season.

As a starter he doesn't perform well enough, as an impact sub it's more about getting the odd goal when we need him but as a regular striker it involves scoring regularly which he just doesn't do.

I know it was a makeshift defence but our defending is a worry. Monreal doesn't look comfortable as the middle CB so he should only play as the left side CB in a back three. Holding's still learning and isn't ready to be starting first team games yet.

As for our set piece defending I don't even know where to start. Everyone standing on the spot and waiting for someone else to attack the ball. We rely too much on Giroud for defending set pieces, which isn't very smart when he isn't even a guaranteed starter.