Quote Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory View Post
I think the reaction to Wenger over the Bayern and Spurs games are a bit over the top. Injuries have hampered us and I think if he's to be taken to task, it's for the lack of signings, preparation and it seems like he hasn't done enough to get a firm grasp on the constant injuries we have. Way too much finger pointing instead of looking at what he's doing in training and match day.

But on to Walcott. He's been missed and I've said for a long time on here that he should be playing as striker. It's his best position and even when not scoring you can see the positive effect he adds to our game compared to when he's stuck on the right. You only have to compare the two Bayern games to see how he's been missed. Against Spurs, before the game, I felt like Sanchez, Giroud and Campbell would struggle. On a counter attack, Giroud makes slow ponderous runs looking for a cross to the back or front post rather than helping our wingers with a quick one two and then rushing to the box. You can already see how Sanchez's form has fallen off since playing with Giroud. It feels like Giroud needs wingers that stay wide and whip in crosses rather than inverted winger because the link up play isn't working and maybe that's because he's looking to get into more goal scoring positions this season. He can't do both and that's why we need a more pacey player.

Also, I'm sure the lack of pace up front is forcing us to try and make the pitch smaller with our backline playing higher so there isn't massive gaps between the defence, midfield and strikers. With a pacey striker like Walcott, we can play deeper and not worry about the front three making up the ground. I really feel as though we should have been playing Walcott as a striker a couple of seasons ago or at least towards the end of last season. If he had doubts about Walcott then he should have at least given Sanchez more of a shot there. Giroud just isn't the type of striker that should be first team for us. Putting aside his quality and the chances he misses like we saw yesterday, he isn't the sort of striker that fits into our philosophy of attack. He'd thrive off crosses and we're not that sort of team. We don't play it long and from wide positions. He's a plan B striker for us. Not plan A. I would have thought Wenger would have figured that out but he hasn't. He either has to change our attacking philosophy or change Giroud for a more pacey striker. I don't why Wenger has moved away from Henry and Anelka type strikers but he needs to get back to it.


My thoughts exactly - and I like the point re the higher backline.

The problem is that while I think Wenger's tactics have evolved with Walcott - his risk taking/blind spot re depending on players' injuries haven't.

Do you think that we should be looking to buy an attacking player with pace in January? I'm beginning to think so - even if another injury prone player - Welbeck - might be back by then. Because IMO its not even Walcott's goals that are the most important - its the spaces that direct pace provides. I'm fond of Giroud, but its too easy for well-organised physical pressing teams to nullify us when he is our starting striker.