Match Reaction Arsenal 0-0 Anti-Football Scum

[Kano]

PnG is right to say that with Giroud alone we can't win the league. Henry was right too but I don't want to credit him much because his first year has been spent sitting like a well dressed mannequin saying next to nothing.

Man City have had what most people regard as a bad season. Yet they've scored more than anyone. They have players that can come in and score key goals when Aguero needs a rest, is injured or substituted. Chelsea have Remy who has scored a few key goals throughout the season and Drogba has too. Like ourselves, Utd need better options upfront to improve.

We have Wellbeck, who works bloody hard and has been as influential as Sanchez has in terms of convincing our players to chase down and close the opposition. It's hard to make a full assessment of his striker abilities because his only option is still play wide with Giroud on form. Earlier in the season he's goal rate was patchy and i don't think he can be relied on as a strong alternative when Giroud is out. Walcott, well he'll rarely ever play through the middle for us, so that's not an option. We need another 10-15 premier league goal striker to have any chance of winning the league but whether Wenger agrees with that in the summer is another thing.

[Power n Glory]

With the mark he left at Monaco, that perception will remain until he has dominant performance in a big game. He's done well this season but I wouldn't want us to pass up on a quality striker based on his recent form. 90+ minute goals in a game we've already lost (Utd) or won (Liverpool) and an early assist against Spurs, a game we lost will look good on paper but look different in context.

[Fist of Lehmann]

With the mark he left at Monaco, that perception will remain until he has dominant performance in a big game. He's done well this season but I wouldn't want us to pass up on a quality striker based on his recent form. 90+ minute goals in a game we've already lost (Utd) or won (Liverpool) and an early assist against Spurs, a game we lost will look good on paper but look different in context.

I wouldn't want that either. Any way we can improve the team I'm right behind it.

But is it valid to devalue a goal that doesn't mathematically affect the end result?

For instance does the second goal in a 2-0 kill off the game and deter pressure?
In hindsight you might argue the second goal wasn't important, but what you cannot say with any certainty is that it had no effect on the eventual outcome.

All goals change games, if not in the game they're scored in then confidence and thereby future games.

Oh and goal difference.

Either that or let's just chalk off all goals that didn't mathematically win or draw a game.

[Power n Glory]

I don't mean the goal 2nd goal in the first tie against Pool. I mean the 4th goal in the 95th minute in the recent game where we smashed them.

The overall point I'm making is that he's not enough of the deciding factor and difference in the big games. It's the point Henry was making last week.

It's not to chalk off it's goals, it's going back to that point about being that quality striker that's going to win you re match and possibly the title.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

In the age of Social Media and twitter, things travel fast. Surprised you haven't heard his comments by now Blink; they've become a big news item by themselves.

As for the Henry comments, I thoroughly disagree with them. Giroud's stats are no worse than Costa's who's about to win the league with the Rent-Boy's ...... we can win a league with him up top, especially if you have top quality around him as we currently do. Bayern fucking won the treble with Mandzukic who's worse than Giroud imo. We may not perpetually dominate Europe but a league is certainly possible ..... I mean it's not been because of Giroud that we've failed this year, our problems have mainly been at the other end. That being said, if an upgrade is possible and available then we should certainly be open to getting him in and I think Giroud is the type of guy who would welcome competition. However when it comes to getting world class striker's in, it's not a matter of shopping at Tesco's and picking something of the shelf to use a common Wenger analogy.

Unfortunately for Thierry, he's part of the pundit class now and after receiving some public criticism of his punditery recently (article in the guardian) which tbh objectively hasn't been that great, he's probably been told by the Sky producers to ramp it up and start being more controversial which he's done here. It shouldn't detract from his legend status at the club and any so call fan using it to slag him of personally (there have been some prats on twitter) need to fuck off.

I'm not one for social media, don't use twitter, facebook or anything else of that ilk but I've inevitably heard what he said now. I don't agree with him but perhaps he needs more convincing of Giroud's quality than the average man.....what with being a footballing deity and all.....

Giroud may be much less effective next season a little like Ramsey. I don't expect it and certainly hope it isn't the case but I feel like the aftermath to what he said has been a little OTT.

I find it hard to believe Henry is simply pandering to his employers either. He is pretty strong willed and opinionated and we can't forget that it's only been 6 or so months since most Arsenal fans would have agreed with him.

[Penguin]

Giroud has been great this season, he's improved so much. But he will never be a world class striker. He's slow, he can't carry the ball, or dribble, he doesn't have that little bit of skill to make space for himself inside the box, and he doesn't have a right foot. Those are all big weaknesses for a striker.

The top strikers can also make a goal for themselves whereas Giroud falls into the finisher category. It's not all that important against the Sunderlands and QPRs who can't stop our creative midfielders, but in a tight game against a strong defence it makes a big difference. For me, Giroud should be the person challenging our 'first choice' for a starting place, and offering a plan B off the bench.

Our other strikers? Welbeck had a good run of games up front and disappointed really. He's not ruthless enough and his overall CF play isn't as good enough. There's still a lot of room for improvement though, and I hope he really pushes on next season. Theo cannot play as a lone striker and never will. If he's adamant that he wants to play up front he's welcome to join whatever bottom half side feels like playing with two strikers, cause he wont do it here.

World class strikers don't grow on trees so obviously it will be difficult to sign one, but we should be actively looking for one in the summer.

[Power n Glory]

Welbeck needs to improve quickly if he wants games as a striker for us. He's really ineffective up front and just gets lost. He's not making the right movement or runs and just struggles to get into the game. He'll need a good run of games in preseason to get to grips with it because a fit Giroud will always be first choice.

Walcott should just leave. He's not a winger, he's not a striker, he's a wide forward, some sort of in between that's only used here at Arsenal but the manager doesn't rate him highly enough to start him in a role that he's been developed for. He's wasted his development and education time with us because he was supposed to be a Henry like striker.

As a striker, he's had games where his runs are dangerous but games where he's struggled to find the ball. Only more game time will fix that. It's the same conundrum Welbeck is in and neither will get the run of games when we have Giroud.

[Marc Overmars]

I've tried really hard to like Welbz. I appreciate the running he does and how effective that can be at times, but as a central striker? Minimal quality.