Oliver Giroud’s recent struggles in an Arsenal shirt have been well documented. Fans have a love-hate relationship with the Frenchman, to say the least. When he plays well he is applauded but when he doesn’t he is the first one to blame for poor results.
Many criticise the lack of a world-class striker at the club and, at times, Giroud shows flashes that he can be that player, but the facts are he has failed to find the net in 11 matches, dating back to early January.
With the title challenge withering away, pressure mounting, and Giroud massively underperforming, Arsene Wenger called upon 25-year-old Englishman Danny Welbeck to lead the line against Spurs. The England international, having featured in just three games prior to the game against Tottenham Hotspur this season, and scoring probably the most memorable goal of the season against Leicester City, did well. He proved that he is the perfect alternative to Giroud, over the invisible man also known as Theo Walcott. Welbeck’s emergence into the team has given Wenger a choice to make up top and the ex-Manchester United centre forward’s contrast in style to the out of form Giroud makes him the perfect man for the job.
Athleticism
Arguably Welbeck’s most valuable trait is his pace. Often when Giroud leads the line, the ball is played into his feet and the midfield is relied on to make runs in behind. This can be difficult to do when teams are packed with seven or eight men behind the ball. In addition, the runners from midfield, usually Aaron Ramsey, often leave the rest of the team exposed in the centre of the pitch. This can be seen by the excess of counter attacks the side has been hit on this year alone.
Welbeck’s ability to receive the ball, turn and run at defenders allows for more creative runs by Alexis Sanchez and the right winger of choice. It also allows the central midfielders to dictate play instead of streaming forward in order to inject variation into the attack. Welbeck’s fluid play forces opposing centre backs to be two dimensional.
Aerial ability
One concern that has been brought up, is that without Giroud, the team lacks anyone up front that can bring the ball down or win balls in the air. This was true when the only alternative to Giroud was Theo Walcott.
Welbeck has more than proved his aerial ability, often the target of David Ospina’s goal kicks during the North London Derby. He did well to win around half of his duels in the air as well as challenging most balls in his area. Of course, it can’t be disregarded what he does with his head in front of goal. In his four matches for Arsenal this season, he has scored two goals, both with his head. He scored a tidy header against ex-side Manchester United to bring the Gunners back into the game and, of course, the winner at Leicester. With Giroud’s absence, the team needs a focal point and Welbeck has proven himself to be that fluid target man.
Movement off the ball
Finally, the Englishman’s best quality in opposition to Giroud is his movement. While Giroud’s link-up play and ability to play one-touch football around the box may be superior, Welbeck’s ability to run the channels and get in behind provide the perfect contrast.
In the Spurs match, when under massive amounts of pressure, at times the likes of Francis Coquelin, Aaron Ramsey and Alexis played hopeful balls in the channels for Welbeck to chase – and chase he did. His ability to stretch defenses and force defenders to run backwards with him opens up acres of space in the middle of the pitch. This is perfect, especially for Mesut Ozil, giving him plenty of room to work his magic. Welbeck’s quick movements around the box and ability to get in behind make him the perfect striker for the German. Although they have a good partnership, Giroud limits the type of balls the Ozil can play through the centre of the pitch, but with Welbeck leading the line, the options are endless.
As well as this, Welbeck’s ability to start wide and make incisive runs in field makes the Gunners’ attack more fluid. With Welbeck leading the line, the front three are more interchangeable running off each other instead of basing the attack around Giroud solely as the focal point.
Conclusion
These three reasons prove that Welbeck is a capable, if not the more preferred option to lead the line. His combination of pace and aerial ability create a nice hybrid between Giroud and Walcott.
His incisive nature and ability to turn and run at defenders creates more space in the midfield, while helping maintain the teams defensive stability. His movement is especially beneficial for the midfield maestro in Ozil, who with a striker that can run in behind can be even more lethal than he already has been this season.
While certain aspects of Welbeck’s game need to be polished, such as his finishing on a consistent basis, his work ethic and style make him the perfect alternative to out of form and out of favour Giroud.