Three games to go and Arsenal are beginning to stumble over the line for what is turning into a bitterly disappointing season. The 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Sunday indicated that point once more, as the Gunners were average at best. Yes, Sunderland are fighting for their lives down at the bottom, but you expected a performance from Arsenal, bearing in mind the pressure is off now for the rest of the season. Though the two points dropped at the Stadium of Light has now put a slight question mark over UEFA Champions League qualification for next season. With Manchester United breathing right down the necks of the Gunners with the gap only being five points between them, and the Red Devils also having a game in hand as well.
There were several disappointing performances up on Wearside, but once more Olivier Giroud will be getting most of the criticism. The Frenchman failed to score once more, taking his unwanted tally to fourteen games in the league, without a goal. His last coming back on January 13th away at Liverpool. It wasn’t just the fact that Giroud didn’t find the net on Sunday, it was his all-round play which will frustrate Arsenal fans the most. His positioning and runs were pretty poor and whenever the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil got on the ball and looked for him, he really lacked the movement that Danny Welbeck possesses.
Giroud and Welbeck are two completely different players in terms of their abilities. Giroud is good at holding the ball up and his first touch is possibly the best at the club. Though whenever Welbeck plays as the lead striker, Arsenal really look like a different side. Welbeck loves to run in behind defences and his energy is faultless, that’s why it was a big surprise to see Giroud keep his place in the side on Sunday. The Frenchman’s body language as well summed up his overall performance, one of frustration. It leads to the question, is Giroud’s time up? If Arsenal do FINALLY bring in the world class striker that they have been needing for years, where will that leave Giroud in the pecking order? You would have to think Welbeck is in front of him at the moment in terms of performances, so that would leave him as third choice striker and most probably the end of his Arsenal career.
It was a very frustrating afternoon for the Gunners but there were a couple of positives to take away from the day. The performance of Mohamed Elneny stood out once more, and since arriving in January he has hardly put a foot wrong. The Egyptian has fitted in perfectly at the Emirates, his passing and constant energy is turning him quickly into a fans’ favourite in north London. And once more, he was Arsenal’s stand out performer on Sunday as he controlled the midfield and everything he did was positive. Another faultless afternoon’s work from the Egyptian.
Though the biggest positive was the return of Jack Wilshere, after missing nine months through injury. The midfielder came on for the final few minutes at the Stadium of Light, and his return is a massive boost for both Arsenal and England with the European Championship in France just around the corner. Fingers crossed for Wilshere he features heavily in the final three games of the season, and stays clear of injury as he has been missed sorely.
