Analyzing Arsenal’s centre forward options

Much of the summer’s transfer speculation has surrounded another centre forward possibly entering the Emirates door. Edinson Cavani, Karim Benzema, and recently Alexandre Lacazette have all been linked with moves to Arsenal and while it is clear Arsenal are in need of a proven consistent goalscorer, it is uncertain as to whether or not Wenger will spend the cash. Much to gooners’ dismay, Wenger is seemingly content with his attacking options, so much that he has offloaded the likes of Podolski and Sanogo and Campbell in the past.

The boss spent over £50 million last summer in attacking recruits, bringing in Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck, and with Theo Walcott having finally returned to the fray, he may feel he has more than enough attacking options. For me, Arsenal should enter the market yet again for world class goal poacher, but in the event that Wenger opts against it (which is likely to be fair), let analyze the option in attack available to Arsenal.

Olivier Giroud

Aside from a few dry spells and bouts of inconsistency, Giroud enjoyed his best season at Arsenal. His 14 league goals were second behind only Alexis Sanchez despite missing the majority of the first half of the season. On his day he is unplayable, using his size and strength to hold off defenders and combine with his teammates brilliantly. He brings the midfielders into the game and drifts into the space created by the combination and movement. When his shootings boots are on, he is sensational in front of goal, but that isn’t always the case unfortunately. The first leg of the Monaco tie sums up what Giroud is like on his off day, and he has limit the amount of those if he is to lead this team.

Theo Walcott

Walcott was brilliant in the tail end of the season, bagging four goals in two games and helping lift the FA Cup crown. He is another case of hot and cold, as his lightning pace and intelligent movement make him a real handful. His finishing has improved and he has been fairly consistent over the past few seasons. His downfall is his tendency to drift in and out of matches. He relies heavily on his pace, so when teams squeeze the space and give him no where to run, he can sometimes appear lost, trotting around aimlessly. If he wishes to take over the reigns in centre forward, he needs to improve on his hold up play and vary his run patterns a bit more. Not a bad option to have still though.

Danny Welbeck

Welbeck seems to be the perfect hybrid of Giroud and Walcott, possessing the former’s strength and hold up play and the latter’s pace (nearly). On paper he would be the clear choice as he is the best of both worlds, but his finishing leaves much to be desired at times and that ultimately holds him back. To his credit, he has been marvelous on the wings, using his pace and strength to get down the flank and create opportunities. His leap and aerial ability cause all sorts of problems when he drifts into the area, so he too is a good option to have but not quite the finished product. He did well initially following his move, but the goals dried up and he appeared a frustrated figure in front of goal.

Alexis Sanchez

Top goalscorer Sanchez has been brilliant all season long, and really hasn’t put a foot wrong. His brilliant form actually works against him as far as the centre forward position goes, as his goal tally and overall effectiveness displays he is at his best out on the wing. He is not a natural centre forward and doesn’t possess the size and strength to hold off Premier League defenders. He much prefers drifting along the front line with the ball at his feet, and Arsenal have paid dividends for it. His growing partnership with Ozil in midfield means Arsenal would be better letting it bloom and adding another link up top.