Former Arsenal star Martin Keown does not think Olivier Giroud can lead Arsenal to the title and he thinks a world-class forward should come in as a replacement. He wants someone like Chelsea’s Diego Costa who can do it himself as well as with the help of his teammates, unlike Giroud who needs his teammates to create chances for him. Speaking to talkSPORT, Keown said: “I would like to see a world-class centre-forward coming into the club.
“Someone that really puts the fear of God into the opposing defenders. Someone you can roll it to and they can do the rest.”
Karim Benzema, who is reportedly flying into London for a medical on Monday, is a much more mobile player than his compatriot Giroud. The former can play as either a target man with his bulky 6’2 frame, or use his deceiving pace to get behind the opponents defensive lines, while Giroud is solely a target man who can hold up the ball well. Keown also pointed out that Giroud can not control a match or even a single play by himself: “I see Giroud as almost like a backboard for midfield players travelling from distance to try and score goals.
“I think there are times when you have got to roll it to the centre-forward and he has to be the one that makes the difference.”
Giroud does not have the speed or dribbling ability to consistently run past athletic defenders, and Theo Walcott, who, with Danny Welbeck injured, is the only other possible candidate for the centre-forward position in the current Arsenal squad, is neither strong nor tall enough to win a header or muscle a defender out-of-the-way to get himself a chance at goal. Keown spoke about the French forward positively: “Giroud shouldn’t be underestimated.
“He has a big part to play in Arsenal’s success this season but I’m not sure he is up there with some of the greats that have played in the past.”
The former Arsenal man, like many supporters, thinks the signing of Benzema or any other world-class striker will show manager Arsene Wenger’s ambition to win the league and that if the Frenchman does sign a striker, they could become favourites for the league. Keown thinks that the north Londoners could become contenders for any piece of silverware if a top forward signs. The former England international said: “That [a world class striker] would take Arsenal to the next level and it would galvanise the group.
“It raises the bar, the rest of the group become more competitive, and there is real competition for places.”
Competition is really important for any club, as it pushes players to play to the best of their abilities week in, week out. All great teams have numerous top players battling for places within their squad, and Arsenal are just a world-class forward away from having legitimate competition for every place in the team.
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