Honestly I can think of few players that frustrated me as much as him. The fact he played in a team that had so many shots and created so many chances but he could never muster more than 15 or 16 goals speaks volumes about him.
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The numbers and catalogue of goals very much suggest otherwise.
Particularly on set pieces Giroud was Ozil’s main target and they both thrived off that alone. In open play it was evident too
Theres a reason why Giroud was the top recipient of Ozil’s assists by some distance. Check the numbers
Legitamtely.
He sullied what should have been a very enjoyable and prosperous period for us as a club.
Though ultimately the blame doesn’t lie on Giroud’s shoulders, it was Wenger that believed that Giroud was enough with fucking Yaya as back up. Giroud as 2nd choice and rotation and we’re probably talking more favourably about his Arsenal career as well as Ozil’s
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Yep. If Giroud wasn’t given such a prominent starting role at Arsenal I genuinely wouldn’t dislike him so much. It’s painful that Wenger persisted with him and always tried to shoehorn other players into his position because he knew Giroud wasn’t good enough. He gave Yaya Sanogo a run, Podolski a run, Walcott at CF, Sanchez and even Welbeck.
It was clear as day Wenger knew he wasn’t the man but never bothered to replace him until that ill fated expensive transfer for a man even worse than him in Lacazette.
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I felt like it clear after the first season when Walcott out scored him that he wasn’t it as the main man. Higuain was available the very next window. Got Ozil but the puzzle wasn’t complete. Which under Wenger the puzzle was never complete.
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You say that. Ozil created more chances with Giroud around.
For what is worth, I always felt Wenger had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Giroud. He tried to replace him multiple times but he always ended up going back to him. Tried Gervinho and Alexis up top, gave Walcott and Podolski a run up front. Sanogo and Welbeck too. He always ended up going back to Giroud.
Saw this the other day, Wenger talking about underrated players. He mention Gilberto Silva but also notes Giroud as someone who was clumsy at times but you felt his absence when he didn’t play.
4:40
Wenger really was fucking gone towards the end lmao
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He was linked to Higuain, tried to sign Suarez, Vardy and ultimately replaced Giroud with Lacazette. To me - Wenger knew for years Giroud wasn’t the man which makes it even more baffling we persisted with him for so long.
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Shame none of those were French
People need to drop the agends and acknowledge documented facts 
Ozil never connected with Auba or Laca either…People will claim he was “finished” by then
Ok check the number between Alexis and Ozil in 15/16 then. They’re not great
The only reason we felt his absence is because we didn’t have a good striker as an alternative.
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Definitely. Almost signed Falcao too.
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At least this thread has not been so active because of belief in signing Gnabry…
I mean there are charlatans cheerleading out there about how Gnabry is a signing for next summer which is totally ridiculous.
I think there’s a universe where KSE looks at the squad, the deficiencies, missing CL by a point and throws money at Gnabry and Jesus and Tielemans and Gakpo and Hickey and a CB (take your pick) but I don’t think that’s their plan.
It almost seems like they’re working off a plan developed between November and March that ignores the last portion of the season in terms of how close we came and how much we need.
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Still think Jesus, Tielemans, and Hickey are likely, except if one of the Top 4 comes in for them. I know what you mean though in terms of getting into Top 4 next season probably being more difficult than it was as a task for this season.
Not enough imo.
Jesus finished the season well but he wasn’t dazzling as part of a totally bloodless chance creation Voltron. Are we suddenly going to create more chances than City. No.
Tielemans is fine. No notes. Yeah he had a shitty season, whatever, who cares. Anything to push Xhaka down the rotation.
Hickey? Is he made of balsa wood? That’s all I care about.
That’s fine if we want to take another run at 7th -4th but doesn’t really get me as excited as I was when we signed Alexis or Ozil or even when we signed Ødegaard.
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I agree these players were not exactly top of my list a month or so back when it looked like we were pretty much set for CL, but I was picking them out of your comment where you listed these players (plus Gnabry, Gakpo, and CB).
I’m ok with Hickey, would actually be a strong buy to fit the purpose we want/need.
Gabriel Jesus would sort of be downsizing pragmatic after missing out on CL.
I would rather Douglas Luiz or Raphina (or Neves) than Tielemans. If we did get Tielemans I would want Xhaka gone and replaced because he is not playing a base of CM role anymore, and we need someone of quality in the squad as an alternate to Partey for that, for depth. However, Arteta’s Achilles heel remains his lack of drive to turnover Xhaka as he has done with certain other players.
Not sure why you have CB, unless you are not hopeful regarding Saliba.
… and we do need to get rid of Pepe and replace him this summer. Whatever people think of him, clearly Arteta doesn’t trust him enough to justify him staying in the squad and taking up a spot. I just don’t see Gnabry coming to Arsenal and EL football with other clubs probably in for him, including in Spain probably.
Oh he’s gone imo. Arteta can blow smoke up his ass in press conferences all summer but we botched it. He’s going to want regular games, we can’t promise him that (whether we should is a different issue) and he’ll want to make the France squad for Qatar.
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