The Almighty 2015 Summer Transfer Window Thread

Costa, Kane and Agüero all had better seasons

Not this again. Giroud was statistically better than Costa for most part of the season until Costa caught up at the very end. He was also much better than Kane, except for total goals scored. Now using the same logic as you do here:

Kane in a much, much worse team too

...and your Aguero and Costa argument goes out the window, as Man City and Chelsea have better players around their strikers. So either we judge a striker on his own merit, or we judge him on all factors, including the quality of players around him. Either way, Giroud comes out as one of the top three strikers in the Premier League, and since the Premier League is the most competitive league in the world: one of the best six or seven strikers in the world.

No way around it really.

It's no coincidence that as far as I can remember all title winning teams in the Prem have been led by a goalscoring machine up front. Giroud isn't that guy.

I'm not against signing a marquee striker like Benzema, but let's not pretend Giroud is some kind of mid-table striker. He scored a goal every 133rd minute. If you split that into 38 games * 90 minutes, this means that if Giroud had played every game of the season he would have scored 26 goals. Do the same for the other strikers and you'd get Aguero at 35, Costa at 33 and Kane at 28.

So the difference (in the unlikely scenario of strikers being fit to play all 3,420 minutes of a season) would be only seven goals between Giroud and Costa. Not bad since the difference between them is £32m vs £9.6m, and Costa was hyped as being one of the best strikers in the world when he signed for Chelsea.

For comparison, Lewandowski scored a goal every 155th minute, and the top goalscorer in Italy (Icardi) scored a goal every 131st minute. Muller every 111th minute, Benzema every 110th minute. Etc.

Also:

• Giroud had more key passes per game than Kane and Aguero
• Giroud had more assists per game than Kane and Costa
• Giroud has a better conversion (shots per goal) than Kane and Aguero

Costa: 3.4 shots per goal
Giroud: 3.8 shots per goal
Kane: 4.5 shots per goal
Aguero: 4.9 shots per goal

Aguero: assist every 317th minute
Giroud: assist every 622nd minute
Kane: assist every 645th minute
Costa: assist every 695th minute

I'll never say Giroud is a mid-table player because it simply isn't true. He's streets ahead of the likes of Benteke, Lukaku etc.

Imo we have probably the most creative midfield in the League ahead of both City & Chelsea. Chelsea have that fraud Oscar playing for them and City is pretty much David Silva & that's it. Although the Sterling-Agüero-Silva axis will be wonderful to see next season.

And that 'only' 7 goals is a major statistic. That is a massive amount between the two and could cost up to 10-15 points.

I'll never really dislike Giroud cause it's not his fault. He was never brought in to be first choice, and we've obviously got our money's worth from the 10m we spent on him and he's probably worth around £20m now. I just find him frustrating to watch. I saw this post on another forum I frequent. Obviously there's some parts which I disagree with but the first paragraph is spot on really (difference is the squads back then were much, much worse than our squad now):

I remember the Van Persie/Adebayor/Eduardo era. Arguably our team/squad was much worse than it is now, but that was the last period I remember myself having the faith that we could beat anyone if we played to our best, as our forwards could capitalize on the chances. I remember in RVP's last season how many games he single handedly won for us.

Literally ever since the unfortunate day Giroud came to Arsenal, I have never had the same faith going into a game. He's the type of player who needs us to be on the front foot always. He has improved somewhat over 3 seasons, however he has been hyped up to a level beyond belief. "Oh but it's his link up play, oh but he's was out for 4 months if not he'd have definitely scored 30 goals"

And at the end of the day/season the fact remains we have and have had for 3 years now, no top class options up front (Welbeck makes Giroud look world class tbd). Make all the statistical tedious comparisons to Costa, Aguero and the lot, but it's undeniable, and just plain sad

And that 'only' 7 goals is a major statistic.

...in the perspective of playing all 3,420 minutes in the league, that is. All those seven goals would not be match-winning goals. Many goals would be bonus goals in 3-0/4-0 romps.

I just find him frustrating to watch.

I honestly don't get that. His technique is fantastic, his link-up play is miles above Costa and Kane, he positions himself well, he thrives when playing with quick dribblers like Jack and Sanchez. I find Costa way more frustrating to watch, all he does is wait for a brilliant pass he can run onto. The only involvement he has is arguing with opposition players or officials.

I'm a massive fan of counter attack football. Mourinho at Madrid was unbelievable, so was watching Jupp at Bayern. With Giroud we can never play like that. I rarely see us counter and if we do it's lacking 1 attacker because of his lack of pace. We've got amazing passers and great decision makers in Özil and Cazorla which we don't get the best out of imo.

And I like watching Costa (not against us) cause I'm a massive fan of shitehousery in football. Seeing the shit he does is fucking hilarious.

I'm a massive fan of counter attack football. Mourinho at Madrid was unbelievable, so was watching Jupp at Bayern.

Well I agree there. But this:

With Giroud we can never play like that.

...has nothing to do with Giroud. Wenger will never ever play that kind of football.

We did when we were the most successful. The Invincibles counter attack was key to our title win.

We did when we were the most successful. The Invincibles counter attack was key to our title win.

We never played the Mourinho/Heynckes counter. Wenger has always been YOLO. We had a short period a few months ago where we played a def-counter semi-successfully, but as the players later admitted this wasn't planned. Basically they were so intimidated by Man City that it turned into a def-counter, and since we won that game the players subconsciously played like that against other sides.

Wenger gets a question about Benzema in the press conference:

It's not happening at the moment

...at the moment? So it was happening at one stage?

It's probably wishful thinking we could land Benzema. With so few strikers around, RM would have no replacement for him. There's stories about Bale being used as striker by R. Benitez, but I don't think it means that Benzema is on his way out.

We'll have to put up with Giroud and Welbeck for another season, I suppose.

It's probably wishful thinking we could land Benzema. With so few strikers around, RM would have no replacement for him. There's stories about Bale being used as striker by R. Benitez, but I don't think it means that Benzema is on his way out.We'll have to put up with Giroud and Welbeck for another season, I suppose.

I think the story was that Benitez wants to move Ronaldo into the central forward position, and seeing as he is basically never injured there's probably not gonna be too much playing time for Benzema. It's a sound idea, but it's a bit risky - Benzema and Ronaldo are the only strikers at the club currently.

However, Real Madrid could easily get away with signing a young striker that is willing to be backup to Ronaldo. Icardi perhaps. And if injury strikes, Bale would probably be able to deputise as CF for a while. But if Benitez moves Ronaldo into the middle and he stays fit as usual, Benzema will spend most of the season on the bench.

Why is there such a lack of strikers atm?

Why is there such a lack of strikers atm?

Benzema and Ronaldo never injured, so they didn't feel a pressing need to replace Higuain.

I've just had a look at Sanogo's characteristics on whoscored and they seem too harsh

Accurate, however

I think the story was that Benitez wants to move Ronaldo into the central forward position, and seeing as he is basically never injured there's probably not gonna be too much playing time for Benzema. It's a sound idea, but it's a bit risky - Benzema and Ronaldo are the only strikers at the club currently.However, Real Madrid could easily get away with signing a young striker that is willing to be backup to Ronaldo. Icardi perhaps. And if injury strikes, Bale would probably be able to deputise as CF for a while. But if Benitez moves Ronaldo into the middle and he stays fit as usual, Benzema will spend most of the season on the bench.

Marca recently released an article about Bale being used as striker in training sessions: http://www.marca.com/en/2015/07/16/en/football/real_madrid/1437032573.html

Marca recently released an article about Bale being used as striker in training sessions: http://www.marca.com/en/2015/07/16/en/football/real_madrid/1437032573.html

I mean I can't imagine any manager on the planet choosing Bale over Ronaldo if thinking about moving one of Real Madrid's wingers into a CF position. But than again, it is Benitez after all.

And now Man Utd apparently wants to trigger Pedro's release clause, which is only £22m. What am I not getting...why aren't we going for Pedro? We are desperate for wing options, with only 2-3 players at the club capable of playing on the wings properly without drifting inside and leaving our flanks exposed.

Alexis, Özil, Pedro behind Giroud = phwoar.

And now Man Utd apparently wants to trigger Pedro's release clause, which is only £22m. What am I not getting...why aren't we going for Pedro? We are desperate for wing options, with only 2-3 players at the club capable of playing on the wings properly without drifting inside and leaving our flanks exposed.Alexis, Özil, Pedro behind Giroud = phwoar.

He's a decent player, but I don't think he's that good. Wenger rarely plays with two wingers too. With hopefully Wilshere and Ox fit and challenging for a spot on the wings, I think we're set there. Well, I don't think so and would like a proper winger, but Wenger probably thinks so. He's almost 29 btw.