Arsenal have been rocked by the news that the in-form Theo Walcott is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, which has only served to increase the calls on Arsene Wenger to dip into his cheque book once more this month in order to ensure his side are still in capable shape to maintain their title challenge.
In the meantime, however, there exists a few more than feasible options within the current Arsenal squad who should see Walcott's injury as an opportunity for them to make a real mark on The Gunners' season and help fire the club to their first trophy since 2005.
Lukas Podolski
If you told Arsenal fans that their club was looking to sign a German international forward with over 100 caps and 46 goals for his country to replace the injured Walcott then they'd probably be sent into raptures. Tell them that they already have that player in Lukas Podolski and the reaction is likely to be far more muted. The former Köln and Bayern Munich hitman is a bit of a conundrum; his goal scoring record at both club and international level is nothing to be scoffed - he found the net 16 times in his debut season in English football as well as laying on 11 assists - but there's a sense among most that he's capable of so much more, with many picking up on the fact that games often seem to pass him by all to easily. He certainly hasn't convinced in a central striking role at the Emirates, but his goals at a rain-soaked Craven Cottage back in August and his late goal and assist at Upton Park on Boxing Day should give Arsenal fans a reminder of what he's capable of when playing from the left. His movement and interplay is perhaps where he falls short compared to Walcott, but there can be no doubt that given the opportunity Prinz Poldi is just about as efficient an alternative as Arsene Wenger could ask for.
Serge Gnabry
Another German on Arsenal's books, albeit a far more inexperienced one, is Serge Gnabry. The Ivorian born winger was called upon a few times earlier in the season during Walcott's first spell on the sidelines, and proved pivotal during away trips to Swansea City and Crystal Palace where he scored and won a penalty respectively. His breakthrough display, though, was undoubtedly the weekend's win over Spurs in the FA Cup, in which his direct running and eye for a pass caused the visitors all sorts of problems. It was Gnabry who kept his composure to tee up Santi Cazorla for the opening goal, which highlighted just how comfortable he finds driving in field from the right in order to affect the game. The aforementioned goal at Swansea and penalty incident at Crystal Palace were signs of his ability to affect things from a wider position, so there's certainly a degree of adaptability and confidence to the youngster's game. It would be a massive ask of Gnabry to contribute in such a fashion on a weekly basis for a side chasing three trophies, but there's no doubt that he'll be featuring far more in the second half of the season, and it would seem he has the talent to make a positive impact.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
It seems a lifetime ago since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was last seen gracing the turf of Emirates Stadium, but it's worth pointing out that Arsene Wenger did opt to start the former Southampton man back on the opening day of the season against Aston Villa, perhaps a sign that Wenger deemed The Ox ready to deliver a season of real consistent quality after a disappointing second season at the club. Chamberlain certainly seems more comparable to Gnabry than to Walcott in terms of his style of play, but he has shown glimpses of his goal scoring potential and his direct running has proven difficult for the likes of Manchester United, AC Milan and Brazil in the past. It'll be tough for Chamberlain to hit the ground running upon his return from a five month injury lay-off, but he'll be itching to make an impact and take advantage of Walcott's injury as he looks to make a case to both Wenger and Roy Hodgson before the season comes to a close.
The Verdict
All three of Podolski, Gnabry and Oxlade-Chamberlain represent real quality options for Arsene Wenger in the second half of the season, but none offer that frightening pace and effective running in-behind that Walcott had seemed to have mastered before his injury. If Wenger wants a true like-for-like replacement for his number 14 then he'll likely have to open his cheque book, but, for me, Podolski represents the best option of the three on offer within his current squad. The German is lethal in and around the box, and it's arguable that he may offer even more in an Arsenal side that looks far more balanced than it did during his only real consistent run in the side in the first half of last season. Santi Cazorla could be played from the right, and with the Spaniard working in conjunction with Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud, Podolski shouldn't be suffering in terms of top notch service. If he can perfect the timing and effectiveness of his runs coming in from the left flank, Podolski could easily notch double figures before the season's out. Gnabry and Chamberlain are of course going to be relied upon to contribute too, and I'm confident that they can and that they will, but no man in the current squad seems more suited to make up for Walcott's productiveness in the final third than Podolski.
Of course you could make a case for a 'total football' line-up that accommodated Tomas Rosicky or Jack Wilshere alongside Ozil and Cazorla, and we have seen the benefits of such a team at times this season, but we've also seen its limitations - having a direct and capable finisher in the attacking midfield three is vital, especially when you consider that Olivier Giroud isn't exactly the league's most clinical striker. In fact, his link-up play is arguably his most impressive asset, and is something that Podolski in particular has thrived on in the past.
In an ideal world, Arsenal should be looking to bring someone in. Before Walcott's injury the expectation was that the club would look to add a more traditional frontman, but it would seem a stretch to expect two forwards to come in during the January window. With Olivier Giroud expected to be back for the trip to Villa Park on Monday night, and Nicklas Bendtner due to return by the end of the month, it's likely now that a player closer to Walcott in style is what will be looked for this month.
Nacho Monreal's signing this time last year was a case of Arsenal bringing forward a transfer they had intended to conclude in the summer only to have their hand forced by injury to Kieran Gibbs and incompetence on the part of Andre Santos, so perhaps long-time targets Angel Di Maria and Julian Draxler could return to the forefront of Arsene Wenger's mind ahead of the January 31st deadline.
The only real certainty is that the expectation upon the shoulders of Podolski, Gnabry and Chamberlain has just shot up, and all three should be chomping at the bit to show both their manager and the Arsenal faithful that they're well up to the task of filling Walcott's boots.
0 comments:
Post a Comment