Bacary Sagna: Still Needed

Bacary Sagna has been rated one of the best right backs in the world and the best in English Premier League. His good days seem to be coming to an end though. His speed has reduced, his crosses hardly ever cross the opponent's legs and he is more injury prone than ever before. This has led to many fans preferring his understudy Carl Jenkinson starting in that position.

What does this mean for Sagna and Arsenal? Sagna may be inclined to move to another team where he'll get first team chances and possible win a trophy as his contract expires in 2014. However Arsenal could still use him but at the centre back position.

He featured there in the match against Sunderland. His performance was very solid and match saving for Arsenal. He seemed like he was in his natural position. The performance from him was comfortable and impressive.

This would mean that Jenkinson starts at right back. Jenkinson, like Gibbs, is a great tackler, very fast and a good crosser of the ball. He still has lots to learn but what better way to learn than with the master at his side.

Arsenal would need to acquire a new right back to back up Jenkinson. Most fans would prefer a proven right back like Corchia or Van der Wiel but Arsenal have an almost ready player in the form of 18 year old reserve player, Hector Bellerin. Bellerin has impressed in the reserve team constantly. Pacy, good aerially and has good delivery he would make a good back-up.

In the mean-time, players like Ignasi and Angha can understudy Sagna and the other centre backs. This way Arsenal would be keeping up the youth system and also save the money.

Losing a big name like Sagna would be bad for the Arsenal players and fans. Any thing should be done to keep him.

Till next time...

ATID

Written by Fridah Kariuki

Olivier Giroud : The Brave Frenchman

Olivier Giroud must be a very brave person...or not too intelligent but the former option seems more plausible.

Being a slow-starter in his career as a footballer, Giroud was finally recognized when he joined Montpellier. He went on to help the team win their first league title and was French League 1 top scorer for the season with 21 goals and the team top assist provider with 9 assists. The team put his worth at £50-£60 million to ward off any suitors. However, he would eventually move for a fee believed to be about £9.6 million.

He moved to Arsenal...of all other teams.. Arsenal. This was a brave move or as stated earlier stupid move...but again the former is more like it.

With the departure of Robin van Persie, it was obvious Giroud had been brought in to replace him. Podolski and Cazorla did come in with him would help but he is the central striker at Arsenal. He had mighty big shoes to fill and lots of broken hearts for him to mend. The fans started doubting him from day 1.

Aside from big boots to fill, he joined a team that is not known for its strength in delivering good crosses and corners which was a disadvantage for him as his greatest strength lies in his aerial ability. He is a great header of the ball. Here he was joining a team that knows not how to attack using aerial balls or defend them. He knew this and yet he still joined... Bravery?

The charming striker is not too pacy so when he joined a counter attacking team that plays 4-3-3 with the possibility of being flanked by Walcott or Chamberlain on the right and Podolski or Gervinho on the left he was asking for trouble. It is like a buffalo being flanked by a cheetah and an antelope and expected to work as a team. He still chose to join anyway.

OG is also known for his neat flick-ons and his quite fancy touches. However, he should have known there is no mind that can understand them. Walcott particularly has been accused of not having a 'footballing brain' cannot read Giroud's intentions to save his life. The only players who seem to read OG are the clinical German Podolski and Rosicky.. Thus Giroud's balls normally go to waste. Yet he still joined??

He also joined Arsenal at a time when Theo Walcott thought he should be the main striker. This means that even when Theo is supposed to play out wide he tends to drift out crowding Giroud out of his preferred central role and thus reducing his efficiency. Giroud may have known this would happen and yet he still joined...one wonders why.

His bravery is shown by his statistics though. 16 goals and 10 assists for the very disadvantaged striker is very impressive. Aside from that, his qualities in defending set pieces have been noted and accepted by many fans and pundits.

Arsenal was definitely not the right choice for Giroud but Giroud was the right choice for Arsenal.

With better support and when the team learns to play to his strengths he will be lethal and will prove his worth.

Next time instead of singing Na na na na Giroud maybe the fans should sing 'brave brave Giroud'.

Till next time...

ATID

Written by Fridah Kariuki