Arsene Wenger has opened up on his relationship with Oliver Giroud in his post match interview after the West Brom game, claiming that the French striker was frustrated with the lack of game time this season
The 30-year-old has seen his first team chances increasingly limited with Wenger’s decision to deploy Sanchez as the lone striker for most of the Premier League campaign this season.
But with Theo Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain both out injured, Giroud was given his maiden League start of the season in a crunch game against West Brom on Boxing day. Wenger’s men were in desperate need of a win after back to back defeats against Everton and Manchester City putting them 9 points behind league leaders Chelsea.
The North London club looked set for another frustrating result as the game was heading a deadlock before Oliver Giroud headed in the 87th minute to win it for the Gunners.
The Frenchman has been labeled as a plan B this season after coming on a substitute to score late goals against Manchester United and Sunderland.
However, Wenger insists he has a lot of respect for his compatriot and remains adamant that the former Montpellier man has a pivotal role to play this season. He said:
It has been very frustrating for him because he didn’t always play and when he played well I didn’t always play him in the next game.
But I think we have an honest relationship. I have a big respect for him and he knows that.
He was not always playing and despite that, he kept a strong motivation level. Our job, when you’re a football player, you have to be always ready. That’s part of the job. When you’re selected, it’s fantastic.
When you’re not selected, you have to be ready.
And the players who are always ready when they get their chance, they are there. And the players who feel sorry for themselves, they get their chance and they give you one more reason to justify why you didn’t select them. The fighters are always ready.
Wenger also praised his spirit and mentality describing him as a “fighter” and believes he has some qualities which others do not.
Scoring what turned out to be his seventh goal in five starts in all competitions he certainly has the numbers to back his claim to feature in the starting line-up but with Sanchez also firing scoring 12 goals in the Premier League, he may have to be contend with a bit part role for now.
With Chelsea 9 points ahead of us, it will most certainly require the entire team to be firing on all cylinders and doing their bit and that includes Oliver Giroud being used as a “super sub” rather than the starter as of now, as their Koscielny has pointed out:
We are not 11 or 18 players, we are 25 players.
All the players who play for Arsenal have a big part to play during the season because of injuries and suspensions, and everyone needs to be ready to fight for this club.
