Rucks wrote:

I misunderstood. I agree with you that when play is in front of Giroud he usually positions himself just outside the box, fairly central, looking to be someone other players can bump balls off of. He rarely looks to find openings looking to be played in himself.

Walcott, on the other hand, wanders from side to side, constantly looking to get the ball so he can have a pop himself, or being played in behind the back 4.

However, as soon as the ball is played beyond Giroud, most often on a flank, he is almost always then getting into a position from where he can score from.

Whilst I agree with both you both regarding the style & role he plays, this is actually why I want to replace him.
IMO the players who usually play off him in the middle are more likely to be the midfield rather than forwards, and whilst they can score IMO none of Cazorla, Rambo, Wilshere, Ozil are prolific goal scorers.

Part of our 'issue' IMO is that few of our players actually shoot at goal rather than looking to 'divert' / deflect / pass the ball at goal.  IMO only the likes of Sanchez, Walcott & Rambo actually look to put foot to ball to shoot as their primary means to score, and in general our shooting technique is poor which is why we see so many shots off target or blocked, and also why we see a lot of shots on target down the middle of the goal.

9 months later

No links: But does anybody think we can perhaps swoop for Higuain this summer?

Wenger said he tried to sign him in 2013, but he opted to move to Italy.
"Napoli took advantage of that at the right moment, it's more about timing as well".

Higuain is a vet in the CL. He's 28 years old. There won't be any training him or giving him time, it'll be straight into the first team with the sole purpose of scoring goals. We need a proven goalscorer... he's rejected a contract extension.

If we are ever going to get him now is the time. I'm a huge fan of strikers who are good at things like working the flanks, running in behind, link up play with the midfielders, but what I am a fan of most is a cool finisher who needs one chance to bury the ball. I believe Higuain is one of the best options available and I would welcome him at the Emirates.

I would take him, sure. Probably no one better out there who is remotely available to us.

I must say, if he chose Naples before London a few years ago, he's not very bright 😆

He said he loved Italy as a kid and always wanted to play in Serie A, especially Napoli after Diego was there.
He also cited helping Napoli get into the CL was a huge desire of his, which he did.

marv3llous wrote:

I would take him, sure. Probably no one better out there who is remotely available to us.

Good striker, not absolutely elite.

Definitely not up to Real Madrid/Barca standards, would probably be first XI at Man Utd though as I'd say he's slightly better than Rooney. If we can get him for the right price we should do it.

marv3llous wrote:

I must say, if he chose Naples before London a few years ago, he's not very bright 😆

He was very eager to come here at the time according pretty much the entire media. Wenger cheaped out and shifted his attention to Suarez. Only one person not very bright during that saga.

I would choose Naples over London any day of the week. One look at the bay is worth a 100 years in London.

Why Suarez was and still is clearly the better player. The only not so bright thing was not coughing up the extra £5m-£10m and closing the Suarez deal. We had a deal agreed and R.Madrid jacked the price up when Napoli flogged Cavani for £57m.

Its the same on both deals IMO Jazz, Wenger undervalued the player in the market at the time.

Good fun reading the first pages in this thread. People were very dismissive of this "bottler".

Savz wrote:

Good striker, not absolutely elite.

He pisses on absolutely everyone in Europe this season, having arguably an even better season than Suárez. First place in the Golden Boot race currently as well.

JazzG wrote:

Why Suarez was and still is clearly the better player.  The only not so bright thing was not coughing up the extra £5m-£10m and closing the Suarez deal. We had a deal agreed and R.Madrid jacked the price up when Napoli flogged Cavani for £57m.

If David Dein was at Arsenal at the time, Suarez would be our number 9 right now.

Hell yeah he would be. We'd be on another level.

Jed wrote:
JazzG wrote:

Why Suarez was and still is clearly the better player.  The only not so bright thing was not coughing up the extra £5m-£10m and closing the Suarez deal. We had a deal agreed and R.Madrid jacked the price up when Napoli flogged Cavani for £57m.

If David Dein was at Arsenal at the time, Suarez would be our number 9 right now.

That the David Dein who lost us Clichy and managed to get fuck all money and sulking William Gallas in return yeah?

Where Dein gets this reputation for pulling off big name transfers I'll never know.

Qwiss! wrote:
Jed wrote:

If David Dein was at Arsenal at the time, Suarez would be our number 9 right now.

That the David Dein who lost us COLE and managed to get fuck all money and sulking William Gallas in return yeah?

Where Dein gets this reputation for pulling off big name transfers I'll never know.

I would guess the reputation comes from, in no particular order - Signings of Ian Wright, Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, Robert Pires, Thierry Henry and Gilberto Silva - Sales of Anelka and Overmars for huge fees relative to what we have got recently for want-away players.

jones wrote:
Savz wrote:

Good striker, not absolutely elite.

He pisses on absolutely everyone in Europe this season, having arguably an even better season than Suárez. First place in the Golden Boot race currently as well.

Better season than Suarez? No chance.

Savz wrote:

I would welcome him at the Emirates.

  So you weren't one of those thousands who booed him because he signed for another club when poor old Arsene forgot to add a pound at the end of his bid. 😆

Clrnc wrote:
jones wrote:

He pisses on absolutely everyone in Europe this season, having arguably an even better season than Suárez. First place in the Golden Boot race currently as well.

Better season than Suarez? No chance.

You could make a case, Barcelona are on a different level altogether to Napoli and it's a lot easier to produce the goods when you have Neymar and obviously Messi providing you with space and pinpoint passes. Suárez is a large part of that attack too obviously but I think the way Higuain has stepped up this season has been even more impressive as all of Napoli's attacks run through him.

Much of a muchness, either one leading the line for us this season and we're winning the league easily.