Oli G needs some Va-Va-Voom

4 appearances – 0 goals. That is all the papers are focussing on. 

Not the fact that Arsenal as a team are streets ahead of where they were last season. This time last year, the Gunners had shipped 10 goals (8 of which occured at Old Trafford – a debut to forget for The Ox), seen their new signing red carded on his debut and barely squeeked past Swansea 1-0. Not to mention that they were heading for defeat at eventually relegated Blackburn the following weekend… 

Arsenal have had a terrific start to the season. Steve Bould has worked his magic with defence and thanks to some fantastic signings, Arsene Wenger is searching for his magic hat once more.

OK lets not get too excited and ahead of ourselves… they’ve got City and Chelsea next! 

So why is there so much doom and gloom surrounding Olivier Giroud? The Frenchman was the Ligue 1 golden boot winner after netting 21 for surprise Champions Montpellier. He clearly knows where the white sticks are, so what’s up with him?

Has he peaked already? Has he been found out?

It’s far too early to say. Borderline unfair to claim that the Frenchman is choking in the Premier League already. He’s got a long way to go before he reaches the dizzy heights of Tottenhams goal shy Portuguese striker Helder Postiga. Let’s not forget it took Theo Walcott until the Carling Cup final in February 2007 to find the net for the Gunners. 

Things haven’t been made any easier for Olivier though when Santi Carzorla has been busy tearing defences apart like he’s been in the EPL for 10 years and Lukas Podolski has taken on the mantle of AFC Free Kick specialist from Robin Van Persie without haste. He mustn’t rush though, he has plenty of time and he doesn’t want to start being compared to Fernando Torres for the wrong reasons… 

He gets to return ‘home’ this week with a trip to Montpellier tomorrow night in the Champions League, whether Wenger will allow him the opportunity to set the record straight is yet to be seen, however there probably isn’t a better place for him to have a go at it. There was once a quote from King Thierry Henry where he said that the move to the Emirates was difficult for him, because he knew Highbury so well, he knew where the goal was at all times.

Let’s let Giroud settle and find his own Va-Va-Voom.

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