Those who have watched Arsenal intensely over the past couple of seasons will realise there is a certain sort of player that fits into their system and others that don’t. Arsenal like a striker that can hold up play and let the supporting cast feed off him. Olivier Giroud is great at it, but he’s criticised for his short-comings in front of goal. However, he did manage to score over 20 goals last season, which suggests he’s not totally useless in that aspect.
What Arsenal fans seem to want is a bit of variety and support for Giroud. The Gunners had Nicklas Bendtner and Yaya Sanogo for depth last season, so clearly it is not unreasonable to want something extra. That is where Mario Balotelli comes into the picture. He is a big name striker who is capable of anything. The Daily Star are reporting that Balotelli’s agent has met up with Arsenal representatives in Brazil to discuss a deal. With reports like that, it wasn’t going to take long for it to spread.
Now everyone seems to have an opinion on Mario. Some desperately want him as they know what he can do, but other are sceptical because of his attitude. However, the former would argue that Arsene Wenger would be able to tame the Italian and, in return, unlock his true potential. If that happens, the Gunners will have a world class player on their hands.
Arsenal are a team that like to keep the ball and wait for openings in the defence. They then use the creative players to exploit those gaps. It is a system that is devastating when used effectively. While Giroud is good at making a presence and holding the ball up, he lacks that killer instinct in the box that Arsenal need. Balotelli gives you that, but also provides you with that crucial hold up play. The AC Milan star also has that turn of pace which Giroud doesn’t have.
Both have had similar seasons, statistically, but the Italian is an upgrade on the Frenchman. With Mesut Ozil for support, the former could reach over 30 goals.