Former Arsenal favourite Nicolas Anelka has pleaded with the club’s supporters to get behind striker Olivier Giroud this season and insists manager Arsene Wenger should be judged in May, Standard Sport reports.
The Gunners failed to add an outfield player to their squad before the transfer window closed last week and many supporters and ex-players were left frustrated by the fact that Wenger was unable to seal a deal for the likes of Karim Benzema or Edinson Cavani.
It leaves the north London outfit rather short of options to lead the line this season with Giroud and Theo Walcott the only genuine options to fill the centre-forward role as Danny Welbeck is expected to be sidelined until Christmas after undergoing knee surgery.
Giroud has scored just once this season and was booed off in France’s friendly against Serbia earlier in the week after missing a guilt-edged chance, however, Anelka believes his compatriot is good enough for the Gunners:
“You can always say they need to buy someone up front, but previously they have bought Mesut Ozil, who’s a good player, Alexis Sanchez is a good player,” he stressed.
“They can score goals and give good assists. People just want big names in attack, but Giroud is good enough to score goals. And behind him there are big players who can supply him so he can score a lot of goals.”
“Arsenal have a strong squad – people don’t see it, but they do.”
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Anelka also defended Wenger, who has come in for criticism since deadline day, and says his ex-manager deserves a measure of trust from fans:
“Arsene believes in his team, that’s why he hasn’t spent money, when you look at the statistics he’s not so bad. Arsenal won something last season, won something the season before, so why not again?”
“But people have to wait and see and then speak at the end of the season. If they don’t win anything, then you can say something.”
“However, people have to trust Arsene. He knows what he is doing,” Anelka concluded.