Giroud sets his sights on starting role
Sofia so good for arsenal this season. Locked in with the leaders at the Premier League summit and well placed in Europe, although not everyone in the camp is quite as satisfied as arsene Wenger.
for olivier Giroud it has been a frustrating time. Having missed pre-season and picked up a red card and an injury in the opening games, he saw alexis Sanchez thrive in his position at centre forward.
Giroud’s future looked bleak but he came off the bench at Sunderland to score twice with his first two touches and is determined to seize his chance against Ludogorets tonight to convince Wenger he should start in the derby against Tottenham on Sunday.
‘My turn will come,’ said Giroud. ‘i came back late from the Euros and was not fit enough to play straight away, then, unfortunately, i had an annoying injury.
‘obviously i prefer to be on the pitch but i needed to take my time. My injury is now behind me and i want to look forward now and qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. i am pleased to be back.
‘There’s also a big game on Sunday. i am just concentrating on what i have to do.’
Giroud has yet to start a game this season — not helped by a silly red card against Paris Saint-Germain — but his goals at Sunderland on Saturday were pivotal. it was 1-1 when he came on with arsenal struggling to convert clear superiority into goals.
‘fortunately, i finished well the work of the team,’ said Giroud. ‘i feel good on the pitch. i just need to play and play more. and, with training, show i am in good form.’
With summer signing Lucas Perez facing six weeks out with an ankle injury, the 30-year-old has an opportunity to make his case.
Ludogorets conceded six in London two weeks ago and Wenger will not expect to drop points in Sofia.
The game has been moved 220 miles from their home stadium in Razgrad, which holds fewer than 9,000, to the Vasil Levski National Stadium in the capital city, which can hold more than 40,000. it meant a six-hour bus ride for the Bulgarian champions, twice the time it took arsenal to fly from Luton.
amid fears that the rival fans in Sofia may be supporting the visitors, Ludogorets issued a bizarre warning that no one will be allowed in the home end wearing arsenal colours.
The club has been in existence for only 15 years, five less than Wenger has been in north London, but they are funded by ambitious businessman Kiril Domuschiev and the team is packed with South americans.
if arsenal win and Basle do not beat PSG, they will qualify for the last 16, the stage where they have fallen in each of the previous six years.
Wenger has reminded his players of the need to top of the group, which will ensure they play the second leg of the first knockout round at home and, at least in theory, have more chance of avoiding the best teams in the competition.
‘it is our prime target,’ said Wenger. ‘Step by step: qualify first. We have played Paris Saint-Germain away, and we have to play them at home. if you can finish first, why finish second? We have paid the price many times when we have finished second, having to play Barcelona or Bayern Munich.
‘We can qualify if we win, but it will be a different situation if we lose. The importance of the game is massive, and we know that.’
With Spurs in mind, Wenger has taken no chances with those players close to a return from injury. Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal and Theo Walcott have not travelled.
Hector Bellerin is also absent with an injury he picked up at the end of training yesterday. Wenger dismissed it as ‘a little incident’ but he will hope the loss of Bellerin is not a sign of fortune turning against arsenal as it often does in November.
‘We have some very important games in front of us,’ said the manager. ‘ But let’s try to continue what we did up to now. focus on the next one and try to win it.
‘afterwards we have Tottenham and the best way is to continue this strong run. We have to keep a good balance between vigilance and confidence.
‘We had some difficult Novembers but also positive ones. The most important thing is not to live in the past. our destiny lies in the mind of the players — how strongly they are focused, how hungry they are in every single game.’