Arsenal have already scored 24 league goals in 12 matches this season, with an average of 2 goals per game. Only Manchester City have scored more goals than the Gunners this season, with their 7-0 drubbing of Norwich earlier this month and the weekend’s 6-0 shellacking of Tottenham helping them to 34 league goals for the season.
The Gunners are leading the Premier League table at the moment with 28 points from their opening 12 games. Their position at the top is somewhat surprising considering they have been utilizing only one striker in the form of Olivier Giroud. They also have Nicklas Bendtner but he hardly features for the Gunners and he is still at the club only because Wenger could not find a replacement during the summer transfer window.
There is a stark contrast in the number of forwards when compared to Manchester United, who are the reigning Premier League champions. They have four out-and-out quality strikers on their books including Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Danny Welbeck and former Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie.
With the physical nature of the Premier League, surely it will nearly be impossible for Giroud to carry on as the lone frontman till the end of the season. The Frenchman has featured from the start in the Champions League games as well.
Bendtner has already revealed his desire to leave the club in the January transfer window and, if that happens, Arsenal will just have one orthodox striker at the club.
However, Wenger feels that Arsenal do not necessarily need a striker in the winter transfer window as the returning Theo Walcott can provide Giroud cover up front. They also have Lukas Podolski, currently out injured, who can play as a forward but Wenger has utilized him more as a left winger.
Wenger had tried to sign Liverpool forward Luis Suarez with two well-publicized bids and he was also in the hunt for Gonzalo Higuain, but Giroud’s form has made him reconsider his targets for January.
According to ESPN, he said, “I think we can win the title without signing a striker. Podolski is not back but he shouldn’t be too far now. They make it less critical to sign a striker. Also, Theo gives us qualities that other players haven’t got. It’s a different option. Theo also gives us an opportunity to be a mobile striker.”
However, Wenger did admit that they would be light up front if they do lose Giroud to an injury but believes it is hard to find quality players in January. He said, “If we lose Giroud today we have nobody with body weight up front. Look, I am not against it [a January signing]. I don’t say I never make a mistake. I certainly made some. Sometimes it is because we didn’t sign the right player.”
He added, “It is always difficult in the middle of the season [to sign the right players]. If somebody is doing well somewhere the clubs do not necessarily want to sell him. They can wait until the end of the season. Most of the time it is because we didn’t find [the right players].”