Arsenal will be without striker Olivier Giroud for at least four months. Arsene Wenger announced on Wednesday that he will be out for most of December, and perhaps until January.. The Frenchman sustained an ankle injury in the Gunners' 2-2 draw with Everton last weekend, and he's now set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Olivier Giroud injury: Arsenal striker out at least 4 months
Michael Regan
The news is an especially big blow for the Gunners, who lack any real depth in their natural striking options. In their Champions League qualifying second leg against Beşiktaş, Giroud's absence forced manager Arsène Wenger into using natural winger Alexis Sánchez as the club's lone centre-forward, with Giroud's only real like-for-like replacement, Yaya Sanogo, left on the bench.
Unless Wenger opts to use the remaining few days of the transfer window to try and locate a replacement for Giroud, we can expect to see Sánchez played through the middle throughout the Frenchman's absence. Other alternatives include playing Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski or Joel Campbell up top, though all of these players are also more naturally comfortable out wide.
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