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GIROUD PICKED AN INJURY AND IS OUT TILL NEXT YEAR

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he is reluctant to buy a
new striker, despite a long-term injury to Olivier Giroud.
France international Giroud is unlikely to play again until the
New Year after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury sustained
in Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw at Everton.
The injury appears to have left Wenger with limited options up
front, but the Gunners boss is adamant he will not be forced
into panic-buying a replacement before the transfer window
closes on August 31.
"You will ask me straight away who we will buy,” he said. “I
give you the answer - at the moment, no-one.
"If you want to make everyone happy, you buy all of these
players but what is important is the performance on the football
pitch.
“If you look at the players we had on the bench and those out
injured, we have players. You cannot buy every time a player is
injured.
"We are open for any position as long as we feel the player can
strengthen the squad. Buy to buy? I don't see the purpose of
that."
Wenger used £35m summer signing Alexis Sanchez as a striker
in the Champions League play-off tie against Besiktas on
Wednesday, with the Chilean scoring the game’s only goal in a
1-0 win.
Yaya Sanogo, Lukas Podolski and Joel Campbell are other
options, while Theo Walcott is close to returning from a long-
term injury of his own.
Besiktas manager Slaven Bilic believes Arsenal will struggle to
compete in the Champions League without a recognised striker.
When asked if Wenger’s side could go all the way to the final in
Berlin, Bilic said: "I would love it because it would make us look
like contenders.
"If they improve (they have a chance), and of course they are
going to improve, the league just started and they have got a
few injuries.
"They are missing the strikers although Sanchez was good
tonight. But to win it? With Bayern and Real Madrid? Football is
strange but it would be difficult."

Arsenal fans, Is WENGER on the right track??