Arsene Wenger’s striker dilemma

Arsenal 2 Stoke 0: Arsene Wenger has a selection problem going into a vital run of early season games. Some might argue the problem is of his own making, but he has to chose between strikers Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud at a time when both need a run of games to increase their goalscoring confidence.

Walcott got the nod in this stroll of a win over Stoke and scored the opening 31st minute goal, albeit after missing a hat-trick of decent chances. He missed another bundle of great second half opportunities before Giroud came on, dragged wide in front of an open goal and then settled the match with a straightforward header five minutes from time.

Wenger dropped Giroud to the bench at Walcott’s expense for the second successive victory. He says he will now have to rotate the two with weekly midweek Champions League matches ahead, starting this Wednesday in Zagreb.