Do the Gunners really need a striker? I don’t think so, considering the outcome of two of their pre-season tour matches in less than a week. Arsenal won an Indonesian Dream Team 7-0 on Sunday and smashed another seven past Vietnam national team in Hanoi.
A first-half hat-trick from French striker Olivier Giroud put the Gunners 3-0 up at the break in the My Dinh National Stadium, before substitutes Chuba Akpom scored a brace, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ignasi Miguel added one goal apiece to end another Arsenal goal galore.
Tran Manh Dung’s volley from inside the area past substitute goalkeeper Damian Martinez in the 78th minute gave the hosts something to remember and they did push for a second goal, but to no avail as the match ended 7-1.
Vietnam got off on a brighter note and tried making a quick impression in the first four minutes, before Thomas Rosicky clipped the ball through to Giroud, whose powerful effort was too strong for keeper Son to keep out.
The Frenchman’s goal helped Arsenal regain their confidence and they took control of the proceeding. He fired another attempt wide in the tenth, while Lukas Podolski had a goal disallowed for offside few minutes to the half-hour mark.
With one minute left to play in the first-half, Giroud doubled his account and completed his hat-trick at the stroke of half-time, latching on to an Oxlade-Chamberlain’s pass; the Frenchman dunked the ball home.
Wenger brought on seven substitutes at the break with Per Mertesacker, Miguel, Aaron Ramsey, gedion Zelalem, Ryo, Walcott and Akpom getting some game time.
One of the biggest cheers of the night was reserved for Jack Wilshere, who made his first appearance of the summer as a replacement for Oxlade-Chamberlain with 25 minutes left. Other substitutes were Chuks Aneke, Kris Olsson, Thomas Eisfeld and Martinez.
The goal continued to flow for the tourists once Giroud had departed with Oxlade-Chamberlain curling in a sumptuous effort from distance and Akpom adding a brace before the hour mark.
Miguel got in on the act before substitute Dung scored a well celebrated consolation for Vietnam.
Arsenal are halfway through their tour now, they visit Japan next. So far it has been lots of excitement for the Gunners and news of a ‘Running Man’ Tien has created more of a buzz.
The local man ran miles to keep pace with the team coach as the players went sightseeing on Monday. Tien’s persistence paid off when he was allowed to board the coach and meet his heroes.
