The Gunners kept their grip on third place in the Premier League last night with an edgy win at desperate Rangers, with Giroud finally sparking Arsene Wenger’s team into life with the opening goal to set up their seventh win in their last eight league games.
It was his eighth strike in his last 10 games, and though Alexis Sanchez added a second to pile on the agony for a Rangers side looking more doomed by the game right now, it was Giroud who had been the key man. Charlie Austin pulled one back late on for Rangers but it is now seven defeats in their last eight games for Chris Ramsey’s team.
Wenger recalled Per Mertesacker and Tomas Rosicky as he shuffled his pack. Midfielder Francis Coquelin took to the field wearing a face mask to protect the nose he broke on Sunday against Everton.
Without suspended skipper Joey Barton, Ramsey was at least able to welcome back Brazilian midfielder Sandro for his first game since November 22 after knee ligament problems. He made his presence felt with a hefty early challenge on Coquelin.
QPR were battling hard for Ramsey, and Austin, watched by England manager Roy Hodgson, cracked in an early 25-yard effort that was safely held by David Ospina. Then, when Bobby Zamora caused confusion, his volley was stopped by the keeper.
Arsenal were sluggish, but Giroud’s snapshot tested Rob Green. Gradually, Wenger’s side began to get a grip, Rosicky prompting cleverly from deep.
But Ospina had to be alert when Matt Phillips sent in a low drive, diving to keep the ball out one-handed. He was helpless, though, when Austin was an inch wide with a screaming effort from 30 yards.
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Francis Coqeulin played with a mask on
But the chances for the home side were not producing goals and at the other end came the warning as Santi Cazorla shot, but Green saved well.
Wenger instilled some urgency into Arsenal after the break, and when Rosicky dribbled through, Mesut Ozil should have scored from close in, though it looked like he was getting his shirt tugged by Karl Henry.
But they were still finding it heavy going against a Rangers side that, with Nedum Onuoha going off injured, had to reshuffle their defence with Clint Hill.
Sanchez squeezed a shot wide, but then the Gunners escaped again as Phillips flashed a drive just wide.
But the feeling persisted that Rangers might be made to pay for those missed chances. And eventually, inevitably, Arsenal found their range. Sanchez played in Kieran Gibbs racing down the left as Rangers were caught. Hill half-blocked his shot but the ball fell to Giroud, who converted well from six yards out.
Green then saved Rangers from going further behind when he stopped Sanchez with the Chilean clean through. But the misery increased five minutes later, as Sanchez got away, bamboozled Darnell Furlong and Hill, and squeezed his shot between Green and the near post.
It was the Chilean’s first goal in eight games. Green redeemed himself by tipping Ozil’s shot onto the post and Rangers never gave up the chase as they charged up the other end, and Austin span and cracked his shot home from the edge of the area to ensure a nervy final eight minutes.
But QPR have won precisely none of their last nine London derbies, and they now face Tottenham and Palace in quick succession. Gulp.
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