'Arsenal need Karim Benzema' - Olivier Giroud's performance against West Ham in focus

Solution? Sunday's defeat provided more evidence that Arsenal need reinforcements

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Tom Dutton10 August 2015

There have been plenty of protracted rumours linking Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema with a move to Arsenal as they look to add more fire-power to their squad.

Olivier Giroud is one of the options currently at Arsene Wenger's disposal and he was deployed as the lone striker in Sunday's Premier League opener against West Ham - a match the Gunners lost 2-0.

The result and performance again suggested Arsenal need to strengthen before they can hope to win the league for the first time since 2004, but, after the full-time whistle, Wenger reiterated he is unlikely to make further signings.

"I can only repeat: if an exceptional solution turns up we do it. But after a defeat like that it's important not to think we must take a solution from outside," said the Frenchman, despite a disappointing display from first-choice striker Giroud

"I would like to think we are responsible to buy the people and the coaches, and not the media. We have to look at ourselves and think we were not good enough."

Here, we analyse the performance of Giroud amid calls for Wenger to dip back into the transfer market.