Petr Cech reckons that Olivier Giroud’s equaliser against Southampton on Sunday rewards Arsene Wenger’s faith in the entire squad.

Cech believes that Wenger’s faith in having a large squad is rewarded when players like Giroud come on and score with minutes left on the clock.

Giroud is yet to make a start in the Premier League this season but has been brought on as a substitute 13 times and scored four goals. The 31-year-old has also netted three goals in six Europa League clashes.

What’s more, the striker has only played for 252 minutes in the league, which means he’s netted a goal every 63 minutes he’s been on the pitch.

But then again, that’s Giroud’s job. He’s a super-sub. He’s at his most effective coming off the bench, which is probably why Wenger doesn’t hand him more league starts. Also, we have Alexandre Lacazette now.

While having a big squad can be beneficial as it means the boss can rotate and keep key players fit for longer periods of time, it’s also no good if the people who make a real difference are sat on the bench for 72 minutes while their side is 1-0 down.

I’m not arguing that Giroud should be starting – at least not in place of Laca – but perhaps utilising him sooner would mean we get more out of the game and would prevent Gooners from getting heart palpitations every weekend.