Arsenal legend Robert Pires has asked for patience from the Arsenal fans over Olivier Giroud, who has yet to find the target for the Gunners after signing from Montpellier in the summer.

Giroud was brought in to offset the impending departure of Robin Van Persie, which eventually happened when the Dutchman signed for Manchester United.

However, the Frenchman who was the joint leading scorer in the French League last season with 21 goals to his name, has not quite found the same form with the Gunners as yet.

"Honestly, I think we should be patient with him," Pires said. "I've been there and I took five to six months to adapt to English football.

"This is completely different from what he will have seen or learned in France.

"The additional problem for him is that he has two very difficult tasks ahead. The first is to score goals, and that's not an easy thing. The second, which is the bigger task in my opinion, is to replace Robin van Persie."

While Giroud has not scored for Arsenal yet, he has contributed to the Gunners' bright start to the season with some hard working performances, typical of this year's side. Everyone at the club has repeatedly said the goal will eventually come for the French international, and many believe once he breaks his duck, goals will flow more freely.

Giroud might get a chance to do just that, when Arsenal take on Coventry City in the Capital One Cup, although it remains to be seen whether he will get a start, or indeed be in the squad with Wenger preferring to play fringe players and youngsters in the competition.

One player who will definitely be a part of Arsenal's team against the League one side is Andrey Arshavin. The Russian has hardly featured for the Gunners this season, but will try to prove to the manager he deserves more game time, and Wenger revealed his admiration for the forward.

"I have personally a great respect for Andrey Arshavin because sometimes some wrong ideas are circulated about him -- that he doesn't care, but it's completely the opposite," Wenger told the club's official website. "He's a 200 percent professional who works very hard in training every day.

"At the moment he's a victim of the high level of competition that exists for places. He has a huge respect from everybody in the dressing room, and especially from the staff.

"I feel he's unhappy that he doesn't play because deeply he loves football and he practices every day with 100 percent commitment. I'm happy to give him some competition on Wednesday night."

Wenger also confirmed Emmanuel Frimpong would take his place on the substitutes bench after missing over six months with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

"The good news is that Frimpong will be on the bench, and if possible, we will put him on," Wenger added.

"It's a big moment because he has suffered for a long time and has worked extremely hard, like Jack (Wilshere).

"Once you're back, you want so much a chance to be involved. So I want to give him a chance to be involved at least. Physically Emmanuel has never been as fit as he is now. That should come out in the next two months.

"You need matches and certainly he will be involved when we play at West Brom (on Monday] with the under-21s. He's a competitive boy and a fighter. Of course this type of player always wants to be involved."