Football really is a funny old game. Fans these days are ninety minutes away from calling for a managers head, starting a crisis or declaring a player not good enough. To be fair they are also ninety minutes away from calling players world-class or stating their team are destined for championships. They swing from one extreme to the other in the blink of an eye.

Oliver Giroud never seems too far away from vicious punters calling for him to be dropped or sold. I just don’t get it. Am I watching a different player to everyone else?

I honestly think Giroud is a top quality striker. Maybe not a world class goalscorer but we can’t expect that from every forward. Some players offer a team more than just goals.

For instance, Teddy Sheringham wasn’t overly prolific but he was still a superb striker.

If you watch Giroud, you’ll notice that the Frenchman will lead the line expertly well. His runs are intelligent, he moves into certain areas (usually coming deep or out wide) and that creates space for the attacking midfielders to run into. It’s not by coincidence that Aaron Ramsey has excelled when Giroud started leading the line.

Giroud is also great at holding the ball up, waiting for his creative support and then bring them into play. A fantastic trait for any international forward!

The former Montpellier hitman also gives Arsenal an aerial threat they’ve always lacked with Arsene Wenger in charge. No Premier League star has scored more headed goals than Giroud since the start of the 2012/13 season. His heading also creates chances for others and keeps up the attacking momentum, just look at his involvement in Ramsey’s goal against Crystal Palace last weekend.

His goal against Everton, where he bullied the defence and steered his header past Tim Howard, was vital in keeping morale high with the Gunners ahead of their second leg with Besiktas.

The forward is still looking to regain his full fitness, yet his presence has been enough to help his club gain points in their opening two fixtures in the EPL. He also works his socks off and gives his all for the team. His efforts don’t go unnoticed with the rest of the squad and he is a big personality in the dressing room.

I think too much is made of his goal record. He’s made 102 appearances for the Gunners and scored 41 times. Last term he bagged 22 goals in all competitions. The forward also managed a credible eight assists in the league.

Now lets remember that Oliver Giroud only cost around £12m. Just think that is the same fee that Southampton paid for Shane Long this summer. Also lets not forget since he arrived at the Emirates, Giroud has had to ply upfront as Arsenal’s main striker without much in the way of competition or help. I would wait and judge him this term when he is fully fit and playing with Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez playing in and around him.

Plus he’s still only twenty-seven, just hitting his peak years.

I think if Monsieur Giroud stays fit and plays then he’ll get at least twenty league goals for Arsenal this term!

Posted on August 24th, 2014 by scott
Filed under: Article