Giroud salutes the away supporters after netting Number 50
After netting his 50th goal for the club yesterday, Olivier has proven himself a solid member of the Arsenal squad. Credit must be paid towards his improvement at the club in his 3 years here.
Olivier Giroud divides opinion amongst most Gooners as to whether he’s good enough to lead the line for us and honestly I side with those that believe we can and should have better but this doesn’t mean one can’t appreciate him. He’s quite different to the main forwards we’ve been blessed with over the past couple of decades as he’s built like a target man but I presume Arsene adores his team play and when on song he really is an influential part of our system.
If we were to consistently play goal scorers throughout the team with the likes of Walcott & Sanchez flanking him and an in form Ramsey utilising Giroud’s unselfishness we’d appreciate the Frenchman’s attributes a lot more but the problem occurs when we’re most dependent on him and he often fails to deliver.
When you look at how Aguero got City out of a pickle against Bayern and Suarez almost single-handedly drove Liverpool to the title similarly to Diego Costa’s strong impact on Chelsea’s title bid this year it’s plain to see that this is the category of a centre-forwards we must have if we’re to achieve the things we truly desire.
Of course none of this is Giroud’s fault all he can do is try and work hard and in fairness he does, he’s one of our few reliable players to be available throughout the campaign.
Last season was the year he fully came to grips with the demands of the premier league with a strong start to the year but was eventually overplayed and injuries to Walcott and Ramsey affected him more than anyone in the squad.
This year the initial competition provided by Welbeck really took his game to another level. It’s always important to keep on your toes not knowing whether you’ll make the team-sheet on a weekly basis and this has helped Giroud’s progress.
The biggest question mark over Giroud was whether he could score in the big games where it matters most and he’s scored against Liverpool, City and United this year so his progress can’t be denied.
Example of Giroud tekkers v Hammers last campaign – Wonder Goal!
What I appreciate about Giroud is his technique. When the team is in full flow he’s a joy to watch and has played a part in some of our most delightful goals, Wilshere vs Norwich, Ramsey vs Swansea, Rosicky vs Sunderland just to name a few. All feature in 3 of the final 4 goals of this brilliant compilation by Arsenal Editor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZMX_yx0ns8
His one touch flick-ons are often a joy to watch when it comes off, when he wants to he can be bullish in the air (Newcastle at home) although he’s not usually as dominant as his stature suggests he should be, he does sometimes go to ground far too easily which can frustrate. His attitude is admirable for a guy that takes so much flak as he always works hard and as a supporter you can only applaud that.
In conclusion, yes I think we’ll need to upgrade in the summer regardless because we need an alternative approach in certain games anyway but Giroud is more than good enough for the squad and his yearly improvement has been very welcome. I hope we can keep our quick wide players fit for the rest of the year as this will allow Olivier to perform at his best and at the moment he’s our most reliable centre-forward so he’s key to what we aim to achieve this year.
I am Subomi. An Arsenal supporter throughout my lifetime currently in my early 20’s. I am a graduate of West London’s Met Film School and an aspiring screenwriter. I do like to write about various topics that interest me and that tends to swing towards matters concerning Arsenal, it’s a passion of mine.
I was born and raised in North London, moved out to Essex but I am now back in North London for university of course.
[…] Welbeck would be a better option up front compared to Olivier Giroud! I differ from my colleague Subomi who wrote a piece in praise 0f the Frenchman earlier this […]