Olivier Giroud says he’s looking forward to next season and believes he’s become a better player in his first 12 months at Arsenal.
The Frenchman scored 17 goals and although he feels happy with that, he’s looking to improve ahead of the next campaign.
“I have scored fewer compared to last season in Montpellier,” he told the latest edition of the Arsenal Magazine, “but the ratio – minutes played to goals scored – is good.
“I scored 17 in all competitions and gave 10 assists which, for a first season in England, is good. I am happy with the stats.
“However, you can always do better and I know there is a lot of room for improvement. That’s why I’m already looking forward to next season.”
And while inevitable comparisons were made with the player he replaced, Robin van Persie, Giroud feels he dealt quite well with the expectation.
“It was not easy at all. It was a massive challenge with a positive pressure. I arrived in a very humble way, I never said I wanted to replace Robin.
“He needed a few seasons to really be at his best here, and I hope that in my second season I can play week in, week out and keep scoring regularly.”
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The latest edition of the Official Arsenal Magazine, in which you can read the full interview with Olivier Giroud is out now. Available from club shops, programme sellers, newsagents, by visiting www.arsenal.com/magazine or call 0845 3017626
Meh. Sums up how little is going on.
mert struggled really bad his first year and came good so good luck to you giroud. whatever is best for the arsenal
You mean to tell me there is less football news during the off-season? YOU ARE A TOWERING INTELLECT.
Well, being capable to comprehend the heights of his intellect, goes to prove that you are also very clever.
Well, he does not claim that there being less news is a novel observation, merely that this article sums up and expresses this fact.
In fact, his comment implicitly accepts that people know that there is less news, as this knowledge is required to agree with his assertion that the article sums this fact up.
That’s not meant to be a crack at Giroud, mind, I personally think he’s been even better than he thinks.
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I on the other hand, can definitely wait to see Giroud play next season.
its such a boring 2 months! Can we fast forward to August?
…or at least July. As for him, he’ll be ok as long as he doesn’t miss THOSE chances we all remember.
17 goals is fine, but only 11 came in the league, and 2 away from the Emirates. He is 26 as well, it’s unfair to bring up a comparison with a former striker, who arrived first as a squad option at a young age (Judas). I feel he thinks more of himself than what he is to be honest. His overall goal number has flattered his performances, he is slow, average technically and has the worst goal/chance ratio in Europe amongst strikers (there is statistics to back that up). Hopefully he proves me wrong, but I see another Chamakh with… Read more »
you probably didnt see Giroud’s 10 assists this season, never mind the goals he scored, he is more than a team player, with his first season in EPL and has done well.give credit were its due, RVP didnt was quality but hey remember he was always injured and when we he became good he left went to our main rival. dont get me wrong but really i never thought he would have done such thing. Giroud’s first season is better than RVP’s first season and guess what he will better next season.
And that bloody amazing assist for Podolskis goal vs Montpellier
Your confusion over our main rivals will lead an ‘RVP signs for Spurs’ exclusive over on Goal.com tomorrow.
I agree with Sabas on this one. ManUre are and should be our main rivals. Expending a lot of energy on Tots is misplaced effort. Our goal should be to win the League (where we’re competing with ManUre), not preventing mid-table mediocrity (where we would be competing with Spuds).
He is no Chamakh but we can and should do better. We can have two strikers and divide the games amongst them. With 50+ games in a season, there’s plenty of games for both of them to play in.
What we need is a cunt. Someone who’s full of himself and won’t get all down when the crowd is on his back. Someone like Bendtner basically, except with real talent and work ethic.
OG is much more than just a goalscorer, though i’m not saying he’s the best we could afford, but he brings the best out of our wingers and midfielders anytime he’s on the field, and i don’t know if it’s just only me but anytime we concede a setpiece and he’s not on the field, i always panic a bit.
All I need is some crosses from theo, forehead and poldi..I am am aerial threat!! Watch
leave out that dreadlocked alien and we have a deal
Worth a read: Tactical Analysis ; http://thinkfootball.co.uk/archives/10218
What a statement from a flop, you don’t you want wenger to bring a fast scoring attackers, you are a flop, no perfect ball control, am ashamed we have u as stricker. If wenger feels you are ok then he will still find himself on a hot seat
Your brain’s a flop. 17 goals and double figure assists not good enough for a first season?
Maybe for him it is, but it’s not good enough for Arsenal FC. That, however, is not his fault.
It was good enough for Drogba’s first season, it should be good enough for his.
You are silly and blatantly not an archangel
Clearly we need better strickers
that was childish. and lovable.
17 goals 8 assits and he helps out at back holds the ball up well and he’s a flop what u on about crazy fool
Giroud just need some more help from the side.. he is very good in the air give him the ball in the air
haha. or put him on the bench so we can keep the ball on the floor!
Since everyone seems content on b*tching: Giroud has had a promising first season. Not good but not bad either. Those terrible misses and his lack of pace are bad points, his high assists and good aerial threat as well as his defensive qualities are good points. He needs to work on his finishing with his feet and maybe some sprint trainimg for next season and he could easily finish in the top 5 scorers. So calm down and stop buying media hype, he’s not the best but he’s far from a flop.
“He needed a few seasons to really be at his best here” ..he needed 8 seasons! -Go Giroud!
Giroud i love u
he is good and know this you can’t score without the ball if you don’t have it. he is so good that when he get the ball he knows what to do wirh it that why he have so much assist more than most play makers
He can score 30 goals. He still needs to get used to the pace of the game, though. We do need to sign a quick striker.
Interested to know how he feels when we bring in a couple of recognised strikers ( please Arsene, please) I like Giroud. A good plan B, useful defending corners and his first season stats are pretty good but when we’ve been spoilt by the likes of Henry and BergGod, he’s going to struggle to convince us all. On a separate note, doesn’t the window open on July 1st? That’s over a month away and already it’s at hysterical levels in the blogsphere regarding players we’ve missed out on. Relax people, the papers/journos talk complete bollox 99.9% of the time. An… Read more »
I’m confused. Various media outlets are reporting that the window opens on July 1, but the Premier League website say this: “The first [transfer window] commences at midnight on the last day of the season and ends on 31 August if a working day – or, if not, on the first working day thereafter, at a time determined by the Board.”
Can anyone shed some light?
I believe it is the earlier of 1st June or midnight on the last day of the season. The Engish window would have opened on last day of season however some European leagues continued until this weekend and the Spanish and Greek leagues are still not completed so for transfers where non English clubs are involved it seems unlikely that there will be any deals announced before 1st June.
The first window is for out of contract players and the second (July 1st) is when all the money comes out (Officially) although most deals are being done now (PLEEAASSEEE)
we some one to put with so one who can run around and off him……then we need a defensive midfielder. .. a centre back and a right back as well then we are ok
I’ve just been on another Arsenal fan site and spotted this blog. It brilliantly sums up everything that I’ve been saying recently: Deluded 10:36am 28th May 2013 Oh dear. Honest to God I am getting sick of delusional Arsenal fans and I am a Gooner. 3/4 years ago, we signed Arshavin and weent on an incredible ‘unbeaten run’ – in whcih we finished 4th. FFS. People said ‘oh this shows the team is ready/hungry’ etc. Last season, Arsenal were humiliated 8-2 at OT, their biggest league defeat in over 125 years. They then sufered their worst ever European thrashing in… Read more »
You have copied and pasted from the home of misery and doom. I am fascinated by that site as the same people day after day post the same miserable negative jibes and insults whatever the tone of the article above their comments. It is rather sad and pathetic that they waste their time in this way. Whereas this place reflects differing views on which one is free to respectfully agree or disagree. The negative aspects around poor performances are not ignored but the emphasis is on being supportive. It is nonsense to assert that the team is rubbish when there… Read more »
@joeos 1) it is nonsense to cite Alex Ferguson’s opinion as a reason we should be hopeful for next season. it shows how far we’ve fallen as a club where that man’s word is respected and not reviled and immediately laughed off like it should be. sad thing is, we are doing this because he’s no longer a threat–which i think is fatgooner’s point. we’ve fallen very far. and the new breed of supporter just accepts this as a financial reality. No ambition anymore. 2) I want to echo fatgooner’s point about wages. Too much is made of transfer fees… Read more »
1. His opinion has to be considered of value because of his achievements not because of any personal characteristics. It is ridiculous to dismiss his opinion because the latter. You repeat the myth that we have fallen very far. The final outcome this year was enough to get us second place in 1999/2000 and 2000/01. If you actually study the numbers for each season we have been remarkably consistent during the transition from Highbury to the Emirates. You should look at the impact that stadium construction has had on other clubs who undertook smaller projects as well as clubs like… Read more »
1a. i don’t dismiss fergie because of any personal characteristics. i dismiss him because i don’t like him. and i wouldn’t dream of ever using his words to prove my point, and none of the gooners i know would. but none of the gooners i know can afford season tickets either, so maybe we just have different groups of friends. actually study your numbers, don’t just use them to make a lazy point. the strength in depth in the EPL has improved mightily since 99/00 with chelsea and the rest of the oil clubs. so of course our point total… Read more »
whoops 3 of the available 24 cup finals. forgot the carling cup loss to chelski
Bringbackflamini!
I merely refer you to Stoneheads comment below.
@joeos ill let you read my reply to him then. enjoy the tix
So Fatgooner and others hate that Arsenal are not like Man Utd when we cannot grind out 1-0 wins whilst playing poorly
And, equally, they hate that Arsenal grind out 1-0 wins whilst playing poorly
It seems to me that the problem – such as there is one – is not with the Arsenal.
Can’t fatgooner be barred from commenting? All he comes up with is negative tripe
You want to ban another Gooner because he doesn’t buy into “everything” is great for the fourth place trophy team that is Arsenal? Sorry that the truth hurts, but fatgooner’s copy and paste post is spot on. Instead of trying to ban another Gooner who doesn’t share the same mediocre support that you guys do why don’t you try and rebut his argument? Is it because you can’t? And exactly how does a fan that wants success for their club simply a glory hunter or anti-Arsenal individual? I would rather much be a glory hunter (that is a cop out… Read more »
“The wage bill is £150 mil. That is bigger than Bayern, much bigger than Juve, twice Dortmunds, much bigger than Spuds and only £12 mil less than Man United. Yet Arsenal are nowhere NEAR the level of any of those named teams ”
Why don’t you start with this quote from fatgooner’s post? What are your excuses (and don’t forget to mention Blackburn and Bradford as well)?
Those figures are meaningless as they are not referenced – so can’t really use them to support (or force – which is really what you are doing) an argument. Even if they were consistent, still it means little since Bayern spend north of 40M on new signings on average every year. Only goetze and martinez cost 80M euros. Dortmund, yes, they are an exception, but it is for a reason – and not a fotbollistic one ,that their best players are being sucked away. You really think we are inferior to Juve and the LWC’s? I laugh to that but… Read more »
Since when did you make our wage bill 150 mil.
I recently read that our wage bill is some thing like 120 mil. Don’t manufactue facts. No one gets more than 100k and almost all of our players get 50k. Bayern’s highest paid is Robben with some thing like 170k and they have a lot of big stars in their team.
Lying is a sin.
arsenal’s wage bill for the 2011/2012 season was at 143 million
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2013/apr/18/premier-league-club-accounts-debt
anyone couldve looked this up, rather than just calling someone a liar because you don’t like their facts
Doesn’t that also include all non-playing staff? Ours would be higher due to having more behind-the-scenes employees.
Lukas Podolski £107,000 Theo Walcott £100,000 Tomas Rosicky £80,000 Andrey Arshavin £75,000 Santi Carzorla £70,000 Mikel Arteta £70,000 Thomas Vermaelen £70,000 Per Mertesacker £60,000 Olivier Giroud £60,000 Gervinho £60,000 Bacary Sagna £60,000 Marouane Chamakh £60,000 Andre Santos £60,000 Jack Wilshere £60,000 Abou Diaby £60,000 Nicklas Bendtner £50,000 Sebastien Squillaci £50,000 Denilson £50,000 Johan Djourou £50,000 Laurent Koscielny £50,000 Aaron Ramsey £50,000 Lukasz Fabianski £50,000 Wojciech Szczesny £50,000 Ju Young Park £50,000 Kieran Gibbs £50,000 Vito Mannone £20,000 Oxlade-Chamberlain £50,000 Carl Jenkinson £20,000 Emmanuel Frimpong £20,000 Ryo Miyaichi £15,000 Francis Coquelin £15,000 Ignasi Miquel £10,000 Joel Campbell £10,000 add all this… Read more »
yes the guardian wage bill factors in the coaching staff. it doesn’t parse out how much is devoted to players and non-players.
but it doesn’t really matter does it? if arsenal pays their entire staff 143 million and sp*rs pay theirs 90 million and it takes the last day of 2 successive seasons to separate them, who is getting more for their money?
the fact that we pay our non-players more than they do isn’t a positive, is it?
@ rational gooner –
it could be anywhere in between 120 and the guardian’s figure. arguing over that 20mil is pointless.
either way its at least 30 million more than the spuds, which is more than the league table would suggest it should be. that’s the point
We are due to our new sponsorship deals and award winning pitch. Tottenham are so far behind us in terms of sponsorship and still have to go through building a new stadium.
Last season Arsenal had its weakest squad for ten years yet stayed in the top four. Making the last 16 in the ECL is a fine achievement. Chelsea and Citeh were no better, neither winning anything. Our squad will definitely be stronger this new season. Premier league title and the ECL titles are very unlikely for Arsenal but we have to dream the dream otherwise we stop following the team.
You can copy and paste? I’m slightly shocked but delighted for you.
Now I suggest you make your move permanent and stay over there the rest of black rat movement.
Ta Ra
Why bother with Arsenal? it’s clear you hate the club so much, spurs fans are not half as bad as you. You do realise that you don’t have to support our great club, you can simply go to the other side of North London, or better still, Go to the blue side of Manchester.
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If he stays fit, which as far as I can tell he’s pretty good at, I think he’ll get atleast 15, maybe 20 league goals next season. I always worry when a player has a good first season – I don’t think it truly reflects how good they are. Think P.Cisse, Chamakh, even Michu and Benteke I don’t think will score as many next season. I think when a player comes out of nowhere, they havn’t been scouted too much by the opposition coaches and the defenders don’t know what they’re up against. However, when a player like Giroud has… Read more »
Fatgooner…..you do post some shit dont you. Theres a few messed up people that write on this blog fat gooner aside. I know its a forum and freedom of speech and all that. That shouldnt mean people should just write stuff for the sake of it. Some are literally dillusional.Think about what your saying.
i was arguing with someone yday who wanted Santos back…..WHAT¿¡?
Vermaelen DM……Honestly!
Get your heads on lads
We will be saying giroud is one of the best strkers in the world next season dont u worry about that. Remember it took Nasri a season to adapt in the premier leauge when at Arsenal giroud will be the same.
The back of him please. Thanks arsene.
As long as Giroud is pulling on our shirt every week I’ll be backing him.
Me too. I just hope I don’t have to back him every week 🙂
If we are all honest and put sentiment aside for a decent player with a big heart who has done pretty well in his first season…He isn’t a good enough striker to win the league with. His finishing isn’t top draw and he’s not that quick. We have to remember also he is not a kid learning the game…..he’s 27 next season!
Had he put away a couple of the earlier ‘simple’ ones (you know, Sunderland, the mugsmashers etc) then I would have said that his first season was better than all but one of RVPs. Love his desire, and his quality is there, big season ahead for him lets hope that he responds well to some real competition. UTA
he is not the problem he is leading rhe line you have to give him what he need to work with.even the keepers having problem to control him in the air
Didn’t Ian Wright come to arsenal at 27-28?
Giroud can only improve. His first season is by no means a flop but we do need an upgrade to really challenge for honours. His season was slightly above average but I remember a certain Thierry Henry being the top goal scorer in his first season at the club.
seems we all agree that we need a quick striker but when it comes to Arsene and the transfer window i say we can certainly throw Jovetic and Higuain out of the basket. Wenger will never go for the obvious.. i think a name like Aubaumayeng (Spelling in doubt) . he is fast and like Adebayor…hopefully without the cu%^ish attitude
These numbers are good considering how bad the service has been to him. Think about the assists Walcott and Song were providing last season. Giroud isn’t getting that. If he did he would have broke the 20 goal mark.
Fact is yes Giroud should have scored almost 30 goals this season. With the sublime cazorla behind him, walcotts crosses he should really have scored more. That’s the point we’re making. He’s good__yes. But we want more. That’s why another CF is needed so that when Giroud is hitting blanks we don’t have to look at the bench.and see gervinho.
Anyone who doesn’t rate Giroud has clearly not watched him at any length or with any intelligence, this season. He is one of the best players we have had at bringing others into play. He creates room for Santi, Lukas & Theo that is not there when he doesn’t play and his positioning from crosses/corners and free-kicks is excellent. An option we have not had before. Granted, he is not the only option we need up there, but that is not his fault. We should not have been so reliant on him having a good first season. If we add… Read more »
Its funny to hear people critising OG.
Can they play that lone-stricker role at Arsenal…? NO!??
Then those mouths need to be shot.
We only need another stricker to help in any case.
He seems to pay a heck of a lot of attention to his stats.
Fatgooner and those who share the same opinions as his are the reason i go to bed depressed every night. I know everyone’s entitled to their own opinion buh will you please stop lamenting about how far we’ve fallen the last seasons coz we cant turn back time and just be optimistic about the future. Just be an Arsenal and be gratefull for the fourth place they managed this season……God knows i was among the many who believed we would’nt finnish in the top far back when sp*rs were third and we were languishing in mid table but the boys… Read more »
You know what’s so annoying about this website? It’s all those people like you who are content to simply sit back and accept mediocrity. There is a simple fact that I have, over and over again tried to explain, and it’s this: WE CAN DO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS! Get it? With the resources available to Arsenal Football Club and Arsene Wenger we should not be struggling every season to finish fourth. We have the stadium, the income, the massive wage bill and the kudos to attract some of the biggest stars in football, and then go on to win… Read more »
Enablers, they are…period
Please… give it a rest. Compared to other major clubs through history, 8 years without a trophy is nothing, zero, nada, zip. Tell me who you would want to lead Arsenal trough 8 years of financial doping, with a limited budget because Ashburton Grove, bad sponsorship deals and still have a team that plays with the big guys? I for one, really look forward to the next season. Our team will have a nice pre-season without any external pressure from the press (transfer of our stars) etc. Wengers a sly fox, our new deals (kit) are soon inbound and I… Read more »
i agree there is a strong team in place and the lack of major disruptions will be welcome. there are reasons to feel good about next season. mainly because we’ve felt so bad in the last two summers it couldn’t get much worse. although i was hopeful and naive enough to think we’d at least have kept song around. there are reasons to worry too. pellegrini and mourinho will improve the competition, and if moyes can bring fellaini with him to man u i think they’ll be as good as ever. here’s the point: eight trophyless years without a change… Read more »
I do agree with you and that’s why this summer is crucial for Wenger, the club and the supporters. For the first time in many years I feel that the club is finally above water, this is the time to strike and by strike I mean adding to the squad with established players. I’m not suggesting that we buy Messi, Ronaldo and Falcao all at once, but players that for almost 10 years we could just dream about getting. If we had the financial future we have today when trying to buy Mata, I do feel that he would be… Read more »
Woah.. wait a minute.. You mean you actually have the ability to have some sort of say in the way the club is run Fatgooner? Oh, no. No you don’t. All you can do is not watch if you aren’t happy. So lets review: Support the club you claim to love because you actually love the football.. or don’t watch. Your groaning and moaning does nothing, but make other gooners, who do love the football, angry at you and rightfully so. No one likes a whiner. If all you want is to see some silverware every season then there are… Read more »
Not going to criticise Giroud it’s his first season and has done well. If he improves next season that would be great but we do need another striker an Eduardo type but without the terrible injury.
Am glad we’re on the same page fatgooner,we can do better than this that’s why am looking foward to nxt season……its already happen and we cant change it.We’re not abusing you,jst asking you to be a little positive,we’ll do better nxt season so just be a happy gooner and dont give yoself stomach ulcers
Giroud should look to emulate Alan Smith’s Arsenal career.
I’ll be a happy man if our HFB can do that!
I can’t wait for next season either.
i know i’ve been distracted with some of the bigger picture stuff above but this article is about giroud… giroud has been a great signing for the club and i think he can take a step forward if given proper service. he’s the perfect target man to play with either podolski or walcott already, and i think in time he’ll develop a very strong understanding with jack and the rest of the midfield. when he gets used to the time on the ball afforded to him in england he’ll score a lot more goals and be a very effective striker.… Read more »
That 30 mil is what they don’t get every time they don’t make the CL so it evens out. And their Player wage bill is just slightly less than ours they paid van der vaart and Modric 70K and Adebayour 100K. The fact that we spend so much on non player wages shows that we are a real club building on real and longterm goals. Fake clubs like City and PSG are short termed and spend so much on stars but not that much on scouts or Academy professionals. After F F P real clubs like Dortmund, Arsenal, Ajax won’t… Read more »
That 30 mil is what they don’t get every time they don’t make the CL so it evens out. And their Player wage bill is just slightly less than ours they paid van der vaart and Modric 70K and Adebayour 100K. The fact that we spend so much on non player wages shows that we are a real club building on real and longterm goals. Fake clubs like City and PSG are short termed and spend so much on stars but not that much on scouts or Academy professionals. After F F P real clubs like Dortmund, Arsenal, Ajax won’t… Read more »
we’ll just take your word for it and use your figures then, RG Company A pays its laborers 90mil. it pays its managers 30 mil. Company B pays its laborers 80mil.(?) it pays its managers 10 mil.(?) – just a guess, i dont know how it splits out exactly after years of clear superiority over Company B, Company A has now nearly been caught and for three years has produced an almost-identical product. To recap, Company A pays more for labor, much more for management, and yet produces a very similar product to Company B. which company is better run?… Read more »
Hopefully we get a decent striker and don’t have to watch you miss sitters next season.
Correct. Nice fella I’m sure, but no way is he close to an Arsenal quality striker.
Wright, Henry, van Persie, ….Giroud?
Sorry, I just don’t see it happening.