Olivier Giroud says fatigue can’t be to blame if Arsenal don’t get the right result against West Ham tonight.
Although they played 120 minutes on Saturday, the French striker believes the recent schedule has been light enough for the Gunners to cope.
“It is OK,” he told Arsenal Player. “In the last weeks, we played just once in the week so we have had a good rest. We need to keep the good things we did against Wigan and, even if we are going to be tired, I think it is really good for our heads to win the semi-final.
“We know that we have to win every single game. We are going to have six finals now, if I can say that. Hopefully Everton will lose some points, maybe against the two Manchester clubs or Southampton.
“Every single game will be tough for everyone so let’s do the job first and we will have a look at where we are.”
The former Montpellier man knows exactly what’s at stake, saying, “We have a great opportunity to write a really big page of Arsenal’s history, to qualify for the Champions League and to win the FA Cup final. It will be an exciting finish.”
If tiredness isn’t to blame…
… that should equally apply to him.
Time to step up!
Yup. Fatigue is a factor, but blame should go all around – the players, the manager, etc.
Blame riding
He’s doing exactly the opposite of that.
Your right Olivier… it’s you and your fellow under performing teammates who are to blame.
Seven cans of red bull and whatever Liverpool are juicing themselves with should do the job. Wenger can still get the best out of them from here on in. I’ve got a feeling. I am concerned about us playing 120 minutes only a few days ago. They’ve just gotta drag a performance out of themselves tonight. It won’t be pretty. Perhaps a 1-0. Hopefully, to us. To those wanting Martinez. Check those eyebrows during interviews. They move all over the place. It really annoys me. Could you really handle that once or twice a week for years on end if… Read more »
You’ve started drinking the Red Bull early haven’t you…….. and maybe some other meds?
It’s Ok, Arsenal have driven me to the edge too.
Liverpool are juiced up with hope. Lets get the ground, and the team full of that again. Starting tonight.
COYG
This guy needs to stop talking and score a goal. Credit where its due, he did slot his penalty in on the weekend, but he is still so far off where he needs to be in my opinion. 4th spot has never been so important.. if those clowns upstairs decide to (actually) invest in the team over the summer its essential we bag Champions League football, no top player wants to play Europa League. We have to win every single match between now and the end of the season, and we’re still having to rely on Everton slipping up. It… Read more »
Studies have shown that the link between amount of ‘Talking done’ and ‘Goals scored’ is non-existant. So much so that it is now widely regarded to be absolutely irrelevant how much a player talks in relation to the amount of goals scored. This has led many within the footballing community to do decide that it is actually a player’s ability to play football that determines the goals that they score and not how much they talk. Astounding, isn’t it.
I sincerely hope the fans get behind the boys tonight. Irrespective of what has happened in the last three months, we need everyone pulling together to get them over the line.
Saw the “gossip” column on BBC today about Barca fans deriding their team after the loss at Granada, couldn’t believe what I was reading (not sure how true it is, if at all). Hopefully the fans can be the 12th man tonight!
Agreed. Too often at Emirates the stadium is still half empty 10 minutes into and 5 before the end of the game. Need lots of noise from start to finish! COYG!!
He says something positive. As fans lets respond with something positive. Dont blame the team for being negative if you can only offer negativity yourself. But do your part to help by supporting them even if you might be hurting inside or deeply disappointed. That is what being a fan of Arsenal means
I like Giroud and think he is a good player, when he is on form.
He has been involved in some of the best goals Arsenal have scored this season, with his deft flicks and touches. I think that ever since his off field activities came to light, he has gone off the boil.
It is a great shame and is obviously this is reflected in his recent performances.
I hope he can turn it around and get back to the level he was at at the start of the season.
Wow. A sensible, level headed comment?
And it doesn’t involve any insults to Giroud or Wenger or talk about how Wenger only plays Giroud cause of some french World Cup 2014 conspiracy? None of that in the comment? What sorcery is this 😮
It takes a lot of energy to be negative, I like to focus on the positives.
We all make mistakes in life. Making the mistakes is not the issue, its how you react after making the mistakes that makes the difference. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!
You’re a smart guy Heisenberg… And you make some good points. No one was complaining about Giroud when we were top of the table scoring beautiful passing combo goals. To me the main issue is that he has been rendered somewhat ineffective without support but not only that, has pretty much failed to do the things well which he is normally so good at (holding the ball up, winning headers, flicking on to another runner). I hope he can get some form back at the end of the season as well, but I also think a smaller, quick/fast striker is… Read more »
Ramsey and Ozil are on the way back. Giroud performs so much better with those two in the team.
It’ll be fine people….
People will be like “remember that one time when we qualified for the champions league” and then they’ll be like “oh yeah I think we won the fa cup that season as well”
Giroud should be last person to talk, total flop better Sanogo
L’oreal needs to shut his mouth and deliver on the pitch
Totally off-topic, but so it goes: With Draxler rumors coming back, I’d love to hear opinions on why we are not in for (read: being tied to) Marco Reus instead. With a confirmed release clause that is reported to be similar to the Draxler numbers but with a real track record of excellence (not just strong signs of potential) isn’t that guy as close to a guaranteed star as anyone out there playing the left wing? And isn’t that what you need to get for L30+? Put him in our squad, sell Podolski, sign a low/mid market forward of the… Read more »
When has the club ever made it clear and transparent who we are after signing? How do you know we aren’t going after Marco Reus? Let’s be honest none of us know who the club is currently or planning to target or be in negotiations with whatsoever. It just doesn’t happen, especially outside of the transfer window. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they have really strict confidentiality agreements whereby any breach to the press of even a hint of a discussion nullifies the contract or the discussion dead. Ozil – I mean who knew he was coming at this… Read more »
Yes please, I would even go as far as to say that Marco is the missing link in our attack, I been wondering how we managed to NOT sign that player. Though, someone did mention it here not so long ago that there could possibly be some other reason why our left wing is such a difficult place to play.
I really hope we get Marco, or players of similar caliber.
Anyone else want to see 4-4-2 tonight with Giroud and Sanogo up top. Ox on the right, Cazorla left, Flamini and Kallstrom in the centre. We know West Ham are going to park the bus so lets be positive and tear into from the start rather than wait for the second half to go for it. We looked so much more dangerous with those two up front on Saturday. The main positive in our 4-5-1 is Walcott wide, Ozil in 10 and Ramsey box to box but with all those out (Ramsey rest) we lose the potency of the formation… Read more »
Not really, if there’s a side you don’t want to play long ball, direct football against, it’s West Ham
Sonogo played 120 minutes on Saturday. Can’t see him playing again tonight.
Flamini is suspended for accumulated yellow card incidents. So unlikely. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kallstrom start tonight.
Flamini is still banned, Fez.
Yeah my bad. Have to be Arteta for Flamini then.
I think we may need to change the formation giroud is a big lump of a forward (which is good) but maybe having someone with a burst of speed next to him when he does hold play might be a good thing. our 451 only works when the real creative and nippy players are on the pitch, this is not the case and YAY! those players are returning but they won’t be up to scratch for a little while at least (I would love to be proved wrong on this btw)
We will be as encouraging as humanely possible at the stadium tonight – gonna do my part! COYG!!!
I have always thought (and still do) that Giroud is that Plan B, Fox in the box striker we were always looking for. Unfortunately we had gotten rid of our Plan A, fast strikers and so have been limited in what we do esp given all our injuries. Could a Giroud/Sanogo partnership form at all?
Has anyone noticed Shanti’s passes lately (since he been playing behind giroud).
He is only passing it left or right, left to poldi or right ti sagna.
Shanti last season would shoot a lot.
Yes, it’s so annoying… that and the fact that really missed Walcot’s pace this season.
Almost all the comments above about giroud could be said about szczesny lots of talk and lots of under performing. The whole squad are run into the ground and need the fitness training looked at. Cfc lfc city never looks as tired as us
closing down the ball looks so hard for us.
I hope he leaves us in the summer, I also dont like the pic of him thumping the club crest when he disrespected it just not long ago.
Tiredness isn’t to blame but you are some of the time!!!
The thing that scares me about the whole race with Everton is that they’ll probably end up with better GD thus winning the tie breaker. So they’ll have to lose points in TWO games, and we need to win them all. If we drop any points they’ll need to drop points in half of their remaining games and looking at their form, and with the added all around excitement about football in the city of Liverpool, well I’m a chronic pessimist but I’m not confident at all that we’ll make 4th.
Just realized they’re actually only two ahead of us, so a loss and if we go clean we get it. However they could still tie one (city), win the rest and we’re out. Like I said, chronic pessimist.
something to cheer you up 😉
everton has to play with manure soton and mancity ……
who are they? brasil in disguise? the wheels will come off and hope so for liverpool too..this “destiny” and justice for 96 and steven’s tears is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too much…and fuck henry and whatever he is smoking.
COYG!!!
Hes the first one to b blame. Shit striker if u talk about a top four quality striker. FACT
Giroud form is not in the toilet because of tiredness its because he only scores against rubbish and we havent played against rubbish for ages.
Another comment that could be said of chez. Only plays well against shit teams.
Shitty, Chelski and Mugs never look tired because their squads are much deeper and they havent had the injury plauge like we’ve had. (again)
Wenger winning a Premier League title with Mourinho at Chelsea???? Or Man City? Hell he’s Moyes took 4pts off him with his first opportunity facing Wenger with resources. So let’s not continue wasting our time debating Wenger because let’s be real it’s not like he’s ever going to win the Premier League again (as long as Mourinho is a manager in England) or as long as there’s more than ONE team to beat. Realistically, this is the best we’ll ever achieve with Wenger – a scrap for 4th and the odd cup here and there (because u can dodge real… Read more »
The financial restraint is main obsession for me, everything Wenger has done in the last 8 Yrs was with a budget akin to Everton or Bolton. Lets see what he can do this summer with actual cash and not just spreadsheet cash. Apparently they are “working hard” on it already ( Oh fuck ), I haven’t forgotten that they were “working hard” all summer long and January too yet Ozil aside, achieved fuck all. So I do believe the manager is capable of poor attempts at bull shitting the fans at times and telling the odd porky pie in a… Read more »
Not tiredness? Must be the shitness then Oliver.
We cant keep putting our heads in the sand.we get so many injurys because the players are run into the ground. Our squad is much thicker than lfc yet they never have the injury problems. Look at swans everton etc such thin squads but dont end up with the amount of injurys as us
People talk about Ozil but without question, Theo & Rambo’s injuries (& 2 very poor transfer windows) cost us the title.
So glad Rambo is back.
Fatigue is not the reason for this collapse. It’s the manner of defeats that has contributed to loss of confidence. To be top in February, 8 points clear of Liverpool and 10 clear of Everton, and drop down the league like this is down to poor Management on Wenger’s part. He could have avoided the big losses with change in approach when he saw the team was on the ropes in both games. Confidence is a big part of success. It definitely weighs more than talent and skill. That’s why the remaining teams playing Arsenal will be confident of not… Read more »
He’s hoping nobody notices he was shagged out after a tumble in the hay with that French model.