Olivier Giroud says he’s looking forward to playing regular football having fully recovered from his broken tibia even if Arsene Wenger is determined to manage his comeback carefully.
The French international spent just under three months on the sidelines before making his scoring return off the bench against Manchester United and has since played 78 minutes against West Brom and 25 minutes against Southampton.
Reflecting on a busy couple of weeks, Giroud noted that he’s feeling confident about the rest of the season with his ankle is holding up well.
“I feel good,” the 28-year-old told Arsenal Player. “I told the boss I am ready to play every game, so he calmed me down a little bit and told me, ‘we need to preserve you a little bit.
“‘You’ve come back from injury after three months and we don’t have to go too quickly. Let’s take the time to come back well because we are not in a rush. We are going to play a lot of games in December and January’.
“I did good work with the medical staff and I always had Manchester United in my head as a target.
“It was a great feeling to score, even if the result was not good, I felt good on my comeback and I’m sure it will be a positive from those bad results.
“I can’t wait to play more. I feel good and my ankle is alright. It’s clear now so I’m looking forward to playing on Saturday.”
In other news it’s looking unlikely that France will offer Thierry Henry the chance to say farewell to the French public with a final outing for Les Bleus.
The president of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet, admitted the sentiment was a good one, but stressed that the emphasis of the proposed game against Brazil should be on Didier Deschamps preparing his side for Euro 2016.
“The idea of honouring an immense player is positive,” Le Graet told L’Equipe.
“We’re going to look at it. But we are also preparing for Euro 2016 and there are very few matches left on the schedule, only four this season and 10 the next.
“Didier has to present the best possible team to prepare for the [tournament]. But we’re going to do something for Henry, and also for other players who we have not managed to bring together.”
Deschamps was slightly more enthusiastic about the idea, but he admits the timing of the game next March means the opportunity may come too late.
“Titi deserves a tribute and that homage may take different forms. He called time on his international career four years ago. While this game against Brazil is a friendly we’re currently in 2014 and don’t play until March 2015 when we’ll be preparing for Euro 2016.
“Everyone is entitled to an opinion. There’s no pressure on me. I’ve great respect for Titi, for everything he’s accomplished. I don’t close the door on the idea, but I’m not opening it either. I’ll talk to the [FFF] president.” my president. “
arse
If France refuses to honor the King, Arsenal should put them to shame and bestow the honor on him with a friendly match. Long live King Titi.
Invincibles vs. his French mates? That would be great and Henry could take a half with each team.
first time I’ve ever got in first, wowee this feels good. also I’m pretty stoned at the moment so this is quite ubbelievable
but on a more serious note flamini is doing good work in arteta’s absences this season, hasn’t really been recognised. a couple of mistakes early in the season but consistently solid. we’ll continue this run and finish comfortably in the 4, but nowhere near second place city. a satisfactory year, but we need more. COYG all the way from melbourne OZstralia
Flamini is quality. He’s the best sliding tackler ever!
Bit dissppointed he hasn’t got any yellow cards in the last couple of games, but they’ll come if he keeps trying! 😀
Nice one Paul.
I like Rosicky’s sliding tackles better
I’ve always rated Rosicky’s sliding tackles highest. But I think age is catching up with him.
Lol, if France are so concerned with winning this match, that’s all the more reason to play the King!
Ha yes paul
Great to have Giroud back. Just don’t use this as an excuse to push welbeck to the left wing. Let Welbz and Giroud compete for the first slot and rotate between them..
What a bunch of French cunts! The federation, not the people of France of course.
It’s a friendly, ffs. The French Federation needs a slap from a glove. Vive le roi!
On a side note. That tosser shawcunt has moved up to 2nd place, overtaking fergie,(who will now slide down rapidly) but with moronio waaay out in front… of people i would gladly to time for punching right in the mush.!!@#$&##@#//$
Off topic, but there’s nowhere to put this. The next James Bond movie has been announced, call “Spectre”, and they’ve revealed the car Bond will be driving in it:
The Aston Martin DB10!
A little homage to God, perhaps? It is sure to be the very best Bond car of all time.
Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God in vain
As an Arsenal fan I feel for Henry, but as a Frenchman I have to say we have just got rid of all the big chinless egos in the squad. And you just know the British dominated media will just have a field day, “French Honour Cheat” etc… I love Henry, and I’m not here to argue, but the French have other problems at the moment. Henry might have been the king of highburry, but that French team he played in was one of the greatest teams ever, and it’s hard to justify giving him a farewell game, and not… Read more »
Who is the top goal scorer of the french national side ? King Henry. I will never put a Dugarry or Willy Sagnol at the same level.
Only Zinedine Zidane can be compared with Henry in the ex. french national team. 🙂
Exactly. So what does the current french national team have to do with it, why not have a charity type event of a french international XI vs a bunch of other superstars?
It doesn’t affect the preparations for the Euros, Titi AND the other squad members involved get the recognition in a showcase event.
When you look at it that way, it’s hard to see why the FFF is making a fuss about it.
There is a reason why Ribery retires from international duties so early. Benzema, beware of the FFF.
Henry much as I love him as an Arsenal fan, he was never worshipped to the same degree there as he was here. In England he was Mr Arsenal, for France he was overshadowed by the likes of Zidane. It’s a pity, but people forget how good that French team that won the World Cup and the Euro was. And the reality is that he was a supporting figure rather than the main man.
Arsenal has always been stronger than the french national team after year 2000. Even today Arsenal will beat them easily. How come Henry is a supporting figure ?
Put it this way, if Rooney ends up being England’s all time top scorer, would he deserve a testimonial?
The only thing Rooney deserves is a fractured penis.
The French team is a shadow of what it used to be. Back when Henry was in his Prime, so was Trezeguet and Cisse, and even Wiltord, and much as everyone hates him so was Anelka. The reality is that Henry was never indispensable for France the way he was for Arsenal. Also a lack of important goals cost him, Henry has great stats for France, but has very few iconic moments for the national team. His best moment was probably scoring that goal against Brazil in the World Cup 06′ and even then Zidane ran the show that day.… Read more »
Worshippied in France or not, he still deserves one more game…
Then give him a game at Arsenal where we appreciate him properly, rather than a damp squid of a game for France….
Looks like we’ll have to sign him up and give him a 15 min run around at the Emirates instead!!!
Let’s just hope we beat that fking rugby team tomorrowz. Gotta hate their cunt fucking style of football and fans. If there is one team in the BPL I could do without, then I gotta say it is Stoke. They are anti-football and there fans are a little bit ”one of a kind”.
I’d certainly have agreed with you in seasons past, especially with Shawcross the Orc breaking the soon-to-be-resurrected Welsh Jesus…
…but they are ever-so-slightly less rugby team like of late.
Still, here’s hoping we can break our own Staffordshire hoodoo today though: it’s about time.
To be fair they haven’t been anti football for a couple of seasons. Not that I don’t hate mordor.
They buy players who looks more like wrestlers than professional footballers. They play very physical and very defensive still. So I’d say that they still deserve to be called rugby team. Not to mention their supporters who mainly are complete twats.