He might have been born in 1986 but Arsene Wenger says Olivier Giroud is a throwback to the strikers of the 70s and 80s.
The Frenchman scored a classic headed goal on Saturday against Newcastle, leaving the manager wistful at days of yore when centre-forwards would do that on a regular basis.]
Such was their prowess that if you owned an old Skoda which broke down, any top flight striker could head you home quicker than the AA could respond to an emergency call.
“He is like an English centre-forward,” said the Arsenal manager. “His first goal he scored was a typical 1970s goal. You saw those headers in the Seventies and Eighties. You love it because you see it less now.
“It’s not just him as a player, but something in his mentality. He’s such a positive guy. Even when he misses something, people forgive him. It’s difficult to explain, but he has a positive mental impact as well as a physical impact.”
Wenger also praised the the former Montpellier man’s determination to come back from the broken leg he suffered at Goodison Park in August.
“He worked very hard to come back quickly. After the World Cup, he was not completely ready at the start of the season. I’ve always said you will see the players back in November.
“The surgery made him realise just how much you love it and how much you miss it. Our fitness coaches told me he was extremely motivated and that’s why he came back so quickly.
“He gives us different options because we can go for a longer ball. We have plenty of players who can go short and he gives us variety.
“He can hold it up away from home, he wasn’t at his best at Stoke and he had something to show against Newcastle. He responded well.”
* Any similarity between the image and the glasses worn the the Arseblog News Hound is entirely coincidental.
Excellent goals to game ratio so far this season. If he keeps it up then I can see our form really improving. The chemistry between him, Welbeck and Sanches is very promising.
I was one of those ‘Giroud is a lazy whining player’ until he actually got injured. His absence was so evident. Now I appreciate him like never before. Long live Olivier.
Hey blogs, you never told us you are on night shift!
He’s absents was the reason we conceded so many goals from set pieces & corners….he heads clearances as well as he scores them.
That’s very true – his defensive role is hugely undervalued
absolutely – something often overlooked. he and per were our defensive set-piece glue last season.
When I saw the goal last night I literally thought “Frankie Frankie Stapleton”
..I’m on the same wavelength as Wenger!!! 🙂
Yeah I was thinking Supermac
And then I thought gosh this injury curse goes back a while, doesn’t it?
It’s the London smog to blame, I tell ya!
…and (don’t laugh) but those determined bursts from Alexis (with and without the ball) remind me of Alan Sunderland. Electric!
I do love our HFB. He brings so much balance to the side but some struggled to appreciate him when we lacked the pacey options to offset him.
He’s really looking the part again this season, even more so in fact
His awareness of where close teammates are is great for a CF his size and his ability to pass the ball with any part of his body is really fun to watch. Doesn’t always come off but it shows that even though he can run as fast as the others, he thinks just as quickly. I’d like to see him try to create more space with his physique when he’s in the box instead of still thinking pass first but maybe that will come with confidence.
He’s a really interesting type of player. Far from just being a big lump. Presumably that’s why Wenger bought him. Giroud’s combination of physicality and vision is almost unique. It’s not often you get someone who can power in a 1970s header but who can also play such delicate one touch football too or who can spot the passes he can.
The “Iron Bollock” Deflection is his best move. We haven’t seen much of it yet, but once Ramsey does what he’s been told and aims all his shots straight for Giroud’s Handsome Nads we should see our goals to games ration rise dramatically.
The loveable French bastard
Rather have have a banner of him on the Ken Friar bridge than the one of Cesc
Still shit
Not shit, just painfully average.
We have the weakest strikeforce in the big 4.
He doesn’t have any real competition in the team(assuming sanchez is a winger and welbeck isn’t that great yet).
Name one other EPL striker besides Aguero who could score that second goal or even attempt it and not look like a complete idiot (maybe RVP could as well)
Andy Carroll could attempt it without looking more like an idiot than he already is.
Really?? like seriously??
sturridge, bony, costa, drogba, dzeko.
They also score better goals.
Compliment him for his looks and all. but facts are facts- He wouldn’t get into any of the Big 4 teams and is decent.
Giroud is good.
Arsenal will win the champions league in 2016-17. Trust me, I know my stuff.
His second goal, a flicked effort with the outside of his left foot was more difficult that it seems. The ball from hector came at speed and it shows a good variety from giroud. He also scored a similar goal at the near post off a corner in the 5-1 win over west ham united in 2013
And dont forget the North London derby Vs the spuds. the only one goal in that game that defeated lloris was sideffoted as well from the outside of his boot. I haave yet to see anybody else currently in the Premier League that does that
I was at that match, sat at the front of the upper deck right behind the goal he scored into! My first and only NLD. It was so fantastic to look down on all those formerly noisy Spud supporters, all fallen silent with a look of numb horror on their faces. There are many fond memories of that trip. 1. Flamini makes his Arsenal return and gets a yellow within two minutes for clattering some cunt. 2. 19th minute, Walcott-Giroud-goal. Brilliant! 3. 85th minute, Spurms new 30M pound signing Soldildo gets the ball on the penalty spot with no-one around… Read more »
Go back and do it again in January. You’re obviously what was missing from the mix when Arsene goes looking for players to buy.
And he also got something similar last season against Spuds at the Emirates. That weird outside left foot flick at the near post. Almost thought he was going to miss it, so I kept asking myself, “Why couldn’t you just use your damn right you handsome French bastard!”. I digress. But anyway, he’s far better that what most people paint him to be. Far better. 5 goals in 7 games with just 3 starts, you should ask Balotelli or Falcao how that feels, trust me they wouldn’t know.
Giroud epitomizes wingers philosophy. The contribution to the team being more important than individual brilliance. I don’t think many top managers would be keen on playing a striker with such a poor conversion ratio. Yet we look far more dynamic as a team when he’s playing. Same as arteta.
Giroud seems to be improving though, hopefully he can be one of the later bloomers, Luca Toni I remember had he’s 1st big season aged 29. We can always hope
Adebayor had a far worse conversion rate and contributed far less to the team but got big numbers. His goal tally was down to us giving him 6+ clear opportunities (not half chances!) per game.
When we give HFB the same number of clear chances, his tally will increase dramatically.
Adebawhore might have been a cunt, but i’d take him at his best over Giroud anyday of the week.
He’s far more mobile, good with his feet and his finishing might be slighty better than Giroud.
Giroud has a better touch.
Adebayor is so bad now that the spuds are apparently thinking of releasing him. The spuds, man. Have you no shame?
My my, how the flighty have fallen!!
This is the art of management. Building a team that works together to create a wide range of goals. If a goalie has seven Arsenal players in front of him and knows the killer blow could come from any one of them then where should he be positioning himself to protect his goal? Our strike force isn’t just about strikers. We always have more players score for us each season than any other team in the PL. That’s what good management gets you. All we have really missed was a truly prolific scorer like Henry, but when we have Ozil… Read more »
i quite like the teams set up with Giroud, Sanchez and Welbs leading the line we are definately more balanced in offence and defence, the more they play the better understanding they will get, and with Theo coming back soon, were looking mean, he needs to improve the chances when they arrive, seems he scores the more harder chances and misses the easier ones like the header at Stoke when it could of changed the game back to 1-1, Girould is passionate and always gives 100% thats why we can forgive him some times, with Sanchez influence rubbing off on… Read more »
Giroud is an important cog in our machine. His conversion rate is poor but his defensive contribution particularly for set pieces is key. Remember, we don’t have great height in the mid field and defense. Crunch period starts next weekend. It is time to stick together and support the lads. COYG!
The Giroud-Sanogo combination was a hint of a return to 442 last season. I think we’ve now achieved that with Welbeck, who is obviously a more polished version of Sanogo, although perhaps not as physically imposing.
What I like about the idea is that Welbeck gives us a good combination of pace and aerial presence. So we can switch easily between a fluid 433 on the counter-attack, and a scrapping aerial play on crosses and corners when we’re up against the bus.
I like Giroud and defended him even when he was a target of a lot of criticism in recent seasons. My only criticism is I wish he’d play to the whistle more + when fouled continue to battle for the ball rather than sit on the floor appealimg to ref + then lying on floor in disbelief when decision not given. There was one example of this v NCL when the ball was still only 10yds away that he could have chased down and won. His performances away at Stoke this season + last have been characterised by this. If… Read more »
I agree but Refs do seem to think CBs kneeing HFB in the back is a legitimate tackle.
I think I’d get pretty pissed at the continuous assault on my kidneys (that’s the work of beer, not CBs).
Lee Chapman.
‘Even when he misses something, people forgive him’
Does Wenger know about the exisence of the Internet?
There is no internet in the 1970s.
/queue Life on Mars