Olivier Giroud says he’s still coming to terms with being a regular on the bench and admits Theo Walcott deserves his chance to lead the line at Arsenal.
The French international hasn’t started a Premier League game since the 0-0 draw with Liverpool at the end of August but claims he’s not down in the dumps about the situation because he still has the backing of manager Arsene Wenger.
Reflecting on his start to the season after playing as a late substitute for France against Armenia, Giroud noted*: “It is something new for me. Whether it was at Tours, Montpellier or Arsenal, I have never experienced a situation like this, I have often played from the start.
“I need to take positives and to harden myself mentally. I cannot simply take refuge in work. At Arsenal, I am in competition with Theo (Walcott) for the striker position. But he is doing well at the moment, so there is no reason to change.
“I was in his place in previous seasons at Arsenal. I imagine what he must have been thinking. But I feel that the coach believes in me.”
“It has been for several matches now that I have played less, that is for sure, but I do not need to be worried. I need a bit more game time but also to believe more in my abilities.”
Belief and confidence are two words that Giroud often brings to the fore when he’s out of form and to give him his dues, he’s bounced back from disappointments in the past. It’s also worth remembering that he’s still found the back of the net three times this season and with a heavy Christmas schedule on the horizon there will be plenty of chances for him to get game time.
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*Quotes translated by Get French Football News
The great thing about Walcott coming to form is that now we have a proven 20 goal a season striker coming off the bench. Looking forward to many 80th minute headers to come this season 🙂
Exactly that. IF Theo can keep it up our striking situation suddenly looks a lot rosier than a few months ago.
16 goals was his best season in Premier league unless you are counting all competitions. But ye, decent impact sub no doubt, However I dont rate Giroud as top team quality. Ibra and Lewandowski are of similar build, But they just have so many more tools in their toolbox. Giroud got the trademark back to goal hold up and dink trick. But that is about the lenght of his tool list. Wenger yave tried to replace him several times now latest with Benzema, previously with Suarez and Higuain, But no takers. Instead he has gone with the in house solution… Read more »
I’m personally a big fan of Giroud, some may dislike his mini tantrums on the pitch but for me that’s a sign of genuine passion.
He’s still got a big part to play this season, offers many different qualities that Theo doesn’t posses, and can make a genuine game changing contributions from off the bench
Agreed. For me, its not an either-or situation with regards to Theo and Olivier. Both talented, both committed, both offer something different. I could see them forming a deadly combination if our formation allowed it.
Je t’aime mon petit Giroud
Neville I really thought you were straight! Oh well…
It doesn’t make you gay if you think Giroud is hot. We all think he’s hot.
Never experienced “brotherly love” ???….so sad……watc and learn….it’s never too late…
He should have scored a fourth against United
Many players should have scored that other goal especially on the stronger foot and in better positions including Ozil, Ramsey and the Ox. It did not happen so we move on from there. COYG!!!
He was playing off the bench. Form and match fitness are harder to keep at the top level when you are only getting 10-15 minutes on the pitch once a week at best. Unlike Walcott, who is starting every week, Giroud now knows he has just 15 minutes to prove his worth in. It’s serious pressure, and many players tend to try too hard in such a situation. “Supersubs” get that monicker because people who can stay at the top of their form and regularly close out matches on such small amounts of game time are few and far between.… Read more »
Whilst most of us realise Giroud is not good enough to start for a top side he’s definitely a good option from the bench.
Agreed.
Pretty boy Giroud still has my backing.
At least you’re handsome. I mean, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Tell that to Thierry. He had it all.
I like giroud where he is now, as a backup, he simply doesn’t have the ability expected for a first choice arsenal striker. Not that theo has either, they are both good options but we need a world class finisher, if we had someone who just finished the chances you would expect them to we would be top right now
…..instead of being merely 2nd with a fucking great 2 point gap to 1st? What a shitty team we are with rubbish strikers like them.
I’m a big fan of Walcott up top, been calling for it for years and think it suits our playing style more. But credit to Giroud, I think he’s done well for us over the last three seasons. At first I thought he was only a good plan B but now I think he’s a top class striker. I’m backing him to push Walcott (and Welbeck) all the way.
Seven games in December.
We’re going to need you fella.
Chin up.
Starting this weekend, seven games in 23 days. Yes, we’re gonna need you, Olivier.
We’ll be needing you at some point this season Olivier, don’t you worry. In the meantime, go and get your confidence back with the basics in training, and cut out the mental breakdowns when you miss a chance. Every striker misses more chances than they score, it’s just a fact – but you have the most efficient chance creator in the whole world behind you, so you will most likely get another at some point!
Pity they tend to take that efficient chance creator off the pitch around the time they bring Giroud on nowadays.
That’s the attitude. The team will be the better for it.
Not very long ago, every pundit believed we will struggle to score goals. Thanks to Walcott, Giroud and Alexis, that narrative is stale.
Your place is in bench,handsome when Welbeck returns it will be just FA cup matches for you or when defending corners. It still baffles me how you can’t hit the ball well with your size,try and make that bench really comfortable because you re not leaving it any time soon
Strange comment from a ‘fan’. You’ve obviously forgotten the importance of the 44 goals he’s scored for our club.
I love how you’re addressing your comment to Giroud as if he wrote the article (he can’t hear you).
I love Giroud. He’s another Jenkinson. He’s worked himself up from humble footy beginnings and has fashioned a career for himself at the highest level. He works his arse off during games, and he never hides on the pitch.
He’s got his limitations and will always have his critics, and I’d be lying if I said I liked his exaggeraged grimaces and antics when things go badly, but he’s a great asset to Arsenal and has been an integral part of some of our best moments in the last several years. e.g. that Wilshere goal vs Norwich.
One major advantage Walcott has over Giroud is speed. I believe that the front four of Alexis, Ozil, Cazorla and Ramsey need speed in front of them rather than mere strength.
The games against Leceister and United highlight this point. We wouldn’t score that equalizer against Leceister with Giroud; same with Ozil’s goal last week.
Giroud has his strong points but I think Walcott compliments the others better.
Good to have both of them though…a french international coming of the bench is called sterngth in depth.
If i were Giroud, i would use this break to really work on being clinical on my finishing, the King and Mr Swoon are always around the grounds, work with them day and night and see wonders. I believe that if his finish got better, lack of pace would not be seen as a weakness anymore as he is quite good with his positioning.
But then again, if i were Giroud, my modelling career would have skyrocketed….
Its all good.
While RVP is fighting his coach at fern for being benched,this is what our handsome boy says about the same issue on him.
Not quite sure what you mean. He’s having the time of his career!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMS2rrkgHiY
Plenty of games to come for the the HFB!
It’s not a zero sum game. It’s not Giroud or Walcott. We need both players. Much like it’s not Walcott at CF or wing. He can play both and it helps us that he is versatile. We need Giroud to get sharp with the limited time on the pitch. Both Giroud and Walcott are different tools for common purpose. Walcott is still better with space to exploit (although he has become good at creating space for himself) Giroud will still be needed if we are knocking at the door on a parked bus with no way in. I suspect if… Read more »
Giroud is really good at football
Well we could do a hell of a lot worse than Giroud as back up.
Hes consistently improved his goal tally season on season.
Taken for granted most of the time.
Woohoo! Congratulations to Olivier for scoring a brace in France’s Euro 2016 qualifier! Well done! Now do it for Arsenal next 😀
France haven’t got any Euro 2016 qualification matches – they automatically qualified as hosts.
Their game against Denmark was a friendly.
Who cares. When you’re playing an International (for any team but England) it’s still about the prestige of winning. Even if his goals both had an element of luck they both went in because he wanted to score them, and that can only be good for his mental strength. Plus, time on the field for France will get him match fit for the weekend. I really want to see him get one or two against Watford. I don’t care if they’re just extra nails in a coffin lid that’s already firmly nailed down because scoring goals makes strikers confident, and… Read more »
Giroud is not a back up, he is an alternative approach. I don’t get why so many nimwits keep belittling our players like the facile media does. Are we that impressionable? Giroud just scored twice for France. He is a quality striker and gives us something different to Theo. We will need him to be sharp. Forget old statistics. We live in the now. If he can apply himself, he can get 20 goals. Statistics do not prove anything. It certainly would not have accounted for how Walcott started scoring for us. Indeed those who followed and preferred to quote… Read more »