Olivier Giroud says he’s happy when he can contribute to the team by scoring goals, but says the team need to start games better as his recent run of late strikes can’t continue forever.
The French international has been a late-bloomer this season and over the last few weeks scoring crucial goals as games near their conclusion.
He grabbed an equaliser at Old Trafford in the 89th minute back in November, before following that up with an 86th minute against West Brom; a 92nd minute equaliser at Bournemouth; and an 89th minute winner away at Preston in the FA Cup.
Speaking to the official site, he said he was delighted to be a cog in the machine, but urged his teammates to do more to ensure the last 20 minutes aren’t a rescue mission.
“I’ve always tried to bring something to the team and I was very pleased to score important goals, especially in the last minutes of games,” he said.
“But as I’ve said before, we need to be stronger at the beginning of games because I’m not going to score goals in the last minute every week!”
And he says after playing more regularly and scoring often, his confidence is high.
“I came back well and you see the confidence was getting higher and higher,” he continued. “I never doubted my quality, it was just about having game time.
“When you have time to show what you can do on the pitch, it’s better for a striker. I want to carry on like that and keep the efficiency high.”
So may it continue to the end of the season to win any of the cup…Southampton is the team The ARSENAL will face in the FA CUP. ..COYG
7 league goals at 71 minutes played per goal scored. Amazing record this season.
Totally agree, plus why should he have to. He’s earned his starting place scoring with yality goals in the 17th and 37th minutes. As always his thoughts are for the team, not Oli Giroud. He’s class.
Ollie!
Isn’t that what strikers meant to do? Score goals all the time and at any time.
His statement reminds me of Chamakh when started to talk about himself of not being able to perform week in and week out.
He just doesnt believe in himself
What a strange thing to take from what he said.
why is it strange
Not sure he came to the conclusion he doesn’t believe in himself.
Giroud was making the very obvious point that it’s better to be more efficient early in games, because eventually you won’t find that late, late goal to seal a win or rescue a point.
Streaks like the one he’s on – scoring late so often – are very rare.
Yeah. I would have thought it was a rallying call to his team mates to step up and help in securing the game as early as possible.
This is exactly why Giroud is such a bad player. I mean if you don’t score in every single game you play in the last minutes what good are you? Exactly why Ronaldo is such a terrible player. Not scoring in the last minute of the Celta Vigo game, how poor and selfish of him
Humans amaze me. How did you even deduce that?
He even ended by saying that he never doubted his quality.
Many people tend to be dogmatic even if they think they know better.
They answer the question before they ask it.
Hes right i thought it was a team game, there are other players on the pitch that can score , why should we wait for the 70 or 90 mim , aint the game bout two halfs, come on dont make us suffer all time i can only take soo much.
The fact that we have had to have him on to rescue our cause on more than one occasion would deem to suggest that the Alexis up top plan was not working in many of those instances.
😉
Giroud cost us 25% of what Citeh paid for Mangala!
What a steal! So happy he extended. I look at Sanchez or Giroud up front as plan 1A or 1B. Rotation will keep everyone healthy and energetic.
Different options absolutely. At poresent we also see Lucas developing a telepathic understanding with Giroud. he is an experienced player and has realised very quickly the advantages he can reap playing off of Giroud. Giroud is so much more than simply someone to lob crosses to head the ball in with. He has a fantastic touch (as examplified by the assist to Lucas and Jack several seasons ago against Norwich). Wall passes, short one twos around the box bring our fast assets in. The way we play against entrenched opposition, the fullbacks push up to provide our width. Our wide… Read more »
Absolkutely why it is so inane to suggest he should be just simply a “Plan B’. There is no Plan B. There are options. 1) You need your in form striker on the pitch as long as possible. Putting him on late on does not guarantee us a get out of jail card. The fact that we needed him on more than several occasions to bail us out would suggest starting Alexis up top did not work. 2) He is adept at bringing fast assets into the game. He also gives us a better presence in the box against entrenched… Read more »
Also good to remember we have Welbeck coming back. He represents a combination of Alexis and Giroud. I think in terms of players at CF, GIroud and Welbeck are a more natural selection for the role because they also add a bit of physical presence. The likes of Alexis and Lucas can also do the role under certain circumstances but are quasi-strikers who can also feed off either Welbeck or Giroud (or interchange during a game). Ditto to some extent Walcott. There is also of course ability to put two fast forwards on with Walcott and Alexis. But the main… Read more »