Olivier Giroud only signed a contract extension in January so it seems a little odd that there’s speculation about whether he’ll be at Arsenal next season.
Perhaps it’s the fact he’s only made 17 starts this season; 20 less than last season and his least in a single campaign since he joined the club in 2012. Despite the apparent lack of game time, the France international maintains that he’s happy at the Emirates.
“Nothing is set in stone but I would say today that I feel good at Arsenal,” he told Football.fr [translation by Get French Football News]
“I have another two years on my contract. We will see what happens in the future.”
While disappointed by Arsenal’s failure to secure Champions League football, the striker maintains that the constant speculation about his manager’s future did not affect the team. Pointing to the fact the Gunners have won eight of their last nine fixtures, he continued:
“We finished very well with a lot of wins. So we didn’t allow ourselves to be troubled by the coach’s future.
He added: “It’s been a rollercoaster of a season, difficult, in the sense that we didn’t manage to achieve our objective.
“But paradoxically, last year, we finished second with 71 points, and this year we’re fifth with 75 …that proves the Premier League is a league that is increasingly difficult and hotly contested with five or six teams that can potentially challenge for the title. That’s why I still have the desire to continue wanting to win the Premier League title.”
Giroud has 98 goals in 226 appearances for the Gunners. We’d be ok with him completing his century on Saturday.
Like him a lot, would be perfect with more speed and a better right foot.
Would back him to keep coming on after 70 and nabbing a goal.
So how different is the lack of speed effective before or after 70 minutes?
Personally I prefer his goals to headless chickenness
I’d prefer we start him till we get a better strike . 12 league goals in the league. Considering the few minutes he’s played, I’d risk that ahead of sentiments
He is better as a sub though, Welbs fit as the starter to make run and also to create space for the other players so we can play high pace football. If that doesn’t work at least we give high pressure to opponent’s defense and sub in Giroud. Our team movement is better with Welbs than Giroud.
Welbz is like a ‘selfless’ player sacrificing himself for ozil n mesut to shine with his runs. Something like a poor man’s benzema who allows bale/isco n ronnie to shine
Welbz is shit. Can’t hit a barn door with a banjo.
I like Giroud.
I agree. I think Danny is our most overrated player. He is a terrible finisher and I just can not see how he starts for us. For me, he is the first one out the door as soon as a suitable upgrade is found.
Alexis is the striker. Welbeck or whoever left. Giroud definately on bench at best. Immobile targetman who falls over alot, doesnt put himself about or give it back enough and still basking in the glory of a goal in a lifetime.
Both decent players. Giroud a better finisher. Welbz works his nuts off and can see why man u fans loved him
Neither are good enough to be a constant first choice for a team that wants to win the premier league. Harsh but true
You could argue that defenders with 70mins playing time under their belts will not be as quick as when they start a game.
You could also argue in certain situations when we need a goal the opposition will be defending deeper and pace is a less relevant asset if we are putting crosses into the box for example.
Of course you feel good. You don’t have to do much and you still getting paid.
Thank you. He gets to coast along in the most comfortable club ever and gets paid a shitload for it.
Not his fault though as he didn’t bring himself to the club
“Giroud has 98 goals in 226 appearances for the Gunners.” Come on. That’s not a bad return, surely? Especially since he’s not a regular starter these days.
Reasons why I love Giroud – Scoring a Scorpian Kick
Reasons why he grates me – Self-indulgent homage to said Scorpian Kick
Reasons why I love this comment – reminded me of the scorpion kick
Reasons why this comment grates me – can’t spell scorpion correctly
Interesting to hear about the points tally. How come it felt like we lost a shitload more games this season yet we were 4 points better off?
Cant wait for Bayern to finish 3rd in their champions league group and meet us in the europa league last 16 next season.
We lost two more games this year and drew 6 compared to 11. Think our losses felt like more because a lot of them came in a relatively short period of time however I also think you probably forget it did feel like we were loosing quite a few games at points last season. I also don’t like this talk of comparing our points total to last season, I think every season you finish relative to how the league has been and how the quality of the teams in the league has been so comparing points totals between seasons isn’t… Read more »
Speaking of Giroud, I’m surprised that he didn’t win the goal of the season. Giroud’s goal was by far the best of that lot.
Arsenal feels good that HFB feels good at Arsenal.
Don’t feel good Mr Osama Giroud, you’re one of the players that bring Arsenal to where we are today. Mind you, many fans are not happy with the way you play football.
Why are you calling him Osama? This is ridiculous.
The dodgy beard?
Need a new striker as good as Alexis, Giroud is good as the plan B and super sub.
Trouble is we take so long to get the ball into the box Giroud’s effectiveness is gone. You often see him drifting outside the box to get the ball and that is not where we want him. Welbeck is better than him outside the box, the problem is when we do work the ball inside the box thanks to Welbeck’s link up play we need Giroud to finish because he is a better finisher than Welbeck. Do we play them both or do we try and get a striker that can do both?
Giroud’s link up play, lay-offs and his passing in general is more than good enough. He’s not wasted on the edge of the box at all. He is however rather wasted when play isn’t around the box, because his movement and pace is what really lets him down.
This is the issue. They are both excellent squad members and we should keep both but if we could add a WORLD CLASS striker, or a WORLD CLASS player to play off Sanchez then we would move forwards.
I really, really wanna keep Giroud. I think we need to buy a more mobile striker, like Aubameyang, but keep Giroud. As a dept option from the bench, with his partcular skills, he’s one of the best.
We have one but Wenger won’t play him
Seems weird that he signed an extension in January & yet only has two more years left!!
This is not to say I want arsenal players to be unhappy and all want to leave, but I kinda wish he aspired for more from arsenal. I can’t imagine sanchez saying these things. And I know it’s good to have different personalities, and they’re probably trying to get team and fan morale up before the fa cup final, but still wish there was a bit more desperation and hunger to achieve the best honours in his words
Just listen to his answer of what penalty he would take in a shoot out, in his ‘Rapid Fire’ with Nacho on the Arsenal Youtube video to see Giroud’s temperament.
Paradoxically, Giroud appears to be a very intelligent footballer.
We should keep him for one more season at least. 1) He gives us a a different physical attribute which we often need to break the door down against teams sitting deep. 2) All this nonsense about pace, his game isn’t built on it so he will not be affected as much with age. If anything, he has been improving steadily with experience and times his runs into the 6 yard better than Welbeck. 3) Welbeck isn’t sharp in front of goal. He has missed some sitters (and that’s putting it mildly) in his last 3 or 4 starts. This… Read more »
Did he really say.. Paradoxically?
He is right about the number of teams who compete for the PL. It INCREASES! What are the board doing planning their finances so carefully around the fact that only four teams can compete and that will never change. They live in a bubble. But they seem to treat fans as if they are in a bubble (which maybe true but they spend hard earned money so deserve to do that). The BOARD is RESPONSIBLE for the long term results and strategy. NOT the manager, even if he has the capability to do so. If the long term results go… Read more »