Via Get French Football News, come quotes from the agent of Olivier Giroud.
He spoke to Foot Mercato, about the French forward’s future and recent stories that linked him with a summer switch to Marseille.
Michael Manuello says that when the future of Arsene Wenger is made clear, then he and Giroud might ask questions, but now his focus is on helping Arsenal qualify for the Champions League (best of luck with that, mate).
“Nothing is true,” he said regarding rumours of a move back to Ligue 1.
“There was talk that Olivier was in contact with Rudi Garcia. I said that that was false. There is no contact between Marseille and us. At this point, there is no contact.
“Olivier wants to help his team qualify for the Champions League. When we know exactly what Arsene Wenger is doing, we will ask ourselves questions. We will think about what is possible and what is not possible.”
Having signed a contract extension back in January, it would be unusual for a player to move so quickly, but Manuello said it might be a possibility if his importance to the team under Wenger, or a new manager (haha), is diminished.
“Today when Olivier and I talk, there are no discussions about other projects,” he continued. “His future is not only linked with that of the manager.
“It is linked to what Arsenal are going to do and if there is a change at Arsenal in terms of how Olivier is implicated at the project.
“Things have not changed since his contract extension. Our desire is be at Arsenal long term. Olivier has been there for five years. The aim for Olivier is still to go as far as possible in this adventure with Arsenal to do great things there.
“At some point, if the two are to separate, we will see.”
For God’s sake, Mr.Wenger, just announce it please!
Apparently he’s going to jump out of a cake on the final day of the season wearing nothing but a sash saying ‘two more years’. Just what I heard…
I genuinely cannot stand watching Giroud play for Arsenal anymore. I’ve been saying since he joined us he is not good enough to start for us.
I would honestly rather have Troy Deaney at Arsenal then Giroud, because at least Deaney has (some) pace, and he actually has a work rate off the ball.
Too much of those FIFA games mate?
Ha – if only.
Genuinely hope we sell Giroud this summer the guy is a donkey.
I bet he’s hung like one. The HFB!
To explain things to people…it is destabilising for the Board or Wenger to announce anything regarding his future now. The priority at the moment is to cross the line. If Wenger said yes he is staying, some segments of the fan base will be up in arms and poison the already toxic environment further. This will be even worse for the prosecution of the final games of the campaign. If Wenger said no he is leaving, the agents will be in the ears of players and the vultures will circle. Again this cannot be possibly good for the team trying… Read more »
Here’s an alternative santori….maybe some of our best players & their agents can’t see a successful future at Arsenal under the current manager & are actively looking for a move. Arsene says he’s leaving, they go ‘hang on, let’s see who comes in, see if he impresses me enough that I might want to stay’. The fans & players rally around to give Arsene a send off, form picks up. Everyone’s a winner. It’s possible….obviously I don’t it’s true, same as you don’t
for your thoughts. (which aren’t facts even though your tone would suggest they are)
Thanks for explaining things to people.
Right now, i personally don’t care which player decides to leave… They have all been disgraceful this season. Not one deserves to wear the shirt after this shitstorm of a season
That’s football though, look at Chelski, they had on of the worst seasons in decades last year, this year they are walking away with the league title with pretty much the same group of players… Clearly they are not being managed correctly or Wenger’s management laissez-faire just isn’t motivating the players in the same way anymore. Either way, the only way forward is for change, and it may get worse before it gets better because not everyone embraces change in a positive way.
And on the second day after the massacre at the Lane of the White, Santori the Wise came down from his pedestal at the peak of Arsenal fandom & explained to the simple folk why they were wrong and he was right.
HA, spot on.
As soon as I see his name, my eyes roll with a “her comes another thesis stating the obvious as if he’s the only one that knows it. Either that or telling how how much he hates Elneny”
Dude needs a blog.
Me too, when I see santori’s name, I immediately know he will need to explain something to the “stupid masses”. I go thumb down, next.
Santorisplaining ?
With regards Giroud. I’d keep him. Our options up top are limited at the moment. As I have mentioned repeatedly over the season, there is no “Plan A” or Plan B” nor should there be. All 3 options striker-wise have their good and bad points. Who starts will really have to depend on the disposition of the opponents. Giroud is good at breaking teams who sit deep and tightly packed down. Walcott is better when space is afforded to run at (as in the case of last game against Spurs) Welbeck is perhaps a mix of both world but he… Read more »
Theo and Oli need to play together, that is my only criticism of Wenger!
Thanks Stan. 🙂
So let me get this straight, you’d sell Walcott and keep Giroud and Welbeck, even though Walcott has more goals than both combined as a winger(!), because he lacks “nuance”? And in contrast, Giroud and Welbeck have this nuance?? Tbh, getting a bit tired of coming on here and telling people that selling a potential 20 goal a season winger is a bad idea!
Sell them all. None of them are good enough for a team with ambition. Look at Chelski. Yes they spend money but their players (Costa apart) want to stay there because they’re winners. We are a very rich club but parsimony is the order of the day. Wenger wants “value” in the market. You pay the going rate I’m afraid. Try offering less than the asking price for a property in London that you really want and see where that gets you. Good luck.
BURN THEM ALL! Sorry, couldn’t resist. And as mentioned in the main blog, selling and signing players will do jack shit for us if the underlying tactical and motivational issues aren’t resolved. Let’s sort that out first, then we can decide who stays or leaves
one of the problems i regularly see at arsenal is the inability to use giroud properly. the guy is obviously not wordclass but used properly he will be an asset to any team . take for example how giroud played for france in euro , he regularly combined with griezman for many goals . griezman was at the end of most goals , but without giroud most of them would not have been possible . griezman knew exactly how to use girouds knockdowns and how to play thr ball off him and their coach set the team up similarly. at… Read more »
Podolski was good at playing off him at times, as well. I’d like to challenge your post slightly, though. I think Giroud is his own worst enemy at times. He often wants to play flicks or lay-offs to team mates, when he could be holding onto the ball to allow people to get near him. He can be pretty terrible at holding the ball up for someone so big.
This. The layers need to get much closer to Giroud but at the same time, his ball retention hasn’t been up to scratch either. He’s either going to ground too easily or committing silly fouls on defenders. And he’s poor at drawing fouls himself
The goals theo has scored this season have not really needed pace, but to be in the right place at the right time, as well as good finishing. I think these are his main attributes. I actually think he can be better with a little less pace as defenders would not be wary of him as much. In addition, with pace dwindling, a player needs to start using their brain more. Also, I think it is his pace which has caused him injuries. Quick players tend to get injured more as the human body is not built for sustained pace.
The players must surely know, I can’t believe that a club could be run so poorly. If it was Sunday league it would be poor, premier league it is just inexcusable and jobs should be lost starting from the top.
‘Nothing is true’…
Everything is permitted.
Oh so he’s THAT sort of agent.
Not sure if a leap of faith is possible at this time though
Seriously need a striker this summer. To think Welbeck is our first choice striker… smh
Wenger just leave, so bored of this now. I’m really looking forward to something different and some hope.
wonder if the SAS can kidnap Gazidas & Wenger and give them a lie detector test or some truth drugs about the future of the club! the uncertainty surrounding the club could be cleared up very easily im feeling it will come after the FA cup Wenger caused it all and holds the club and fans to ransom GGGrrrrrrrrrrr
I would have no issue with Giroud leaving IF he is replaced with a top quality striker, i.e. we take £20m, add another 40 and throw it at Agüero or the like. What cannot be allowed to happen is we sell Giroud, but another mid tier striker and muddle through the season with Welbeck as our main CF
Giroud is better than a mid tier striker, he just struggles for confidence…and the right kind of passes.
We’ve seen what he can do when hes at his best, and its very good.
Welbeck could become a monster if he could just work on his finishing, and only his finishing, until August.
But if Ollie leaves, we cant gamble on Welbeck coming good, we need a new very good striker.
But I do think its time to revamp the striker situation, sell Giroud, and find a new superstar.
Sell sanchez and put anyone who isn’t selfish in his position and we’ll win the league.
That’s ridiculous. Sanchez losing the ball constantly is infuriating, but to suggest it’s the reason we’re useless is unfair.
As a side note, if he was playing up front – like he did when we were actually playing well – him losing the ball would not be the same issue.
Unfortunately whilst Wenger remains in control we will be stuck with the current crop of players minus Sanchez, possibly Bellerin, but Ozil might stay because I can’t see him leaving for a top Continental club simply because he seems to go missing in some games.
Don’t worry about welbeck mate. In Wenger’s eyes, giroud is our main striker. I don’t like it. No one likes it.
No one?
We won’t be able to attract a world class striker while Wenger is still there. He needs to leave for the good of the club.
He’s off then.
When you hover over the picture of the celebrating HFB, it will inform you that the joyous game was against Lincoln. OMFG.
It does speak a lot about the ambition of all those players that are connecting their future to the fate of Arsene Wenger.
Can’t wait to see the back of Giroud. I agree that he is a very good backup and he scored some important goals this season, but seeing his gimmicks, facial expressions in every match I get incredibly annoyed. He always acts as if he is privileged and always complains to the refs, or disrespects them. Also, when he misses.. Omg. It feels like all of it is just acting for the cameras, incredibly narcissistic. If he would just use his focus and strength on the football, he could be a killer striker. Van Nistelrooy was slow, but had a killer… Read more »
If it’s linked with Wenger’s future, then he can piss off with Wenger. 20m would go a long way for transfers. Decent striker who got made to be some underrated player which he wasn’t. She should never have been first choice beyond 2013/14 season.
Wenger & Giroud out would be a perfect start to the summer..there’s another seven or eight that need to go.
I think Wenger is waiting for the FA Cup if he wins he will stay,lose and he will go.
Or it could be he wins he is the manager that has won the FA Cup the most so he will finish then.
even if Wenger leave..I think giroud won’t leave. the new manager would use giroud as plan b for arsenal which I think most suited for him.
Giroud is a limited but effective Plan B. The biggest issue isn’t Wenger’s misuse of him. For whatever reason, he likes to play him, and will play him the very games where he is least likely to be effective (when he’s up against 2 quality CBs who now have the freedom to push up knowing the space behind won’t be exploited) and the proceeds to never cross for a man who’s clearly most effective in the air. Personally I’d keep and actually buy some top quality wingers, 2 even, to ensure Sanchez is never used as a LW ever again… Read more »
“Really wish Wenger would play Perez as CF now he’s fit. I think he’s the type of combative and energetic CF we need, similar to Sanchez. But if Wenger isn’t gonna play Sanchez as CF, what hope has Perez” Absolutely spot on, Love to see Perez and Welbeck get more time as CF, especially Perez. I seen Sanchez @ Emirates against Hull and the amount of times he strayed out of the box to try chase the ball only to lose it or we regain possession but there is no one in the box to cross to cause Sanchez has… Read more »
Let him go. Welbeck is a better option
Is he really?
People speak of Welbeck as if he’s a kid still developing. He’s 26 going on 27, the height of his abilities. When has he ever shown a scoring streak? Even at United, that was his weakness.
I think injuries has elevated his status as the answer to all our striking needs.
The management is the problem, especially manager Arsene wenger who is holding everybody hostage. There is need for new blood, new ideas. Maybe until arsenal are about to be relegated will management begin thinking of change.
Seems more and more likely that the decision will be announced at the end of the season. I think that if we do not qualify and fail to win the FA Cup, he will step down. Anything else would be criminal. To be fair he should step down at the end of the season regardless of what happens, but that is just my opinion.
According to Who Scores, Giroud has won 1.8 aerial duels a game this season. Andy Carroll has won 9.1. In other words, Giroud looks the part (he’s tall and beefy) but he isn’t even good with his head.
This is true. In many ways, Giroud is the quintessential Wenger/type CF; a big combative-looking CF who actually isn’t combative at all and a bit of a pussy when it comes to physical battles, and cares more for an intricate pass than a finish. Kinda like how Xhaka is the quintessential Wenger DM. A “defensive midfielder” who’s strength isn’t really on defensive skills (tackling, mobility, positioning) but in offensive skills (passing and possession). This team really is built in the man’s image, and all the flaws with it. Probably why he doesn’t like guys like Perez; don’t fit his character… Read more »
Giroud is the perfect fit fot a ‘long ball’ team like west brom, not a team with title ambitions like us. Wenger Out.
Nice beard, shame about the football.