Olivier Giroud has confirmed he’s in talks with Arsenal about a contract extension despite his current deal running for two more years.
Charged with leading the Gunners attack from the outset of the season, the French international made 51 appearances in all competitions last term- more than anyone else in Arsene Wenger’s squad – netting a creditable 22 goals in the process.
Speaking to homeland publication Midi Libre (translated by ESPN.co.uk) after scoring twice in France’s 4-0 World Cup warm-up game against Norway, the 27-year-old spoke optimistically about current negotiations.
“I have two years left on my contract, but we’re in talks to extend it. For the moment, I’m good here. There are some good things to be done.
“I feel at ease in this league. My first season wasn’t too bad, the second was rather good. I hope to do better still. I progress year-on-year, just like the team, which produces great play.”
He may not be Luis Suarez, but given his efforts this season there can be few Gooners who’d begrudge Giroud a new deal…even if there remains a desire to see further quality added to the attack.
handsome french bloke! always gives a 100%
Ayyeeee that’s not entirely true now is it?! I lost count of the number of times he was sat on his arse having a bitch fit because someone had breathed a bit too hard next to him. Strangely this coincided with the times we were playing bloody woefully and needed someone to step up.
I’ll give him his dues he’s useful but let’s not pretend he’s another Tomas Rosicky in terms of work ethic.
I also lost count of the number of times some low life center back, sometimes called Vidic, spent all game at his back CONSTANTLY pulling and having kicks at him and not getting punished. The guy’s got his limitations like anyone and he could get frustrating to watch some times, but HFB has done his job for us. Almost alone as a striker this season, but he put in immense energy and we reaped something out of it. Big ups to him. We need back up, at least 2 strikers, one World Class, definitely proven better than Giroud and of… Read more »
When you’re alone up front against referees / centrebacks like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2vOsPstWU8
It is actually fucking difficult to play, and a “world class” striker might just be targeted more and receive deliberate attempts to injure.
So when it’s not working, instead of begrudging Giroud, I’m all for hurling Sanogo on for a 4-4-2 bombardment like against Wigan and Hull.
Admittedly, when he’s on the ground he doesn’t get up quick enough, but when he’s upright the man works his tail off.
As UGooner points out, a lot of CBs hit him a lot of times, I can understand getting frustrated by it eventually.
Something that struck me in the cup final was that with Sanogo causing havoc with the centre backs, he got a little more space and time, and his play was very different. It has been like that all season. That is not saying we need a 4-4-2 (do Arsenal actually play any fixed system these days?), but give him a bit of room or someone to play off (Wilshere, Ramsey), and he shows what he is capable of. He’s never going to be a lethal finisher like: Wrighty, Henry or even that Dutch bloke, but that isn’t what we bought… Read more »
It was two very good goals yesterday even though it was only against Norway. Giroud plays well againt lower ranked opposition but the problem for him is when he meets top teams with quality defenders. When’s the last time Giroud has scored against any of the top 5 sides in the Premier League?
Everton in the FA Cup
Sorry but that’s still not in the Premier League as I wrote..
When was the last time Suarez did that? 😉
Everton. Twice. Next.
shanthDK, when was the last time we played a top 5 side and the Ref was even handed on his calls? We’ve had some shit luck with refs and HFB has had the worse of it. It’s no wonder he has lower back problems the number of CBs that have got away with kneeing him there at every opportunity. No doubt we need an option but that doesn’t make him a bad player.
I’m not saying he’s a bad player. Just pointing to the fact that he doesn’t score when it’s against the best teams and that’s a big problem when we play with only one man up front.
Always? No. 100%? No. He’s useful but do not rewrite history, please.
Good news. Giroud just needs a class striker to partner him and we’d all see how good he is.
Yes. Playing the AMF and wingers a bit closer to him whenever possibly would help as well.
Beyond the goals he scores/assists, he does a tremendous work in the play that you sometimes only realise in the stadium. Yet, he really should work on his complaining attitude.
He’s French. It’s in built in his DNA to puff out his cheeks and wave his hands around
Lovely goal last night..
Both of them.
The first one was pretty yummy even if the dickhead BT commentator said he mis-controlled his first touch (which he didn’t).
Loads of clips on YouTube. Go look.
The contract has a large ‘keeping it in your trousers’ bonus, I hope
I think we can all agree that his biggest weakness is playing away from home. He’s a good player to have in the squad and has done this season well despite his critics.
Great pun!
Sign le tíng!
I like his working ethics. He really gives 100% each match.
Should only stay as back up striker not a main man…..we want a luis suarez quality kind of a guy
Very few real WC quality Strikers out there. Lots of seriously over-rated strikers being mention by the press. IMO HFB suits us better than Benzima and most of the other strikers linked with us just aren’t good enough. We had guys shouting that we ‘Had to buy’ mitroglu (whatever his name is) a guy that was apparently WC but not good enough to get a game at Fulham….. We do need striker options and a bit more pace in the front 3/4 but it’s not certain any one we buy would be ahead of HFB, just an option for when… Read more »
“we want a luis suarez quality kind of a guy” You mean a racist who cheats and bites people? I was so glad when we didn’t get that scumbag. I probably wouldn’t have been able to stomach watching our games. You can say what you like, but I’d be down for a platoon. If we picked up Vela and Remy to add to Walcott, Podolski, Giroud, Ozil, Cazorla… I don’t think that’s an appreciably weaker lineup of attacking players than any teams but Barca, Real, and Bayern. Walcott, Giroud, Podolski and Remy have demonstrated that they can score in the… Read more »
Giroud is a top striker. Now you and I may differ in the definition of ‘top’, but he is a top striker for Arsenal. Remember Henry, in the Sky Sports panel I think, in December, saying how Giroud’s hold up play and mostly his unselfishness is the main reason why Ramsey and others were doing so well. His ability has hugely become underrated by Arsenal fans especially, because his performance dipped when Ramsey/Ozil got injured and fatigue got to him. The frustration of not having someone different made us more bitter on him. He is a good quality striker and… Read more »
No he’s not a top striker. Van Persie (I know, a cunt), Aguero and Suarez are all top strikers; Giroud is a couple of notches below them. He isn’t world class, and never will be. But he is worth a place in our squad, hence I hope he signs an extension.
This summer, we need to sign a real top-class striker, and then follow it up with a decent second striker. With Giroud as number three we might actually have a chance of winning something.
Didn’t we just win something a couple of weeks ago?
sick and tired of all the labels. look how long it took rvp to be ‘world class.’ by your (and mony others) logic he would never become one, as he would be shipped away from the club long before becoming that. more or less the same applies to Thierry (bless him) and couple more of our strikers under Arsene’s reign. ‘world class’ is such a fluid term. i’m not saying he will, but Giroud has all the ingredients to be at least as good as van cunt was. as for his underperforming in big games, i believe it’s equally due… Read more »
I find it hilarious and genuinely frightening that people gave you the thumbs down for this.
You know I get what Fatgooner says, just that none of those top strikers barring Costa are for sale.
If we can’t get a top class striker, we get top class wing guys and have OG help them score more goals through his play
OG is tops as far as flick ons and 1-2s are concerned.
inb4Fatgooner
MEEENNDDOOOOZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
McBain!
What an icon the fat man is becoming.
It’s because everybody knows that I’m right – even if they don’t want to admit it.
Just keep on telling yourself that. 🙂
I do believe you are fat. Pretty sure many will admit to that.
it’s because everyone knows you’re an annoying toolshed who doesn’t know what s/he’s talking about.
Like Cassandra before you mate. You can tell it’s the school holidays again can’t you?!
Interesting how abusing you is allowed yet if you tried it in return you’d probably be reprimanded.
Kids eh?!
He got so much undeserved stick last season, but 22 goals in 51 games ain’t bad at all.
It’s terrible isn’t it?
Add/and the assists…..overall contribution.
IM AVAILABLE ON A FREE TRANSFER MR WENGER . Id play for 5% of what your paying giroud. 🙂 . No seriously this is good news I lije giroud but we need a new striker. Preferably somebody quicker than le snail 🙂
Terry, go away!
Check out Olivier Giroud’s finessed left-footed volley against Norway last night…
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2014/05/27/video-arsenal-star-olivier-giroud-scores-stunning-goal-for-france-v-norway/
… I just love that composure and clinicalness. More of the same please HFB for 2014-2015!
makes you wonder why he can’t score them when he’s playing with us?! 🙁
West Ham at home?
Sp*rs at home third game (I think it was) of last season? Neat, neat finish that was and made the difference between a 0-0 and the 1-0.
It was a good goal but let’s not forget this was against Norway. Giroud plays well againt lower ranked opposition but the problem for him is when he meets top teams with quality defenders. When’s the last time Giroud has scored against any of the top 5 sides in the Premier League?
When was the last time our team played well enough to get the ball to the striker, against any of the to 5 clubs?
Bit of an exaggeration but he’s had very few opportunities against them, plus refs siding with the defenders kicking him.
Well he scored two against Everton in the FA Cup and assisted in the FA Cup final (and in that game the “quality” of the opposition is meaningless). He also scored against Napoli, and scored and assisted against Borussia Dortmund. They are hardly also rans.
He’s just as good as Suarez against the top 5 teams. That’s exactly what any club would want from it’s main/only striker, isn’t it????? I mean, on this season’s experience ask yourself this…
Would Suarez have scored more for us against the top 5 teams than Giroud did?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgflJ47MbTc
he played a hell of a lot games this season. And I agree with guyfawkes. Need proof look at that wilshere goal. He’s a great link up player.
Honestly think if he gets help or becomes a sub, we’ll have a real player here. The first half of the season was great, when he had runners and people like Walcott and Ramsey playing off or feeding him. His appetite for work is immense and he needs so much energy to maintain his level. If he plays 30 games and is able to get a couple of weeks off during the season, he’ll be very good indeed.
I agree totally – I think a fresh and hungry Giroud would have done even better this season. Give him someone to compete with and you will have that motivation there to keep doing well.
Unfortunately, he was either over-played to exhaustion or distracted by off-field antics and this took a toll at times. He needs someone who can rotate with him/play in tandem with him over the course of a season
Also, if we get a “World Class Striker” then Ozil is going to have to step up his game and start supplying Ramsey and Walcott with all those little passes they were getting from Giroud. I mean, is Ozil really up to it? He’s only been here a year. Is the lad ready for the Big Time with Arsenal? Maybe he would benefit from a loan at Gillingham instead, to toughen him up a bit. They’d teach him to run about a lot like a proper player.
Would be good coming off the bench.
IMO he’s better as a starter and then bring some pace off the bench…..
Even more appearances than Merty? Solid. Sign him up!
I feel he went missing in the final for 70 minutes and I honestly believe if Bentdner had have had two of the chances giroud did he would have finished one of them. Great as a squad player but we have let better players pass us by for there extra marital and off pitch affairs so why not let him go and bring in Remy and put sanogo on a shooting drills course because I have no faith in him either. Its not more than a coincidence that our downfall coincided with the French national teams
Assist for the winner anyone????
The magic of not playing is working once more. Bendtner is becoming a player who can score 50% of his chances again. How did that duffer Giroud get on the pitch when we had Bendtner waiting to bang in the goals every game?
Great player, great news! Been at the end of some harsh criticism over the season, indeed above any other player HFB seemed to miss Ramsey the most. Basically the only player that supported him on the attacks.
AND Walcott. Looking forward to seeing Theo and Giroud get the band back together next year. It will also be interesting to see how that works with Ramsey’s role.
Allegedly we are trying to resign Pascal Cygan, at least his left foot.
Maybe a 4-4-2 will be better for him. I reckon an improved Sanogo and another striker will see more efficiency from him. Anyone who can score 22 goals in a season is an asset.
I hope he receives a very ‘handsome’ contract…
little finger to bottom lower corner of lips….
If you are a striker for Arsenal you are going to get plenty chances to score, so his 22 goals are ok but just that, ok.Its not like he is playing for Hull, one chance per game. That said he is a great team member, I just wish he would stop the big Gallic gestures every time he misses a chance……… and he needs better under ware.
2 lovely goals last night
I genuinely think this guy gets so much more stick than he deserves. His hold-up play is genuinely among the best I’ve seen, and it isn’t just the assists and goals he gets (which are more than respectable) but the amount of times he is involved, playing the right pass or holding off a defender etc. in the lead up to goals from other players. I don’t think we could find a better player doing what he does – sure, he isn’t the GREATEST goal scorer, but the team plays better with a fit Giroud leading the line. He has… Read more »
He’s a good backup. No one ever mentions how often he ends up on the ground he gesticulates to the sky and sighs and huffs and puffs. It’s so infuriating. Arshavin would have been castrated for that.
No one ever mentions? Read the previous comments.
And every other comment section after HFB posts.
If not for his hair styles,I don’t think he deserve a new deal…top top top limited striker
And I must say if Giroud played for Chelsea, Man City or Liverpool I’d feel extremely relieved every time we’d play them. He doesn’t strike fear into anyone. 3 Girouds aren’t worth one Suarez, Aguero or Costa. And on top of his constant gesticulating to the sky as opposed to leaping up and sprinting back to redeem himself he was staying up all night fucking some floozy DURING OUR IMPLOSION and slump. I really, really am not keen on Giroud.
he was only 12 mil and all those you mentioned are priced more than 3 times his value yet haven’t got 3 times his goals or 3 times his assists
Not sure Costa can be mentioned with Suarez and Aguero yet. He’s been a waste of space until this season. A real journeyman but one good season….
Sounds like a certain Dutch cunt.
Even in his injured years the dutch skunk was quite clinical in the few games he played. Costa really wasn’t that clinical. It’s also difficult to say how well a player like him will move to the PL as the Spanish league has some really poor teams where a half-decent striker should score and does = better confidence = scores more against the few big Spanish teams (and in this case in Europe). Put him in the PL where the poor teams are equivalent of above mid-table in La Liga and have some of the CBs keeping him away from… Read more »
This is great news! Despite doubts about his ability to score against the top sides he still got 22 goals and many great assists (and that one for Rambo in the final). Hope he becomes more clinical next season and avoids any nocturnal adventures on the eve of big games, Maybe with another striker, a pacy one perhaps, we can see even more from our HFB
Delighted for him to sign an extension always puts a good shift in. Do need another striker though.
He is above average, loves the club and plays his heart out. He deserves an extension.
I think Giroud is not really what we need upfront , useful squad player or sub , but we need a player who has the killer instinct around goal , a goal poacher who bangs them in week in week out , as henry or wrighty did , fuck the expense pay the money. We are trying it to it properly I.e abide by financial fair play rules and not spend much every year , it worked for Wenger when he started but then Liverpool , city , Chelsea and manure never had such deep pockets , we shall never… Read more »
1) it took a lot of years before Henry started banging them in.
2) Wright wouldn’t fit our present style of play very well. I’m sure he’d get goals but the team would probably score less in total.
3) Who are you suggesting (there’s a guy down the road from me bangs them in for his sunday morning team, him?) ?
Would agree we need another striker, but good on the HFB! VAstly under-rated player. As was mentioned on here by someone else, watch that Vimeo vid of all our goals and then you’ll notice all the deft touches, clever running off the ball and distribution he offers guys like Ramsey, Walcott and even Jack. If and when Sanogo comes good we’ll have a mean, physical forward line to go with our pacey midfielders.
Nanananaaa Giiiii-roooud!
He’s a bit of a wally but we have a good player on our hands. Some of his first time touches are sublime. He’s coming into his peak now so I’m expecting another improvement from him next season.
Arsenal should play with a false nine because that’s how Giroud practically plays on the pitch. He’s not the greatest striker but how he contributes to the team is constantly overlooked. He sets up so many goals and defends well up front allowing the likes if Ramsey and Wilshere attack from the midfield.
Yes! Also reckon it’s valuable tying him down, especially now that we’ve won/gonna start winning stuff again. Get that champion mentality throughout the squad.
Plus he just shags who he wants.
Not bad news but he has a tendency to get found out when playing away
he is great against the crap teams
Massively underrated, he was at the top end in terms of number of games played, dare I suggest he was also pivotal to a lot of our play in the final third. He’s not a traditional goalscoring striker either, why he gets slagged off so much for not being a type of player that he clearly isn’t fucked if i know. Should’ve kept his dick in his pants, suffered on the pitch for it. Ozil, Sanogo, Giroud, Wilshere – 4 very different results in performance next season. Then there’s those to arrive! And Diaby back! We won the cup!!! My… Read more »
hahah with this tree truck up front our chances of winning something big two years in a row are minimal
Well, the 7-8 years prior to Giroud we won fuck all, so I’d say the data are not trending in your favor.
One of the reasons why we are struggling for goals this season is our much lower backline. If we want to dominate games more, it will mean we need to start playing further up the pitch, squeezing play and pressing hard. These are traditional facets of Wenger’s team. My belief is that finding the right players for the system is much more important than just finding a “world class” striker, whatever that means. Case in point. Away draw against Southampton. First half, we sat deep and invited pressure. We got dominated and conceded 0-1. Ozil and Giroud seemed useless. 2nd… Read more »
Giroud is not a top striker…end of story. i find it laughable how people actually think he’s better than benz…look at the amount of chances he misses… giroud isn’t fit enough to be 3rd choice striker at city. Only people who think he’s get and underrated are guys who think his handsome and deluded. He’ll never get to rvp levels, costa is better, so is mandzukic(thats why bayern chose him), bony, remy. Wenger goes into the new season with him as first choice, then he’s really unserious. No we don’t need anyone to assist him, we need to replace him… Read more »
Sanogo (if he develops) will be Giroud’s eventual replacement. Hence the extension. Sanogo is still 21 and most players come good around 23 (Walcott, Ramsey)
Give two to three years and Sanogo will push Giroud for a place.
Both are physically well adept to do the muscle work for our current tactical formation.
We need to add another striker to add variance in approach. Someone with a bit of pace and craftiness is preferable.
Don’t see why he’s being compared to Costa and Aguero and Van Pussy when he’s clearly a different type of player to them. I honestly can’t even name a “world class” striker that does the job that Giroud does, even if it isn’t obvious and extravagant he still does a lot. If you don’t like the way he plays then talk to Wenger about changing his system because Giroud is perfect for the game we play now. Not to say he doesn’t have his faults, he has tons, and more pace is definitely needed but I don’t think we need… Read more »
Right on. Another speed kills attacker would be brilliant. In times where Walcott isn’t playing, or when he is and we want to scare the fuck out of opponents. That would bring the best out of Giroud, Ozil, Ramsey and Cazorla.