Olivier Giroud was given the chance to leave Arsenal this summer, as Arsene Wenger left the door open for the French international to make a move after the record signing of Alexandre Lacazette.
There was interest in the Premier League from West Ham and Everton, and the chance of a return to France with Marseille and Lyon both keen, but in the end the HFB decided to stay in London.
And what a good decision that was for us, as his late goal gave us the win over Leicester on Friday night.
Speaking afterwards, Giroud said it was something in his heart which saw him turn down any move.
“To be honest, there was something in my soul and in my heart which told me to stay,” he said.
“To be honest, I have been hesitating because I am the most happy man when I play and I am on the pitch. I keep the faith and I still believe I can have an important part to play this season in the club.
“I feel good in my head and also physically. So I am 100 per cent focused on the club project.
“I have been through five amazing years here, so I felt like the story had to continue.
“There are nice days to come for me in an Arsenal shirt.”
We love you too Olie, I don’t think there’s a single Arsenal fan who thinks we’re better off without you in the squad.
Have you read comments on this blogs in last three years ? There are hundreds of fans who wanted the club to sell Giroud. Not me, I have called him world-class at times. On the hand, I couldn’t believe all the rumours that many big teams want to sign Ox. This guy and his agent should have signed offer from Arsenal a long time ago. Ox didn’t do much in Arsenal shirt until second half or last season. He was the opposite of Ozil with the ball cause he had no idea what to do with it. Coaches may want… Read more »
When I thought I couldn’t love the HFB more than I already do, he drops this kind of comment. What a guy
I really appreciate this attitude. We talk often about love for the club and the HFB clearly has it. Better yet, he always contributes and always looks to fight for his place, so it can’t be said that he’s comfortable picking up his paycheck and not playing, waiting for a better opportunity. Love the guy and love what he brings to the team. Always have.
Couldn’t have said it better myself! What a guy!
Must admit when Lacazette was signed it was almost too easy to discard OG because I felt like I had a new toy to play with. Happily eating my words. Some of his lay offs in preseason (thinking iwobi vs benfica) and the one for Lacazette which lead to the corner OG scored off) have been incredible. If we can get these two guys loving to ply with each other as opposed to seeing each other as rivals for Arsenal/France I think we’ve got a devastating big man small man combo. I think our attack can handle no further ins… Read more »
This isn’t possible without Lacazette playing as a winger and Welbeck on bench. So it won’t happen.
Love this guy! Love his attitude! Love his goals! Viva Oli!!
What a guy!
My heart after Friday’s fun.
Top lad, doesn’t deserve the stick he gets from certain parts of the fan base in my opinion. Always gives 100% and always shows up with massively important goals. Would love to see stats on how many winners he has scored or how many goals to salvage a draw.
He also scored a place in my heart <3
Come on Oli! One more goal! You deserve the Premier League with us.
Another >50 just this season would be nice too…
He’s my hero
He cheated on his wife, he shouldn’t be
Moralism ugh.
That is (1) irrelevant; (2) his family’s business; and (3) you’re suggesting that people can’t be redeemed or forgiven.
I think he stayed with her too? She took him back, so should we. Perhaps we’ll forgive Sanchez his dalliances too if he commits and scores goals
What are you smoking?
Well it’s probably best not to treat footballers as heroes, in respect of who they are as people, given we don’t really know anything about them personally.
I like Giroud as a player and in terms of his attitude/behaviour to the club. Anything about his personal life, and where he puts his handsome French dick, is none of my business.
Unless it’s in your butt-hole?
I love how he’s grown with us. Of course he’s become a better player during his time with us but also he wasn’t necessarily a fan favourite and even fell foul of Wenger with tabloid shit at one point (I believe). But he really got his head down and gave his all for the team and fell in love with it. He’s totally devoted to the club, and he’s come in clutch so many times these last two years, and his numbers are have been consisntely very good. He’s 30 now so hopefully we can get 2-4 solid years out… Read more »
Not another striker in the league could outmuscle two burly defenders while one pulled his shirt, yet still plant a bullet header in off the bar.
Ok maybe Lukaku in a good day. Maybe Benteke on his best day.
But Giroud off the bench is incomparable.
Nah, Lukaku doesn’t have the will for the fight for that kind of header. He’d take the easy way out, be lurking for a rebound or something (like how he scored against Madrid).
On Friday he could have done a job at centre half for the first 70 minutes and still gone up front to score the late winner!
Oli is the Man
Absolute Class!!! In your face you Shearers, Caraghers and the rest of the losers who stop slating this Classy Genius of a player. If Man City paid £100 million for him they would have hailed him as the new Cantona. Fucking snobbs the lot of them.
Nice to see that attitude to stay and want to fight for your position with a club you give everything to, just wish that more players at Arsenal and other clubs had that attitude. He will get plenty of games in this year as a starter and will be our super sub often as well. My prediction is he will be one of the most efficient (minutes between goals) of anyone in the league.
The last time someone listened to his heart and little boy he went on to win the league. Repeat please Giroud. For you. And for us.
No comparison. Oli is ten times the man, listens to his heart and soul, and loves us. Please don’t ever put him in the same sentence as that pathetic classless liar. Oli deserves to win the league with us, and he is loved by all of us who recognise true awesomeness.
Next goal will be his 100th for the mighty Arsenal. For me the only thing he lacks is “blinding” pace, which is understandable due to his frame. Other than that he has it all…. power, height, second to none airial ability, great touch, link up play, smart runs, finishing ability, a great attitude and now he has confirmed his die-hard loyalty in today’s dog eat dog environment. Time for all the fans to get behind him and the team as a whole because I can see a special season coming up. Players are hungrier than ever because of the potential… Read more »
He can actually sprint with the best of them at a push: see the highlights of France vs Switzerland (featuring a young man named Granit Xhaka…wonder what ever became of him) at the last World Cup. There’s a goal he either scored or assisted in which he covered the length of the pitch in remarkably short time.
In a game where moments of brilliance make the difference, he’s provided us with many of them. He’s one of those players that won’t be fully appreciated until he’s gone but what a game changer we have in the HFB.
Class act. Deserves 100% respect. Might not be world class but still too good to be at Everton or West Ham sandwich.
nope. He IS world-class.
It’s a great look. Two centre backs giving lacazette the rough treatment all game, they try it on giroud when he comes on and both end up on their arses with the ball in the back of the net. Love the guy. Lets give him the acclaim he deserves. Top striker, top goals, top signing. So happy to have him.
He has his critics, and definite flaws, but what a centre forward we have in Giroud. Immensely happy that he stayed.
Good option for starting 11, fantastic option for a sub
He also has the best song… That’s just a fact
I always found it disgusting, how our own fans underrated and dissed Giroud.
He is World class and has been amazing for us.
It’s time we start appreciating and giving him the credit he deserves.
I adore this man and have no time for anyone that gives him any abuse.
I have permanently saved his incredible goal he scored on January 1st against Palace through my dvr and still continue to watch it and am still amazed. As far as for me it’s the greatest goal I have ever witnessed, and I doubt I will ever see anything better from anyone. Just have to love everything about him. His work ethic, his skills, and his love for Arsenal. Would hate to see him leave. I’m still try to recover from the Szczesny fiasco.
I doubt it was his heart that told him to stay. It probably had to do with the fact that no top club would want to be stuck with a lumbering oaf.
No one wants the France centre forward? Keeps Laca out of that team!
Funny how the French International team seems to feel he is good enough to start for them. Funny to make such a ridiculous statement when it is known at least 3 team’s were interested in him. Your comment seems to be issued simply to be controversial.
I think your foggy at the top as well
He’s definitely been a fantastic return for his transfer fee. He’s never been a world class striker though so I feel this substitute role is the best reflection of his abilities. In fairness though one has to wonder how he would have performed in past seasons had he not been played into the ground.
How I wish every reasonable Arsenal player think rationally like him before making a rash decision to leave. I can think of a few Arsenal players who left in their prime because they thought they were going to find green pastures but found arid and deserts in return.
should b starting n my book,but what an option,prob our greatest sub ever…love the man
a true goon
player ratings blogs?
Words of legends. We will salute you forever for this attitude Ollie!
Just love Oli so much. Other players could learn a thing or two from him about attitude, commitment and knuckling down to do a job. So glad the HFB is ours!
Giroud’s sublime goal on 1/9/14 against Spurs etched him in Arsenal’s history. A John Radford classic. Red & white in his DNA.
ICON.
That shield tucked under him, the scorpion kick this recent celebration.
Plan A.
Thought we made a huge difference with Wenger (again) making the right call with subs. Effective to say the least coming up with two goals. We switched to a 4-2-3-1 and were instantaneously more penetrating. Elneny did OK but largely affects very little going forward as he tends to opt for safe passes and has an inability to dribble forward. Nor does Ramsey but he gambles forward a lot more with those (well timed) surges into the box. Granit was also more secure with Ramsey on. We need to find one more solution in midfield to fully take advantage of… Read more »
I disagree a bit. Thought Ox was pretty bad on the left and that was the biggest reason he was switched to the right side as Bellerin could play from the left with more ease. Thought Bellerin was having a good game and was solid from the left too. He has simplified his game and doesn’t attempt the spectacular all the time like the Ox. Xhaka was really bad for the first 75 minutes, misplaced passes but found his feet late and provided 2 assists. He needs to find concistency to his performances. Otherwise agree with you, Elneny plays it… Read more »
“Thought Ox was pretty bad on the left and that was the biggest reason he was switched to the right side as Bellerin could play from the left with more ease.”
Then why is Ox being played from the left, if Bellerin can play there with more ease?
Also, by “simplifying his game” you mean giving up on any contribution going forward?
Facts (Leicester game):
Crosses: Ox 7, Hector 0
Shots: Ox 6, Bellerin 1
Take-ons: Ox attempted 9, completed 8; Bellerin attempted 3, completed 1
But yeah, maybe let’s not attempt the spectacular.
you are entitled to your opinion, that stat doesn’t change my opinion that was based on observation. Ox takes on his fullback often but does as often run to the corner flag or loses the ball after he gets pass the first player. He can be effective from the right but struggled from the left as he couldn’t make a cross with his left (understandably). We barely used the right wing in the match until Ox and Walcott were shifted there as Ozil was cutting in and Elneny playing conservative which also explains Bellerin’s less active stats. My point was… Read more »
If you thought Xhaka was bad for 75 minutes you were watching a different match to me. A couple of mistakes in first half but had a brilliant match. Consistency is certainly not his problem
Love this guy!
Thank u as a gunner havn’t had that in a while a player that loves us just as much as we love the club thanks again even if we don’t say it
I remember his first game for us v stoke I think, we got a draw but he tried lobbing keeper from halfway as time ticked away. If not first game then defo first season.
Anyway he was top scorer in France that year for Montpellier but when we bought him ppl moaned as he wasn’t who the media told us who we need.
Anyway I love him and his love for us is real
Hope he keeps this up and he will be in that rare class of an Arsenal legend.
he deserve to b the best…ozil and sanchez has to learn a lot frm him..
I like Giroud very much but what can Ozil and Alexis learn from him ?
Loyalty
We now finally have a proper striker combination in Giroud and Lacazette, both will he very effective for Arsenal this season, just wish Wenger brought in a few more reinforcements in midfield and defence so we can have a serious crack at the title.
I’m glad he’s getting recognition but then I think at all the stick he’s had to endure from our fans. We really are a rotten bunch. The poisonous atmosphere which was creeping in against Leicester is doing the players no favours at all. We need to change urgently.
For all the flak that he gets about ‘not being a world class striker’, the man has 99 goals for us in 5 years. And many of those goals are worth their weight in gold. Not often has he scored the 5th goal in a 5-0 romp. Viva Oli!
Giroud’s a great player, an under-the-radar cult favourite (?) with enduring class, perhaps similar to Alan Smith. He’s a personal favourite of mine in any case
Reading this is heartbreaking when you consider how certain supporters have treated him during his Arsenal career. Too many of our fanbase don’t deserve this man’s loyalty, yet still they have it.
He is a B+ grade striker rather than an out and out A grade but he does offer us a real alternative option up front as she showed on Friday.
We will have other players like Sanchez again, but a Giroud is very rare and special.
What a Legend this guy is. Handsome, Loyal and Persistent. No wonder my Lady is in love with him. I stood no chance.
OG is the most underrated forward in the Prem’ really glad he’s staying
What do you mean on that ? Striker must scores goals , he did scored but it wasn’t enough , were you not crying to Wenger to buy striker ?? Someone who can scores or assist giroud , great news he decided to stay as he knew that he had unfinished project as a striker
Good ol’ Olly. A genuine guy and handsome to boot!
Good he decided to stay I think he knew that Arsenal have been good for me though he didn’t do what other strikers do to scores more goals and win league ,so Arsenal needed a helping hand to have more goals , he knew that he had unfinished project now his goals , Laca and sanchez will take the club somewhere , the was a time when Giroud cannot score for more than 7 games and missed clear chances , I don’t blame him to stay .