Olivier Giroud has spent just a single season at the Emirates and has already established himself as one of the Gunners most heavily criticised players.
Much of this criticism is unfair. As his defenders are keen to point out Olivier Giroud scored 17 goals last season, which isn’t bad considering the circumstances.
For a start, it was Giroud’s debut season in the Premier League. He deserves at least a year to adjust to his new surroundings and the pace, style and physicality of another League.
What’s more, he spent basically the entirety of last season living underneath the shadow of former Arsenal club captain, Robin Van Persie. It was only natural that this would be the case, given that he was brought in as a replacement for the Dutchman, but that doesn’t make the comparison any less unfair.
Whilst we’re defending him, we should also point out his pre-season form. He scored a brace against the Indonesia Dream Team, a hat-trick against Vietnam and a fine headed finish against Nagoya Grampus. 6 goals in 3 games is a fine return, even if it’s against lowly opposition.
So that’s the good part.
From his first season at the Emirates, we’ve also seen that he’s a distinctly un-Arsenal like player. In other words, he lacks pace, his technical ability is negligible and unless he’s shooting, he’s not all that strong with the ball at his feet.
Despite his pre-season form, we’ve also seen that he can be deeply inconsistent in front of goal. A number of costly misses were a source of great frustration for Arsenal fans over the last 12 months.
So it’s intriguing to see The Star claim that there is a considerable amount of interest in Giroud this summer. They suggest that Napoli are weighing up a bid for the Frenchman (as if their signing Gonzalo Higuain from under Arsenal’s nose wasn’t bad enough). Then there’s Valencia, who have inquired about Giroud’s availability after losing Roberto Soldado to Tottenham.
Arsenal have been linked to a number of audacious attacking talents this summer. Many of them fit Arsene Wenger’s quick, attacking, ball-to-feet philosophy better than Giroud.
Though he’s only had a single year in the Premier League, would it be crazy to suggest that if the right offer came in, Arsenal should sell?
Wenger is shuffling the deck this summer (Andrei Arshavin, Denilson, Sebastien Squillaci and more have already moved on) and this will provide him with an opportunity to splash the cash and build the squad he wants.
Whether or not Giroud will be a part of this remains to be seen.
What’s your take? Is Olivier Giroud an important part of this Arsenal side?
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What are you talking about? You should watch all his games again last year!! He is strong in the box, and able to assist in or out of the box. I am not sure on what page you are on.
Stupid article, how can you headline him as a one season wonder when he hasn’t yet played a second season to compare to his first?. Furthermore if you must use cliches at least get them right, it is either ‘shuffling the pack’ or ‘clearing the decks’ not ‘shuffling the deck’ as you have put.
Harry Cloke, must do better.
This ‘article’ is nothing more than a brain fart.
I think most Arsenal fans should understand that for you to be perfect, you need time to do that. We should not begin to hate players and make them feel like they want to leave. Its our attitude that makes them feel low and as a result they even fail to perform. Its to early to blame/criticize Giroud after just a year. Do we expect him to score a hundred goals for him to be a good striker? He is not that too bad after all. At least he had been scoring some goals though not many, we call them goals and they added up to get our top four position.
Utter rubbish. Please do something constructive with your free time.
Waste of time article. Giroud will play at Arsenal this season. If he does well he will stay and if he has a poor season he will leave. He did not have a bad first season and looks primed to improve, injuries permitting, to enhance his reputation. Giroud is not a proble. Wenger not having improved and refreshed the team is a problem. If this year Wenger’s words turn into actions then Arsenal just may have a chance to challenge Chelsea, City, Man Utd.
Pathetic ‘article’…Giroud goals return in his first season was good. Similarly his hold up and link up play was also good. As for he comment that he isn’t an Arsenal type player…….anyone recall a certain Alan ‘Smudger’ Smith?
Great idea – sell our only half-decent striker before we’ve bought a proper one. You should definitely write more articles like this, you master tactician you.
Ridiculous, Giroud is the only striker at the club, and don’t seem bothered about signing another.
you are a idiot. every one can see he is a very very good payer and arsenal are very lucky to have him.
Crazy article
First lane
he is a very good player,,he score 17 goals and you don’t remember several assists he made,stop talking like suckers
Harry Cloke, all I can say is Giroud is a much better version than Andy Carroll and idiots like you in the English media, HYPE Carroll. Giroud wasn’t bought to replace Van Persi so stop lying, basically your just another poisonous hateful journalist, trying to unsettle Arsenal.
Simply crap! The guy would come good this season. Calling him a one season wonder when he has not had another shows that you agree that he was a ‘wonder’ in his first season. Not to say much, Drogba, RVP and Henry did not do as good as that in their debut season. He can only improve, and that we will all see.
Giroud is a good player judging by his first season. If he is to be labled a flop, we have to wait till the end of the coming season. By the way, what the hell do wenger think he is doing? He keeps selling without buying. Well, he will believe when the jungle gets matured. He is so fustrating.