When the pre-season preparations of Arsenal began a few weeks ago, with most of the squad jetting off to Australia first and then China, it was a little bit of a surprise to see the recently signed France international star Alexandre Lacazette go with them.
The former Lyon striker was not supposed to be fit and, to be fair, he did not really look up to speed, even though he scored just 15 minutes or so after coming on for his Arsenal debut. Lacazette has been getting sharper and settling in ever since and is starting to get the Arsenal fans rubbing our hands about how his movement and finishing in front of the creative brilliance of Gunners like Ozil will help us challenge for a major trophy or two this season.
Perhaps that is why our other French forward Olivier Giroud now seems happy to stay at Arsenal; this season, because he looked anything but happy earlier on and appeared to not even want anything to do with our new signing. That is kind of understandable because Lacazette is a rival for Giroud’s first team role but all players want to win things as well as play.
For me this explains the report by The Mirror which reveals that the French club Marseille have given up on signing the big man this summer because he does not want to go.
Do you think Giroud is happy to stay and play second fiddle because he feels Arsenal can challenge for the Premier League title?
Sam P.
Haha Giroud to help arsenal win title
You’re blinded by hate son…
A major trophy or two? The only major trophy we could win in the PL. The CL, the other major trophy is not within our reach on account of us not competing for it.
If Giroud could help us win the PL he would have done so already. As Henry rightfully sad “you are not going to win a PL with a striker like Giroud.” Laca could be the guy we have been waiting for but that doesn’t mean we can win the PL on our strength.
We are lucky that Chelsea seems to be a bit in disarray and that Spurs seem to be unhappy about their low salaries. So perhaps 2 of our main rivals might underperform. But that has nothing to do with our own strengths.
I think if Sanchez signs the supposed 300’000 a week contract he has been offered, things could look dramatically better for us. Because I expect a big difference in on-field performance between
a Sanchez who wants to play for us and a Sanchez forced to serve his final year.
But Giroud is and will remain an average player with a loser’s mentality IMO.
I share in your opinion and I believe he’s average and massively overrated like Welbeck.People will bring up the stats but it’s a good thing I’ve watched him to know how bad he is.We have a lot of under achievers in our club.It’s one thing fighting a battle you can win and another fighting a battle you’ve already lost.Giroud will hardly start over Lacazette and what makes it worse for him is that Laca’s French and Wenger loves French players a lot.Let me give him thumbs up for giving his all and not going down without a fight.I wish more players in the team had his mentality.
He’s so lucky he’s till in Arsenal.He’s been poor for many seasons and to me his best season is 16/17.Arsenal is not a serious team at all as we hold on to too many average players and treat them like the best that’s ever happened to us.Wenger clearly doesn’t have the grit to make certain decisions regarding players.I just hope Lacazette is given the centre stage like Welbeck and Giroud who have failed greatly.I really feel for Giroud because he’s criticized heavily yet people forget it’s the coach who bought him and decided to use him this way in the first place despite him never being good enough.
It is hard for me to take anyone serious who think Giroud is a great player. He is too one dimensional to be considered better than average. He is too slow so weak on counter attacks. He is technically handicapped so can take on a defender and get around him. He has a slow trigger so needs too much time to put away chances.
For me, his only skills are link-up play, bothering defenders, and great in the air. That’s is not enough to be considered a great striker in my book.
should read: “can not take on defenders and get around them”
Frances No.1 striker is ‘average’
Really?
I think you’ll find that whoever Frances No1 striker is – they are certainly better than average!!!
Scored more goals per minute than Sanchez- and with less sulking. We are lucky to have him
He is only France’s no 1 striker because Benzema’s messed up in trying to blackmail his team mate. So don’t kid yourself. There is no way Giroud would walk into the starting 11 of Real Madrid. Benzema does.
Kev – It is all nice and well to feel bad for Giroud and you are right it is Wenger’s fault for buying him but his attitude is his own. And he is a born loser. I can still see him equalize late in the game against a mid table team last season and celebrate like he won the world cup whilst the players in our team with a winning mentality had to go get him to run back to his own half because there was still time to win the game.
He is a born loser.
Title winning ? is never a one man show (at least not in football). Every player has to contribute no matter how small or viewed to be significant or otherwise. I completely agree with the assertion that Giroud’s stay helps out titles chase.
Forget Giroud, it’s the words Arsenal and title in the same sentence that does not seem right.
You’ve just put them in a sentence. So it’s ok for you to use them, because you’re opinion is the one that matters I suppose.
I think he snubbed Marseille because he only wants to go to a more popular club or there might be salary issue. If there is a very big offer from China, I am sure any player will be tempted to move from Arsenal.
Giroud is good with his strength and height, but there are better tall strikers, such as Cavani, Schick and Arnautovic (unfortunately West Ham has bought him and most Arsenal fans underestimate him, because he played for Stoke City).
Since Giroud will go nowhere, he can be a good substitution or play upfront to distract the opponent’s defenders, to help Lacazette and the attacking midfielders.
You must definitely be kidding me cuz comparing Giroud to Arnautovic is like comparing malaria to cancer… Common guy Giroud is far better than him don’t talk with sentiment… Or maybe you are watching the back of TV when watching football matches
What makes him better than Arnautovic?The stats?I’m not saying Arnautovic is better or not but if I was a neutral watching them both the difference in quality is not huge.Do you know what Arnautovic could have done if he was given the lone CF role i Arsenal?I guess I’m also the only one who thinks Chicharito is better than Giroud yet playing at West Ham.If we had Chicharito instead of Giroud from 2012 we could have easily won the league in 15/16 season.What makes Giroud so good that if I watch him on my TV I can’t see?All I see is a player who turns his back to goal for most parts of the match.
Why is it that the most ignorant people, always think they know better than the most informed? The fact that you think you know better than Arsenals scouting network, is an absolute joke.
the same scouts that haven’t created a title winning or Bayern defeating team. They the best lol
Jay sorry to say so but that is such a lame and flawed answer. In your book Wenger should also be “the best informed” yet he is a disaster and has no clue any longer about what it takes to win the PL. If he was such an oracle how did Perez happen?
Agreed Chicharito is miles ahead of Giroud. Giroud is a liability to any team he starts for. He is decent coming off the bench when he can play against tired defenders but Mert is a better finisher than Giroud even Ospina is a better finisher.
Mate, how on Earth will u compare Arnautovic to Giroud? Do u remember Giroud came into limelight from an average club… At Montpelier, he did much more (which he replicated up to 80% @ Ars) than what Aunautovic could ever do at Stoke, so why compare?
Arsene needs to use him better – that will decide how much he helps or how much he comes short. If he’s in a patch where he’s scoring late after coming on, well then stick with that unless Lacazette and co are finding it difficult to create any space around the box. Also before we decide Giroud is best for a game like that, where big players sit back a bit, how about we shoot from distance, at the least it might bring players out of the box more ..thus creating space. We’ve all mentioned that allot, but weirdly either Arsene hasn’t heard anything or else the thought never entered his head. Someone should ask Arsene some day – if he can see any benefits to shooting from distance, not on a whim but actually relying on it against certain opposition. It might knock something loose.
@breakonthrough.
Totally agree about shooting from distance, not all the time but as the opposition expects arsenal to be pass, pass, pass lose the ball 🙂 why not suprise them now and again. I love when xhaka gets the ball in that area “shoot!”.
And remeber sanchezs swerving ball against villa in the fa cup?
As for giroud sometimes he looks unfit and a bit lazy or disinterested however I think he gets a hard time. Paired together with a lacazette type or coming off the bench he does add value.
Strength aerial ability, good holding and linking play,( jacks goal against norwich) and even a bit of flair as well, ( scorpion kick last season).
Every side should have a plan b player like this Andy Carroll, fellaini, lorente etc
Giroud to be top scorer in Europa League as Arsenal win it.
Ridiculous!
giroud is our plan b – it signifies that for 90mins (even 120) we’re likely to maintain an offensive. this to me is not reckless planning in fact it very encouraging. fitness is always going to be the key.
He can stay as I like him but for The deadwood; Get rid!!!
‘Cull’ Jenkinson,
Plaster Wallco*t Theo,
‘Matchet’ Debuchy,
‘Cull’ Chambers.
‘Kill’ Gibbs,
Gushout Gabriel,
Jackass Wilshere,
Jail Campbell,
Chuck Akpom and
‘Perish’ Lucas!
???
Guess how much we will save by completely severing ties with this lot? Millions per month!!!
NB:
Disclaimer: please don’t take the forenames literally/seriously as they are meant as a joke. No harm meant but only for a laugh. I sincerely love these guys as they have served our club well but it’s time for them to move on and free up valuable space. COYGs!!!
Debuchy never served us well. If there weren’t for Andre Santos, he’d be the worst defender we’ve signed in the last five or six years.