Bien Joué Giroud by Dan Smith
In the same week I have debated with my peers about Eddie Nketiah’s suitability to score goals at the highest level, Oliver Giroud was getting a standing ovation by the French media after knocking England out of the World Cup.
In the last two weeks his 4 goals have made him his nations greatest ever scorer (plus a contender for the Golden Boot).
This the same competition he won 4 years ago when he started every game for the World Champions.
Of course, the two striker’s careers are on opposite ends, one just beginning, one past his peak.
Yet Giroud is the perfect reflection of the flaws in a section of our fanbase.
I know Gooners who view any questioning of Eddie Nketiah as being negative or having an agenda.
The only agenda being that we have a generation of fans who think the definition of a supporter is to never critique anything about the club (apparently Mbappe is not as good as as Martinelli?) and/or they can’t admit they were wrong and that we have regressed since Mr Wenger left, like somehow that would make them look weak.
I can show you the same peers who defend Eddie who mocked Giroud. When I say mock, I mean unpleasant comments. That’s despite 105 goals for Arsenal
I have listened to YouTubers preach how we should support Nketiah and show loyalty, the very same channels which got their views based on verbally abusing Giroud.
That was his thanks for only five people in our entire history scoring more times for the Gunners.
I would get mocked for defending him, that only increased when I said we should re-sign him as a free agent, when we were (still are) screaming out for a plan B.
Say that out loud for a moment ………..
I can be called negative (and other words) if I think Eddie scoring in 3 League games since January is not good enough for title contenders and that it will cost us.
Yet the same fans writing that used to call Giroud all kinds when he’s only one of 6 men to score over 100 goals for the Arsenal.
That’s why I was never offended by his Europa League celebrations after Baku.
Let’s be honest he had been written off, on and off the pitch, with everyone’s attention being on getting Aubameyang. We essentially were prepared to give him to Chelsea to speed up the deal.
The Frenchman left with little fanfare or acknowledgement of his contributions in ending our trophy drought (3 FA Cups) and coming 2nd in the Prem (bearing in mind fans now view 5th as progress !!!).
Arsene Wenger once warned we were in danger as a fanbase of losing the proud values we were famous for.
Giroud’s treatment by some during and after living in North London was disrespectful.
Some acted like we were above having a forward of his quality and that the grass would be greener for us without him.
The grass was greener for him.
It’s hard not to see the irony of him destroying us in a European Final.
If I had been called a lamppost, the C word, told to, ‘eff off out of my club’, all the while keeping a dignified silence, I truly would have pointed out that irony.
The striker was always professional, and you could never question his work rate.
There were games where you could fault his finishing but never his effort.
That’s his legacy and that why he’s the perfect comparison to an Eddie Nketiah in terms of who the 23 old should be looking up to.
When discussing Eddie, there are those who don’t want any stats to be included based on substitute appearances.
I was thinking is this a generational thing, a sense of entitlement.
That essentially an opportunity only counts as an opportunity if they feel comfortable.
So, a teenager makes his debut in 2017 and 5 years, 111 matches later, we are still saying he hasn’t had a chance?
Not why have you not used those times to make an impact and make a manager pick you?
Not what are you not doing in training for a coach to trust you?
Simply, he’s not allowed to be judged till he starts consecutive League matches and if he doesn’t that’s not his fault?
Yet I grew up with the understanding that to chase your dream, you make every moment count, because you might not get another one.
If you have an acting audition, you prepare like it’s your last.
If a producer gives you 30 seconds to sing, you make that the best 30 seconds ever…. you don’t complain it’s someone else’s fault for not giving you longer.
It’s a worrying mindset which wrong educates the next generation.
If you’re playing good for your local team and the scouts show up on a Thursday for an hour, that hour counts, it’s no good saying but if they had come on another day, it would have been better.
It’s that mentality would has allowed Eddie’s agent to demand 100,000 pound a week for doing nothing.
Why get your client a move elsewhere to prove himself when he can get a huge salary for scoring in the odd cup outing (and apparently not being judged on his sub appearances).
Giroud had the opposite attitude, he made a career out of getting the best out of scraps, scoring 20 times in the Prem when coming off the bench, which is only bettered by one other player (see, you can contribute as a sub).
At 32, written off by us as past his best, he won over skeptical Chelsea fans by winning three pieces of silverware, including a 4th FA Cup and a Champions League.
Not starting at Stamford Bridge, Deschamps was critiqued by the French media for choosing Giroud as his centre forward.
As a 35-year-old free agent he went to Milan, contributing 14 goals to help them win Serie A for the first time in over a decade.
His winner at the weekend was his 4th of the tournament.
So, a player we discarded as a lamp-post has since won a World Cup, Champions League, Europa League, Serie A and FA Cup.
We now celebrate 5th!
I would still have him at the Emirates.
I still argue he gives you an alternative option.
Some of my peers don’t think Mbappe would get in our team so I know what reaction that would receive
Including Ligue 1, Giroud can one day show his children a collection of medals.
He can look them in the eye and said he believed in himself and made every opportunity count.
He squeezed the life out of every moment, he chased his dreams and caught them, never settling.
Bien Joué Giroud
Once a Gooner, always a Gooner
Dan Smith
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“That was his thanks for only five people in our entire history scoring more times for the Gunners”.
He’s 18th on the list of all time goalscorers for The Arsenal.
“The striker was always professional”.
So having an Escort girl in your hotel room the night before an important game is professional 🤔.
Remind us all on how many consecutive games he played without scoring in the 15/16 season ?
Soz mate , meant in Prem
Forget about the Escort girl ? So you are ok with players breaking the clubs rules ?
I was wrong about him. He was a lamp post, but a world-class one
I still remember how he didn’t make any shot-on-target in World Cup 2018, yet his efforts in aerial duels, hold-up play and high press made French defenders’ job easier. I believe Arsenal could win EPL this season if we sign a plan-B CF like him in January
Irony of the highest order. If I may recollect or go back in time when the “greatest assist king to ever walk this planet” and OG played for us, it was the same clique of keyboard warriors who bashed and blasted OG trying to defend their demigod. Where is that player today? OG is still banging in the goals.
The same arm chair pundits masquerading as AFC fans, wanted his out, abused him, etc. etc but the man has won everything outside AFC
UCL, ECL, League titles with ACM and Montpellier along with our favorite FA cups,
A humble and hardworking player, a true legend, a true player. Primadonnas had to retire and get kicked out of clubs, while the man is respected and respects his manager by banging in the goals, not flapping his hands in the air. Respect. Legend of the game
I began to smell some BS back in 2014 when a certain group / cultists started to bash Giroud that season. The majority of them were blaming him for why their cult hero was being exposed as a fraud. But but it’s sh!t strikers like donkey Giroud that are making our sweet prince / assist king look poor. Lamppost Giroud this and donkey Giroud that.. Our sweet prince went from assisting the likes of Ronaldo, Higuain and Benzema to assisting a donkey.
🤣😊
Smh
Oh my 😂
@Dan
Did I just open up a healing wound again?
Them days of never ending cringeworthy excuses for “The Shirt Selling Genius” were something else. Weren’t they?
Those were the good ol days.
🤣
Lols
Dark days. Really dark days man.
Come on! Giroud has been dreadful for us for a season!
Giroud would ALWAYS give 100%. Great article Dan. He certainly does not deserve the pathetic abuse he has had since he left us.
Clearly, a better player than we gave him credit for. It was our tactics and having weak players on the side that didn’t suit what Giroud could do, it was a mismatch. Giroud is a hardened battler, we needed more of his mentality throughout the side. We see now under Arteta just how far hard work and a battling mindset can take you along with your quality
@escapepod303
RealTalk 👍🏾
Agreed. I certainly didn’t give him enough credit at the time.
Ever since we have been flaunting with the idea of signing Ronaldo, I made it known it would make more sense for a sensational return of Giroud, one of the ultimate professional.
The only problem am not sure if he’s the gaffer type of striker.
He who has no sins cast the first stone, forget about the escorts girls, he’s one of our own a do like the Frenchman and how he conducts his self.
For once I am with you Dan. Fortunately I was one of those who never bashed Giroud on this platform. Instead I always supported him. If Admin could retrieve my posts then I would be vindicated.
I have always argued that the greatest weakness of some of our fans is the blind love/hate mentality for some players without any justifiable cause. Among the unfortunate victims of our hate mongers were Emmanuel Eboue, Adebayor, Senogo, Julio Batista, Mikel Sylvester, Dos Santos, Giroud and some others. On the other hand those who were blindly loved were Ozil, Van Persie, Diaby, Lukas Podolski, etc.
What lessons do we learn? That some of our fans have not always been faithful to the cause. They have allowed themselves to be a disruptive influence to the club they claim to support.
What lessons should we learn? (1) That genuine gooners should always be loyal to the club more than any individuals (2) That players should be judged objectively rather than subjectively (3) That every player should be given a chance to prove themselves. The Giroud case should serve as a good lesson for our fans.
Van Persie blind love?
Yes because Van Persie betrayed our patience, love and trust. He was most times in the treatment room and the club stood by him but when he got better and performed excellently for one season he imagined he was too good for Arsenal. The next we heard he has fled to our arch riivals, Man U! If that is not misplaced love what is it?
I agree with your general points about Arsenal’s players. However, this a typically unbalanced article. The positive points made about Giroud are completely undermined by the agenda against other fans and a current Arsenal player.
The author takes controversial minority views and presents them as if they are mainstream views to create his arguments. There are other posters here who have quite rightly called out the lack of integrity in the article.
Dans agenda ridden post includes a falsehood that must be challenged. Dan claims , incorrectly, that ” we have a generation of fans who think the definition of a supporter is never to critique( in other words, to criticise) anything about our club
I cannot recall, in my many years as a regular on JA, even a single person who has never, not even once, criticised something about our club. If anyone has found a SINGLE name who has never criticised anything Arsenal related, then please correct me.
Dan also talks about a non critical GENERATION OF FANS, but chooses to avoid naming WHICH generation he refers to.
I AM NOT A MAN TO LET OBVIOUS FALSE CLAIMS GO UNCHALLENGED.
AND SO I ISSUE THE FOLLOWING CHALLENGE TO DAN RIGHT NOW: NAME JUST ONE PERSON , (NOT INCLUDING THE ODD TROLL FROM OTHER CLUBS WHO OCCASIONALLY WRITE ON HERE) who is a regular contributor and who has never criticised our club. I say you will not find one.
Send evidence, IF you can prove that false claim. Otherwise you are due to withdraw that slur on our collective name as Gooners. ALL proper fans, at times, though NOT all the time, RELENTLESSLY, criticise what they disagree with and that is natural and normal.
What is NOT natural and normal though, is to RELENTLESSLY BE NEGATIVE AND ONLY NEGATIVE ABOUT THE CLUB YOU CLAIM TO SUPPORT. EH DANIEL?!
I have been with Dan through and through but after his recent Wenger’s article I have started to question the honesty of his articles.
Does he genuinely write what he feels or there is a hidden purpose behind his articles.
You were my favorite writer Dan but after what you wrote about Wenger there is no coming back from me even though I am just one reader.
The irony being mate that I was accused of being too pro Wenger lol
HH, in all seriousness mate I respect that but can’t change my view on Wenger
You know I love him but simply he didn’t need to say teams who have done well this WC are the ones who havnt focused on politics
Just don’t believe him.
Jon what did you call Xakha after we beat place ?
Jon the irony is for years you have been negative , including to other writers choice of subject
I said to you before., Your happy for people to negative as long as it’s your opinion .
Hence your mock Xakha but I can’t say Gabriel is error prone
Your mock Wenger for 4th but don’t like me calling 5th not progress
Its not I’m negative , it’s just you don’t agree with my opinions – not same thing
Just to prove you wrong ( which I do often )
Heres off top of my head positive articles I have wrote …….
Thanking super jack after retirement
Atmosphere at the Emiraites
Xakha’s leadership
Signing of Man City duo
Performance at Palace ( in terms of us not winning those type of games )
Praise for Liverpool and Spurs wins ,crediting Arteta for using word humble
Arsenal contributions to rise in women’s football
I celebrate Arsenal in black history month ( that makes you blush )
Salibas form
Martinelli our best youngster
Team of the season so far which includes 2 gunners
Why Ramsdale should be our number 1 ( England )
A predictions game I run just for fun
Even today – celebrating Giroud
Equally I will give my opinion to the topic at the time
So If Jesus is injured , im going to review if I think we need a striker better then Eddie ?
World cup in Qatar I’m going to say that women and same sex couples should have rights
Now Jon ……….give me 10 articles where you been positive
Daniel, More lies and deliberate misrepresenting of my posts. You constantly write the above sort of sly reply post, not only to me, but to many others too.
But you do not get your facts right AND LIE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID. YOU DO NOT ACCURATELY READ THE POST OF OTHERS AND PUT YOUR OWN INTERPRETATION ON WHAT OTHERS SAY.
You are in fact the worst sort of dishonest correspondent even though you have a way with words, at least in your articles. Distinctly less so though in your own reply posts, which seem to me to show a different person and one far less educated.
I have long thought that DAN AND DANIEL are likely to be two separate people. That might explain why you use BOTH those names, oddly some might well think!!
Dan and Daniel wow !
Think you over think things a little bit
Where have I lied Jon ?
What did you call Xakha after we beat Palace?
And am I lieing about those positive articles all did I write them
This is what Jon said after we won a game against Palace towards a positive articles….
( Remember I lied apparently )
How true and how depressingly true. Why, oh why, do we keep XHAKA !?
GOD ALONE KNOWS WHAT ANYONE SEES IN HIM
A TALL, POWERFUL, HOTHEADED, IMMOBILE TORTOISE IS WHAT I SEE.
Ouch Jon lol so Is that a lie
Not the most educated response unlike your articles ……..ouch lol
Jon is Jon.
Your obsession with Nketiah needs to be checked. Again, people know I’m not his biggest supporter but the way you come after the kid is disturbing.
It’s pretty stupid to even put Giroud and Eddie in the same sentence when one I starting up and the other has all the experience he needs from different league competition.
Your obsession used to be with the Kroenkes, suddenly they’re supporting the new regime, you need a new target to always cry about. SMH grow up man.
You could’ve written this appreciation post about Giroud without mentioning Eddie. Just like a lot of us appreciate Arteta without mentioning Wenger and his struggling years or just like a lot of us still talk appreciate Some of our current players without mentioning Nasri, Glen and co… Grow up man.
Obsession , too deep mate lol
I am THE one fan who has never criticized anything arsenal. I have criticized fellow gooners of course on their negative comments about players, club, gaffer, and the likes. I’m a loyal supporter, though some called me blind supporter.
I did clarify a regular poster. You hardly ever say anything much at all.
Well Jon, you did not clarify what constitutes a regular poster vs a troll.
So since we have seen him post here before on more than a few occasions, I say he is regular.
Totally agree with everything you point out about Giroud. I believe it needs repeatedly stated that most were incredibly ignorant in their comments on Giroud when he was an Arsenal player. As usual, though you infect an otherwise sensible article with your personal agenda-snide comments thus generating negative reactions and distracting from the very good main point you were actually making just to goad people. It’s manipulative and then you engage with the comments you deliberated orchestrated.
You still keep pretending that 5th last year was terrible when you had us as 6th and 5th was the absolute top prediction for most. You also insisted we were never in the top 4 race yet are now complaining that wasn’t the target.
You still take digs at Nketiah without even a hint of irony in the article complaining correctly about those that would insult Giroud. The same way you took digs at Arteta without a hint of irony. Essentially everything you complain about people doing to Giroud/Wenger correctly you have done repeatedly to Nketiah/Arteta without an ounce of self-awareness and more than a lot of deliberate malice. We are all hypocritical at times but to continually post articles that are that at the core is weird, to say the least.
Poor Nketiah will start his 1st game of the season against West Ham with a decent portion of the fans rooting for his demise so they can claim victory in their statement dismissing him when he scored 5 times in his last 7 prem starts… ? Most should be hopeful he will pick up where he last left off and fill the void. He is 23 and one of our own who is thoroughly likeable as a character in general. It’s insane. He’s a great role model who hasn’t hit the top heights yet but has insane scoring records everywhere else in his career.
You will have played no small part in that narrative on it as one of the most prominent writers on one of the top sources of Arsenal news (in your case it’s been repeated articles.) Be funny if those that are inclined to bring race into the conversation do vis a vis Nketiah if he receives abuse if he doesn’t score v West Ham. I totally disagree with race-baiting in general and find it divisive at best (totally agree with backlash against actual racism, not that should need stating as one of Nketiahs strongest supporters here) but given the fact you virtue signal all the time would be kind of hilarious to watch you deal with the backlash that way around and defend multiple articles actively deliberately mispresenting Nketiahs statistics etc. whilst writing one to praise Giroud. Glass houses etc. If that happens you most certainly would be one of the main targets for instigating it, Just Arsenal features alongside and above a lot of the time mainstream publications on NewsNow. Weirdly as funny as I’d find it initially, I’d still be one of the ones defending you in that situation because that would be right regardless of the karma and personal feelings.
To be fair Nketiah hasn’t done what Giroud has yet obviously there is a 13-year age gap (Giroud signed for Arsenal 2 years older than Nketiah is now.) Will be interested to see who leads the line long-term for England though. With Kane 29/Wilson 30 even Toney is 26 (gambling), DCL is 27 and Bamford is 29 (both with injury issues.) It’s Abraham 25 or Nketiah 23 right now surely? As ever (time never stops) other youngsters will come through by the time you fast forward 4 years but I personally believe a 27 Nketiah has an extremely strong chance of leading the line for England if he sticks to his work ethic.
I stopped at race mate
Anyome who is racist towards him is a moron and i will say it’s wrong .
Engange with what I said overall or stay quiet. Never said your racist just pointed out precisely how your articles will be used if that is an issue. Your nonsense response to me regarding Nketiahs stats obviously wouldn’t fly in that kind of storm which I think you are realising.
My question is if you realise now and are loathe to engage and disagree with me, why not before when it was more logical?
Never said you did say that due
It’s just once someone brings race into something it’s a reflection on them
For example Xakha , Ozil , Mustafi , etc used to get hammered on here ….never heard anyone say it’s racism
Engage with what I said or stay quiet. Your deflecting not interested. Await your reply to the above.
Stay quiet ?
It’s my article lol
I choose not to engage mate because you mention race which is way too serious
I don’t rate him as a striker
That is okay
It don’t make me right or wrong , it’s an opinion
If he scores lots of goals and we win title by all means bring it up and I’ll admit I was wrong
If he doesn’t and ends up at a midtable club , I’ll point it out
Odd position your taking. Say what you like next if doesn’t involve my comment that you are responding to on your article I’m not engaging.
You promise ?.lol
Would you not argue though Wenger and giroud done more then Arteta / Eddie
If Wenger had finished 8th I wouldn’t defend it
Like when he finished 6th I didn’t say that was okay
I defended Wenger for finishing in top 4
If Arteta finished top 4 and then I blamed him…that’s a contradiction
But Arteta …….didn’t lol
You literally will not comment on what I said. My response to this comment is below and predates this comment by an hour. Last season you declared nauseously repeatedly that the table doesn’t lie so given we are top after more games than when you declared that… what you are honestly talking about anymore. Seriously?
No I won’t agree with you mate
Doesn’t mean I don’t respect your opinion
Arteta finishes top 4 , Ill say well done
Eddie scores 20 goals next season in the prem.ill say I’m wrong
Didn’t ask you to agree asked you to engage in the conversation in general which you haven’t. Also pointed out Arteta was captain for those final top 4 achievements and every bit as hounded as Wenger during that time as captain. So curious why your defence of Wenger doesn’t extend him given he was there at the exact same time getting the exact same grief.
Oh sorry didn’t understand
I never minded Arteta as a player so yeah anyone who gave him hard time as captain was wrong
In fact I wrote before we needed an Arteta type when we had a young Fabregas and Nasri because his exsperience helped
Maybe you are too focused on an element of the past (however right) that you are a bit blinded to the now and your opinions reflect that (however bad that could end.)
Maybe lol
A lot to agree with in the article (no question in my mind that Giroud was not given his proper due by many Gooners). But not sure how you can say that the folks criticising you now for being negative towards Nketiah are the same ones who criticised Giroud. Unless you’ve been taking down names for five years
Yeah mate as have been writing for this site for years
Go back a few years I was often mocked for always defending Mr Wenger
Because we regressed fans who said grass was greener now can’t admit it
Fans who moaned about 4th who now call 5th progress
I can send you a link dude where Xakha wax mocked after the Palace game , a few weeks later the same reader says it’s wrong to critique Gabriel
As was I and I agree with you vis-a-vis 4th and Wenger not sure how that relates to modern-day Arteta given he took over a team that had no chance for the 3rd year running of the top 4. Even more confusing given Arteta was the much-maligned Captain of our continuous top 4 gaining/perceived failure and once he left we never finished in the top 4 again curious target for your Wenger rage no?
Clearly to good for our fan base and he proved it.
From what he has achieved maybe too good for Arsenal.
Giroud was never particularly talented, yet what he’s accomplished is absolutely mind blowing.
He’s been bashed and labelled “not good enough” his entire career both in France and the UK, including by his Arsenal and France predecessor Thierry Henry.
I can’t think of any footballer mentally stronger than Giroud, he’s right at the top.
Yet ironically Dan uses Giroud as an excuse to bash Nketiah yet again and label him “not good enough”.
Dan, do you know where Giroud was when he was Nketiah‘a age?
He was playing in French Ligue 2 at Tours FC and had not even ever scored one goal in ligue 1!!
So give Nketiah a break. It’s your right not to believe in him but bashing him on almost a daily basis is disgusting.
Unfortunately mate with Jesus injury and the window opening , it’s a relevant topic
You want to play centre forward for Arsenal FC you are going to get spoken about
Do you know what Ronaldo and Mbappe had done at Eddie’s age
Apparently they wouldn’t get In our team lol
I promise mate though I’m big enough to admit if I’m wrong
He fires us to the title, I’ll hold my hands up
I’m genuinely surprised that you keep mentioning Ronaldo in the same breath as Mbappe. There are few if any who would argue that Mbappe would not be the best player on Arsenal. I get the debate on whether he’d be a good fit but personally think it would be worth the gamble.
But Ronaldo? Seriously? Five years ago yes. But now, not for me and I haven’t seen many fans clamouring for him. I’d love to see a coherent rationale on why he would make much more sense than the 1990s Ronaldo would at this point.
Hes better then Eddie
So i mean as a short term solution
Can send you link mate where fans say they wouldnt take Mbappe
Of course Mbappé is way better than Nketiah.
Arsenal have no chance of signing him.
My personal opinion is that when his career finishes he’ll be undisputed best ever French player.
Look mate, I don’t have a crystal ball and I don’t known if Nketiah will fulfill his potential. I was very impressed with him last season and I see something in this player but is going to make it to the top?
I don’t know.
Again, I have no problem with anyone thinking Nketiah is not what we need at Arsenal.
What I don’t like though is when you hit Nketiah under the belt by mentioning again and again his wages or cherry pick stats that make him look rubbish like “he’s scored in 3 games since January”. That doesn’t show the whole picture and you know exactly what you’re doing here.
I respect your opinion and let’s hope he proves me wrong
We all dream of the same thing at the end of the day, Arsenal winning the premier league and the champions league
Giroud was a good player for us, not great, but good, he scored and played a certain way, that worked for the most part. I believe he has looked at his weight, got fitter and got better since he left us. He has matured with age, he has improved with age BUT he would not be playing for France if Benzema was there. He has taken his chance and good luck to him.
Give credit where it is due. Giroud was an asset for Arsenal. Remember his headers? Since he left we have scored far fewer headed goals. He was also one of the best at scoring bicycle kicks as well as penalties.
It wasn’t the goals he scored but the ones he missed!!!!!!!
Giroud was always a good player.. He had perfect passing and great hold up play.. The only reason we were bashing and rightfully so was because he kept missing sitters after sitters.. Everything in his game was perfect.. Except his pace and him squandering chances.. Giroud would have been perfect for arteta, but not wenger