Olivier Giroud has admitted that he was disappointed at having to leave Arsenal having scored over 100 goals for the club but then being reduced to a bit-part player, and had no choice but to move away to find some first team action to give him hope of going to the World Cup with his country this summer.
Once Arsene Wenger had decided to bring in another centre-forward in Aubameyang, the French international told the media that he spoke to Didier Deschamps for advice before choosing to move on as part of the chain that ensured that the Gabonese hitman ended up at the Emirates.
He told Telefoot: ‘A week before the end of the transfer window, I needed to hear his (Deschamps’) opinion. He didn’t encourage me to join Chelsea. But he encouraged me to change clubs.
‘Dortmund were interested but for a loan deal. There was Sevilla and my agent also received a phone call from Roma. But my choice was quite clear and obvious when I knew that Antonio Conte wanted to work with me.’
‘I had wanted to stay at Arsenal to try my luck even when Alex Lacazette arrived. The reality is that the coach (Arsene Wenger) wanted to recruit another central striker (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang).
‘When he signed, that made three central strikers and that is why I decided to leave.
‘It was logical to give my career a new direction. There was a bit of disappointment even if I spent five magnificent years there.’
It must have felt strange being first choice striker for a team that got to the final of the Euros, but just 18 months later ending up as third-choice centre-forward at Arsenal. You can understand why he was a bit disappointed….
Who feels sorry for Olivier?
Sam P
He should be more honest and tell us that Conte’s club is in London, he had a newborn child and all. Anyway he had been one great professional for AFC.
Still remember the season before Arsene being link to Higuain he had made a plea to the club to sign a new striker in order for AFC to win things.
A striker normally do have a very selfish attitude, so for a stiker to say something like he did that mean that he love the club and willing to make certain sacrifice for it.
I feel sorry for Giroud in the sense that Wenger NEVER played to his strengths. I think we could have had a fantastic front two of Giroud, and Lacazette, but Wenger doesn’t play two upfront, and he doesn’t play direct like how we see France use Giroud. It’s quite unbelievable that I don’t think Wenger even tried it ONCE! Even when we were desperate.
This is why I think Lacazette will be off in the summer. He hasn’t been great (hardly his fault in my opinion), and we’ve just signed another striker for £60 million, and as I’ve already pointed out, Wenger doesn’t play two upfront.
The hope is that a NEW manager with NEW ideas and NEW tactics will be in place next season.Barca found a way to play with Messi Suarez and Neymar.Im sure a team could work with Auba and Laca with something that doesn’t appear to have been used too much at London Colney-it’s called COACHING
I agree with @ThirdManJW, I think Arsenal could sell Lacazette at the end of this season, because Wenger’s tactics are simply not suitable for Lacazette’s short stature and playing style. I think Aguero could have the same problem, had he joined Wenger’s team.
Messi and Neymar are very good as inverted wingers and attacking midfielders, so they can support Suarez as the lone striker. According to an article on this site, Lacazette used to play as an attacking midfielder and a winger, but we don’t know yet whether he can read the game like Messi, Neymar, Ozil and Mkhitaryan.
thank god that lampost left.we r getting rid of mediocore players from club and he is the worst one
Welbeck
Iwobi
Xhaka
El Neny
Chambers
Holding
Per
Cech
All of the above have been far worse during there
Arsenal careers than the Frenchmen.
Do an exchange with Crystal Palace. ZAHA for IWOBI…
Zaha for welbeck will do also all day long
He actually was let go against his wish simply bcos that infamous squad meeting was still hanging on the neck of the team harmony while Sanchez, Walcot, Ozil and Giroud were together.
That was why Ozil signed or to sign as soon as Giroud left.
Giroud lacks the movements and the skills to thrive with Wenger’s tactics, but he is very dangerous in the air. France can use his strengths well because they have good wingers, but Arsenal have none currently.
Salah, Mane, Sane and Sterling showed their abilities because their coaches set their tactics to suit them. Arsenal have Mkhitaryan, but they still need explosive wingers to provide for Aubameyang.
How was he the worst player? How was he worse than Xhaka, Eleny, Iwobi, Welbeck? He scored 105 goals for us!
I agree Lacazette and Aubameyang are better but i have loads of respect for Giroud’s playing ability
Ideally it’s Lacazette who should leave & Giroud remain as our 2nd choice as he offers different type of Striker which is the target man especially after proving to be a great super-sub for us… but no manager in their right mind would sell a player they juz bought for a club record after juz 6 month.
Spot on! Though I love Laca…but with the arrival of Auba…can’t help!
Lots of love to Giroud!
Be hard to see him in blue
Really really disappointed to see Giroud leave. We never played to his strength. He always contributed in attack and in defense. He is the only player I will forgive for joining Chelsea.
Xhaka has been so bad, I am actually rooting us to sign Alex Song or William Vainqueur who are free agents at the moment.
And hey, Samir Nasri and Bac Sagna are also available hehe
He was a decent footballer that held back a team professing a desire to be in the european elite … The idea that wenger didn’t do him justice is absurd just playing him was more than justice.. Wish him well but don’t see him staying long at Chelsea tbh
he’s someone I always feel sorry for because he’s a decent footballer but not Arsenal quality . I’m sure all Arsenal fans love him for his personality, commitment and passion but I we really do hate him playing for us. this guy can’t even dribble a stone
Well, well, well. Top 9s don’t dribble, they turn a defender and shoot.
Nevertheless, no one can actually play football, representing a team, not to say being a professional and would not be able to dribble.
For all Ronaldhino dribbles, he was considered less successful by the PSG for them
So was Alexis dribbles at Barca !
So quick to write Lacazette off… Auba did well in his debut, but did anyone check his work rate? He’s not as hardworking as Laca off the ball and I feel in tighter games he might struggle.
Laca lacks supply, and because of that he’s even less willing to make runs because no one finds him often enough so he drops deeper to help the team – plus he’s got great link up play.
Now with Micki added to the team and how direct he plays, you now have two very creative players trying to find the striker.
I take nothing against Auba but we should have kept Giroud and bought a proper winger, maybe Mahrez who can take on defenders, score and assist as well.
Best solution is try to find a way to play them both because they’re both great finishers and with Laca’s link up and unselfish play they’ll flourish together.
Agreed. Sell Laca? Lol how does that improve the squad?
Two linked thoughts: Firstly I DO feel sorry for Olivier Giroud ,as he always gave his all in our shirt and did not want to leave, clearly, but had little realistic choice as a professional footballer. Secondly, he was not QUITE good enough and lacked, damningly, any pace. This is not his fault, in exactly the same way it is not my fault that I do NOT look like Brad Pitt or Jude Law. Some things in life and football , just ARE! Though I have definite future reservations on P-E A ‘s attitude, judging on his recent past – and unlike some, I do not ignore past evidence – it is abundantly clear that he is way , way better a player than Giroud and is something of a “snip”, even at the absurdly inflated price of £56 million. This comment is NOT a criticism of our club, in fact the opposite , for having for once, the determination to compete in what is, though, a ludicrously obscene market place and players wage structure. This is merely me being realistic about the unhealthy way top football is going, moneywise, and acknowledging the fact that sooner or later something will have to be done to change this , if fans are to accept keep coming in huge numbers. In the meantime though, if we wish to seriously compete at the very top, we need to be firmly in the first flight of this “madness” and the encoraging signs are that in Sven and Raul WE, HAVE AT LAST, TWO MEN WHO LIVE IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD AS IT IS, rather than Wenger , who lives in his ivory tower days back in the last millenium. But Godspeed, Giroud, though being at the club you are at, I can hardly wish you luck, naturally!