---
title: "Giroud – Second half turnaround was key"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2015/11/01/giroud-second-half-turnaround-key/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sam Baker"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2015-11-01T10:58:37Z"
modified: "2015-11-01T11:03:49Z"
---

# Giroud – Second half turnaround was key

Following Arsenal’s 3-0 away win over Garry Monk’s Swansea, goalscoring pair Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny spoke about the match. Both of the Frenchmen acknowledged that the Gunners needed until the second half to get going but also praised their teammates for securing all three points and a clean sheet.

Giroud, who opened the scoring, was asked about the performance as a whole and [claimed that his side earned a big win for themselves](https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151031/giroud-the-secret-to-the-swansea-win) and was pleased that they stood firm and kept a clean sheet.

> *It was definitely a good win. We needed this win before the big game on Wednesday. We started slowly but we were creating chances to score. We needed to wait until the second half to put it in and to score three goals and even more, get another clean sheet.*

![Ben Hoskins/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/4951019262.jpg)

The game against Swansea also saw the 2000th goal to be scored by Arsenal under Arsene Wenger and centre back Laurent Koscielny argued that although it was nice for the team to have reached the landmark, earning the win was far more important.

> *Yeah, more important is to win. In the first half we didn’t play well, we came back with more ambition. We played with more quality and technique so it is important to win games as Swansea play well with the ball but we kept a clean sheet and scored three goals so we are happy.*

The Gunners have had a couple of difficult fixtures against Swansea in previous years and so with the win under their belts, Giroud believes that his side’s more efficient style of play helped them overcome the Swans.

> *We needed to change that. We had two difficult games against Swansea and to play here and as I said it was not easy in the first half but we succeeded to play our game, more in between the lines with more technique and we were efficient up front and at the back as well so we are really pleased with this game so hopefully we can win the second leg as well.*

![Ben Hoskins/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/4951030862.jpg)

Laurent Koscielny seemed impressed with his side’s second-half performance and with the high-tempo pressure that they put Swansea under. The Frenchman also argued that scoring three goals against the Swans was a huge achievement.

> *It is very important to win. We didn’t play very well in the first half, Swansea had the ball and played well.*
>
> *Obviously in the second half we played more forward with the quality in our passing so it was the difference. We scored three goals which is important and we kept a clean sheet so it is important to put our wins a row.*

Koscielny’s goal came under some scrutiny after it appeared that he had committed a foul in the lead-up to the goal. However, the 30-year-old remained adamant that he did nothing wrong as remains happy that he bagged himself a goal.

> *I don’t know. I tried to stay in front of it and try to keep the ball. I don’t know what happened behind me but I had the ball in front of me and I scored. I’m happy with it.*

As a defender, Koscielny isn’t always used to scoring but has been known to chip in with a few every now and then, including an equaliser against Hull in the 2013 FA Cup final. The Arsenal defender claims, however, that he was confident of scoring when the chance fell to him.

> *Olivier told me I can score so I shot at goal and it went in.*

![Ben Hoskins/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/495103348.jpg)

Olivier Giroud struggled for form at the beginning of the season but now appears to have found his scoring boots again. Koscielny believes that Giroud’s spell out of the team re-ignited his passion and desire to play in the starting line-up and now that he is in the team, he won’t want to relinquish his spot anytime soon.

> *I think he works very hard because he did not play a lot of games in September and October and I think he was hungry. He trained hard to be back and to play and you saw him against Bayern, he came on to the pitch and did well. Against Everton as well you saw it was important to keep a positive mentality as a team your team win. We have the quality up front to make the difference. We have Alexis who has the quality to win.*

The Gunners face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League next week and are currently chasing a spot in their group to qualify for the next round of the competition. The team were rocked slightly by their shock loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup but their win against Swansea should now fill them with the confidence and belief that they can go and win against Pep Guardiola’s side in Germany to claw their way back up their European group.