When Robin van Persie committed what was deemed a cardinal sin in the summer of 2012 when he quit Arsenal to join huge rivals Manchester United, attention in North London quickly turned to who Arsène Wenger would target to replace the club’s talisman and top goalscorer. Gonzalo Higuain? Karim Benzema? Edinson Cavani? Who would Wenger pick up? Arsenal Football Club were being linked with some of the world’s best known goalscorers. Yet, when Wenger presented Montpellier forward Olivier Giroud as the man to fill van Persie’s prolific boots, the decision was met with much derision and disbelief amongst Arsenal fans and pundits alike.
The Emirates faithful had pinned their hopes on Wenger being able to attract one of the world’s best. They had not been prepared for what most considered a cheap, at just under £10 million, alternative. Little was known about Giroud in England. But the big French forward had just guided unfancied Montpellier to the Ligue 1 championship for the first and only time in their history, topping the French goalscoring charts in the process with 21 goals. This wasn’t a race for the title competing with the all-conquering Qatari-backed Paris Saint- Germain outfit that we are now accustomed to watching dominate Le Championnat year in year out, but nevertheless was an outstanding achievement for a club with little title-winning pedigree. Understandably the Montpellier faithful were desperate to keep hold of their goal getting hero.
Giroud’s Record
Undeterred by the vocal dismay of the club’s fans, Wenger got his man and since signing, Giroud has gone on to score 64 league goals in his four-and-a-half seasons in North London, and 92 goals in all competitions. It is a decent record without doubt, averaging 14.22 league goals a season to date. But is it title-inspiring form? Many fans remain unconvinced. This season, Giroud has notched seven league goals from 15 appearances after returning from a number of niggling injuries encountered following the summer’s European Championships.
In his absence, Wenger has deployed Alexis Sánchez as the central striker and the Chilean superstar has responded superbly to leading the line with 15 league goals so far. Theo Walcott has also returned to form chipping in with some vital goals while fellow forward Danny Welbeck made a timely return to action at the weekend from a long injury lay-off to boost Arsenal’s title push, scoring a brace of goals in the FA Cup win over Southampton.
A Scorer of Important Goals
Giroud finding form of late has provided another added bonus, the French international contributing a number of vitally important goals in matches where Arsenal had struggled to make the breakthrough without him on the pitch. In late October, after more than month away from Premier League action through injury, he scored just two minutes after entering the field of play when Arsenal looked to be heading for a disappointing draw at Sunderland, before sealing the win with his second just minutes later.
Trailing 1-0 at Old Trafford to Manchester United, and without an effort on goal all match, Giroud rose highest in the 90th minute, after once again coming on as a substitute, to head home and steal a scarcely-deserved point for the away team when defeat had looked inevitable. After more than a month without a league goal, Giroud’s late header secured a priceless Boxing Day win over West Brom before he followed it up on New Year’s Day with a goal of the season contender scorpion kick against Crystal Palace in a 2-0 win.
His knack of notching late and important goals continued against Bournemouth when he completed a stirring Arsenal fight back from three goals down with a header in injury time. And continuing his impressive run of form, he scored for a fourth match in a row when he fired home the opener to send Arsenal en route to a crushing 4-0 win over hapless Swansea in Paul Clement’s first game as Swans boss.
More Than a Goalscorer
Although not prolific by any stretch of the imagination like Diego Costa, Harry Kane or Sergio Aguero of title rivals Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City, Giroud offers far more than just goals to the team. His burly presence often creates space for others to exploit and his ability in the air in both penalty boxes adds another dimension to a team often accused of being bullied too easily.
While many have chosen to lay the blame for Arsenal’s inability to stake a sustained title challenge over the years at the door of the club’s forwards, Giroud included, it is too simplistic to point the finger solely in this direction. Wenger must take his share of the responsibility too. Not since the departure of inspirational captain Patrick Vieira have Arsenal had a leader who could grab a game by the scruff of the neck when things weren’t going well and inspire his teammates to victory when perhaps it was undeserving.
Currently lying second in the league, eight points behind pacesetters Chelsea, the Gunners are third favourites in the Premier League title odds markets with most bookies. You can even find them priced as long as 8/1 if you fancy a flutter.
If Arsenal are to break their hoodoo this May, they won’t need Giroud to finish the season as the division’s top goalscorer, as he did when firing Montpellier to their sole title triumph back in 2012, but they will probably need him to come close to his best return of 16 league goals in an Arsenal shirt, achieved both last season and in 2013/14. Only time will tell if he has it in him.
