Olivier Giroud - Another Alan Smith or "Le Chapman"?

[SteveO 35]

It was nice to turn over the Arsenal calendar today and see my favourite player there on April Fools Day....somewhat fitting

[donaldo]

If Arsenal as a club were honest about their ambitions then it wouldn't be so bad.

Giroud is the type of footballer that will have you punting around in 4th, 5th, 6th. And thats fine, if indeed 4th, 5th, 6th is the sum total of your ambition.

But when you harp on about wanting to challenge for the very best trophies, a player of Girouds calibre just ain't gonna get you them. Hand on heart JD, in any other top league, that's top league, in European football which club in the top 2 of those leagues do you think would make a sizeable offer for him and have him spearhead their assault on first place?

He's a bit like Bendtner in that some of the parts of his game cannot be improved on any more. His touch. Thats as good as its ever gonna get now. Ever.

didnt he strike Montpellier to the Ligue 1 title over big spending PSG? French league might not the biggest of European leagues but still has some good teams...Drogba came from Marseille after all.

I say give him time, he's already surpassed Drogba's first season stats but Drogba stepped into a title winning calibre side, thats a big difference. He's a good addition to the squad and has the right attitude, unlike Bendtner who you mentioned.

Give him time and he will improve like Forehead and Santos did.10 league goals for an Arsenal centre forward at the start of April is pitiful.Behind Benteke Lambert and Fletcher all playing for teams fighting relegation

[northbank123]

If Arsenal as a club were honest about their ambitions then it wouldn't be so bad.

Giroud is the type of footballer that will have you punting around in 4th, 5th, 6th. And thats fine, if indeed 4th, 5th, 6th is the sum total of your ambition.

But when you harp on about wanting to challenge for the very best trophies, a player of Girouds calibre just ain't gonna get you them. Hand on heart JD, in any other top league, that's top league, in European football which club in the top 2 of those leagues do you think would make a sizeable offer for him and have him spearhead their assault on first place?

He's a bit like Bendtner in that some of the parts of his game cannot be improved on any more. His touch. Thats as good as its ever gonna get now. Ever.

didnt he strike Montpellier to the Ligue 1 title over big spending PSG? French league might not the biggest of European leagues but still has some good teams...Drogba came from Marseille after all.

I say give him time, he's already surpassed Drogba's first season stats but Drogba stepped into a title winning calibre side, thats a big difference. He's a good addition to the squad and has the right attitude, unlike Bendtner who you mentioned.

Give him time and he will improve like Forehead and Santos did.10 league goals for an Arsenal centre forward at the start of April is pitiful.Behind Benteke Lambert and Fletcher all playing for teams fighting relegation

Exactly - off the back of a decent performance against the worst side in the division Wenger is telling us all how much Gervinho continues to improve. It's fucking insulting.

With Giroud it's not a case of adapting - a rapist's touch and continuous brainfucks in front of goal are inherent problems.

[Big_G]

Dennis Bergkamp 1st season at Arsenal
Appearances 41 Goals 16 (11 league) Assists 10

Olivier Giroud's first season at Arsenal (so far)
Appearances 42 Goals 16 Assists 13

I know stats aren't everything before you throw that at me but I just think why are people writing him off before he's even finished a whole season?

Main reason is the landscape has changed and people want instant reward...chairmans sacking managers too soon, supporters writing off players too soon...if Dennis had joined in 2012 and scored only 11 league goals, he would probably be ripped apart by the negativity around here

[arseofacrow]

Dennis Bergkamp 1st season at Arsenal
Appearances 41 Goals 16 (11 league) Assists 10

Olivier Giroud's first season at Arsenal (so far)
Appearances 42 Goals 16 Assists 13

I know stats aren't everything before you throw that at me but I just think why are people writing him off before he's even finished a whole season?

Main reason is the landscape has changed and people want instant reward...chairmans sacking managers too soon, supporters writing off players too soon...if Dennis had joined in 2012 and scored only 11 league goals, he would probably be ripped apart by the negativity around here

Go to your room and think about what you've done!

[Big_G]

Im not comparing Giroud to Dennis, just the stats, I am just saying people would moan about Dennis' first season stats in 2013

[arseofacrow]

I think you did compare!

I'll leave it there.

[Number 5]

in any other top league, that's top league, in European football which club in the top 2 of those leagues do you think would make a sizeable offer for him and have him spearhead their assault on first place?

didnt he strike Montpellier to the Ligue 1 title over big spending PSG? French league might not the biggest of European leagues

England
Germany
Spain
Italy

None of the teams that reside in the top two positions in those top European leagues would touch Giroud with a 10 foot bargepoll.

That is all you need to know. He's a bad football player in an average football club. No more no less.

[northbank123]

This was discussed a long time ago but if you even think about using Dennis Bergkamp as a realistic comparator for Giroud you should be sodomised then executed.

[Number 5]

This was discussed a long time ago but if you even think about using Dennis Bergkamp as a realistic comparator for Giroud you should be sodomised then executed.

By the whole forum?

Fuck it. I'm up for that.

But I'm going first. Dibs.

[Big_G]

This was discussed a long time ago but if you even think about using Dennis Bergkamp as a realistic comparator for Giroud you should be sodomised then executed.

as i stated, i compared stats only, Dennis has a football brain beyond anyone who's graced a football pitch

[northbank123]

This was discussed a long time ago but if you even think about using Dennis Bergkamp as a realistic comparator for Giroud you should be sodomised then executed.

as i stated, i compared stats only, Dennis has a football brain beyond anyone who's graced a football pitch

But shouldn't be compared at all. Had Bergkamp shown he had an unbelievable footballing brain and ability beyond the wildest imagination of 99.99% of top-level professional footballers to go with those stats then maybe it would be relevant.

[clockender1]

i still like Giroud. i know he's been hit an miss but sometimes he has worked hard and he has shown a deft touch.

he's scored 19 goals including a couple of crackers for France.

i think he'll turn out like grimandi, wiltord or flamini - useful but not world class. i'd still rather have him up front than Bendtner or Vela.

i like pod too. with a manager this year this team could have challenged for second and won a cup maybe.

[1989]

Dennis Bergkamp 1st season at Arsenal
Appearances 41 Goals 16 (11 league) Assists 10

Olivier Giroud's first season at Arsenal (so far)
Appearances 42 Goals 16 Assists 13

I know stats aren't everything before you throw that at me but I just think why are people writing him off before he's even finished a whole season?

Main reason is the landscape has changed and people want instant reward...chairmans sacking managers too soon, supporters writing off players too soon...if Dennis had joined in 2012 and scored only 11 league goals, he would probably be ripped apart by the negativity around here

What these stats don't tell you is that Dennis' role was different to Giroud's as he played in a withdrawn forward role in his first season with Wrighty the furthest man upfront. Giroud plays furthest forward now and he should be expected to score as many goals as he has when you put his role into consideration. Stats don't take things like that into account and that's why they're often very misleading.

[flash gunner]

Big_G - WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE!!!!!