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

[I Hate Hleb]

But why edit when it's more simple to just delete?

[franksav63]

I like Smudger, always have and always will and if he see's fit to criticise our club, then good for him, there's plenty to criticise at the moment, and there's too far many of our old players who come out with the same shit, i.e. Paul ''we should be careful what we wish for'' Merson, who constantly lick Wenger's crack.

[northbank123]

I remember him saying throughout 09/10 that we would never win the league (or indeed any major trophy) with a keeper as poor as Almunia. And he was proved right as Almunia made fuck-ups at key times (well just about all times really). In fact, he's bashed on about our failure to sign players in various positions - but he rarely if ever blames Wenger for these failures - it's always "Arsenal's failure" but then when we limp to 4th it'll be Wenger performing miracles.

[highburyJD]

Almunia is still the hardest to understand Wenger decision for me

[QuartzGooner]

My letter about Giroud on ANR, 3 October 2013.


http://www.arsenalnewsreview.co.uk/inde ... bag-Part-2


From QuartzGooner: The Elephant in the Marble Halls

Hi Myles,

Hope you are in rude health?

I am not getting carried away with Arsenal's current winning streak.
Whilst a joy to see some of the tight passing, the iron willed Ramsey overcome post-injury loss of form, and the incredible touch of Ozil, there remains one cold hard fact facing us Arsenal fans.
An injury to Giroud, and we are in trouble.

He is working very hard without much respite. How long can he hold out or will fatigue lead to a minor muscle strain which in turn leads to worse?

Our other striker options are at time of writing not proven as lone strikers in top flight football, and some are injured.

I think I speak for many fans when I say I am "On tenterhooks".

[1989]

[A dallying Gus Caesar]

I wondered why this thread had gone so quiet of late. Looks like my opening salvo comparing Giroud's first season to Smith's may not have been that far wide of the mark.

For those that have poured vitriol at Giroud throughout the course of this thread, shame on you. Looks like you were wrong about the guy. It happens.

Any chance that the title of the thread could be put back to its original form, as the variation quite clearly now looks very silly. Again, we all make errors.

[Ryanswannell]

I wondered why this thread had gone so quiet of late. Looks like my opening salvo comparing Giroud's first season to Smith's may not have been that far wide of the mark.

For those that have poured vitriol at Giroud throughout the course of this thread, shame on you. Looks like you were wrong about the guy. It happens.

Any chance that the title of the thread could be put back to its original form, as the variation quite clearly now looks very silly. Again, we all make errors.

Maybe this thread has gone quiet because someone posted a picture of our striker with his arse hanging out, I'd certainly struggle to get the thread going again after that

[northbank123]

He's certainly on his way to proving a lot of people's opinions premature.

BUT he's a long way off proving that he's good enough to be main striker in this side if we insist on 4-5-1 imo. He was asked to play a very difficult role last 2 games but was pretty awful in both with the header for Ramsey's goal being a sole highlight, and whilst our tactics against United were awful we still needed a striker good enough to at least make something of the role.

[SteveO 35]

He's certainly on his way to proving a lot of people's opinions premature.

BUT he's a long way off proving that he's good enough to be main striker in this side if we insist on 4-5-1 imo. He was asked to play a very difficult role last 2 games but was pretty awful in both with the header for Ramsey's goal being a sole highlight, and whilst our tactics against United were awful we still needed a striker good enough to at least make something of the role.

I was the first and loudest to slate the guy something rotten, so I'll hold my hands up and say that he has shoved the words down my throat and performed at a level that I thought was way above him. He still frustrates the fuck out of me with the constant head rubbing and outstretched arms at the ref and at times like on Sunday I wish he'd man up.......but he has had some other games (Spurs, Liverpool) where he has performed a difficult lone striker role very well indeed

Wenger will of course fuck him up by playing him every single week because he has no other option - unless you want Postman Pat or the Drunken Dane leading the line

[northbank123]

He's certainly on his way to proving a lot of people's opinions premature.

BUT he's a long way off proving that he's good enough to be main striker in this side if we insist on 4-5-1 imo. He was asked to play a very difficult role last 2 games but was pretty awful in both with the header for Ramsey's goal being a sole highlight, and whilst our tactics against United were awful we still needed a striker good enough to at least make something of the role.

I was the first and loudest to slate the guy something rotten, so I'll hold my hands up and say that he has shoved the words down my throat and performed at a level that I thought was way above him. He still frustrates the fuck out of me with the constant head rubbing and outstretched arms at the ref and at times like on Sunday I wish he'd man up.......but he has had some other games (Spurs, Liverpool) where he has performed a difficult lone striker role very well indeed

Wenger will of course fuck him up by playing him every single week because he has no other option - unless you want Postman Pat or the Drunken Dane leading the line

He was absolutely superb in that Spurs game, best game in an Arsenal shirt by a distance imo.

But if you want to win the PL the reality is you need a quality striker who'll win you points in games you just don't deserve. Perfect case in point on Sunday - after about 80 minutes he got the ball on the edge of the box, dropped the shoulder nicely but then dallied slightly and we failed to get a shot off. Maybe a van Persie or an Aguero makes half a yard and slams that past the keeper. Really adds up over the course of a season.

[SteveO 35]

He's certainly on his way to proving a lot of people's opinions premature.

BUT he's a long way off proving that he's good enough to be main striker in this side if we insist on 4-5-1 imo. He was asked to play a very difficult role last 2 games but was pretty awful in both with the header for Ramsey's goal being a sole highlight, and whilst our tactics against United were awful we still needed a striker good enough to at least make something of the role.

I was the first and loudest to slate the guy something rotten, so I'll hold my hands up and say that he has shoved the words down my throat and performed at a level that I thought was way above him. He still frustrates the fuck out of me with the constant head rubbing and outstretched arms at the ref and at times like on Sunday I wish he'd man up.......but he has had some other games (Spurs, Liverpool) where he has performed a difficult lone striker role very well indeed

Wenger will of course fuck him up by playing him every single week because he has no other option - unless you want Postman Pat or the Drunken Dane leading the line

He was absolutely superb in that Spurs game, best game in an Arsenal shirt by a distance imo.

But if you want to win the PL the reality is you need a quality striker who'll win you points in games you just don't deserve. Perfect case in point on Sunday - after about 80 minutes he got the ball on the edge of the box, dropped the shoulder nicely but then dallied slightly and we failed to get a shot off. Maybe a van Persie or an Aguero makes half a yard and slams that past the keeper. Really adds up over the course of a season.

In fairness to him in that Spurs game, he did win us one that could have gone either way, both with the finish and his overall performance....but I get your point generally.....which is why the likes of Higuain and Suarez cost what they do. Van Persie, Aguero, Suarez - will rise to the top season after season and will win you the games that matter. Every season there'll be a Holt, Michu, Papiss Cisse, Ba who will come along and do it for one year or part of a year........but a club like Arsenal needs to be signing one of the Category A strikers if they want to progress from being a 4th placed trophy side to one that actually wins things

[DB10GOONER]

He's certainly on his way to proving a lot of people's opinions premature.

BUT he's a long way off proving that he's good enough to be main striker in this side if we insist on 4-5-1 imo. He was asked to play a very difficult role last 2 games but was pretty awful in both with the header for Ramsey's goal being a sole highlight, and whilst our tactics against United were awful we still needed a striker good enough to at least make something of the role.

I was the first and loudest to slate the guy something rotten, so I'll hold my hands up and say that he has shoved the words down my throat and performed at a level that I thought was way above him. He still frustrates the fuck out of me with the constant head rubbing and outstretched arms at the ref and at times like on Sunday I wish he'd man up.......but he has had some other games (Spurs, Liverpool) where he has performed a difficult lone striker role very well indeed

Wenger will of course fuck him up by playing him every single week because he has no other option - unless you want Postman Pat or the Drunken Dane leading the line

He was absolutely superb in that Spurs game, best game in an Arsenal shirt by a distance imo.

But if you want to win the PL the reality is you need a quality striker who'll win you points in games you just don't deserve. Perfect case in point on Sunday - after about 80 minutes he got the ball on the edge of the box, dropped the shoulder nicely but then dallied slightly and we failed to get a shot off. Maybe a van Persie or an Aguero makes half a yard and slams that past the keeper. Really adds up over the course of a season.

In fairness to him in that Spurs game, he did win us one that could have gone either way, both with the finish and his overall performance....but I get your point generally.....which is why the likes of Higuain and Suarez cost what they do. Van Persie, Aguero, Suarez - will rise to the top season after season and will win you the games that matter. Every season there'll be a Holt, Michu, Papiss Cisse, Ba who will come along and do it for one year or part of a year........but a club like Arsenal needs to be signing one of the Category A strikers if they want to progress from being a 4th placed trophy side to one that actually wins things

Absolutely agree 100% with both of you. I defended Giroud somewhat since he started but always with the qualifier of he isn't a world class striker but he can make a decent contribution. He has made a decent contribution but we still need a world class striker. You cannot win the PL without a 20+ PL goals a season striker. Giroud, if he stays fit might hit that 20+ this season but I agree with SteveO that it's more likely Wenger will burn him out long before then.

[Revgoon89]

Guy plays his heart out each game, but without any cover his contribution to the team will just diminish without a rest.

But when the only available backup is Postman Pat and Barry Bender, what can you do, not signing a proven strike in January will be criminal.

[Brady's left peg]

Guy plays his heart out each game, but without any cover his contribution to the team will just diminish without a rest.

But when the only available backup is Postman Pat and Barry Bender, what can you do, not signing a proven strike in January will be criminal.

Not signing a proven striker this summer was criminal.