5 Takeaways from Arsenal’s Dismantling of Lyon in Emirates Cup

5. Olivier Giroud was on fire

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There were not too many players out there who needed to make a statement more than Olivier Giroud. The hulking French forward finished the season ice cold, as he failed to score in eight of his last nine matches. For a striker trying to establish himself among the world’s masterclass, that is unacceptable, especially at a time when they needed him most.

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It did not get much better for Giroud after the season ended, as he put up a shabby performance for the French National team before similarly disappointing in the Singapore tour.

However, against Lyon, Olivier Giroud reminded us how stellar he can be. His atomic head (or shoulder, perhaps) broke the scoring barrage open as he placed a lofted ball perfectly into the far corner.

That would be all of his scoring, but the rest of his play shined bright (like a diamond) until his substitution. Giroud showed masterful hold-play and was involved in nearly every goal while he was on the pitch. He set up the Ox for the second goal of the game and he also set up Ozil for the fifth goal.

This is a big season for Giroud, but if he does what he did against Lyon, he will be just fine.

Next: Emiliano Martinez