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Olivier Giroud’s Arsenal Resurgence A Product Of His Own Determination
By Josh Sippie
Olivier Giroud has a history of confidence problems. Arsene Wenger has pointed it out and Olivier Giroud himself has pointed it out. When it goes bad, it really goes bad. Giroud finished last year with eight straight game without scoring a goal. And that was directly after his previous streak of 16 goals in 22 games. Those bursts are entirely reliant on good fortune to get him back into the swing of things.
This burst is different. After being booed off the pitch by French fans and being benched by Arsene Wenger for Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud was in a situation that he had never been in before.
“I have never experienced a situation like this, I have often played from the start. I need to take positives and to harden myself mentally. It is something new for me,” Giroud said back in early October (via the Guardian). He made these statements after notching both of France’s goals against Denmark.
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But whether or not he could actually harden his mentality was still up for question. As mentioned, he had never really done it before. He was always assured of having a starting spot. As such, he was never really at risk and had no reason to forcibly pick himself up. This time he has.
This time, Olivier Giroud rose from his second-rate position, like a phoenix from the ashes (had to get that simile in somewhere). The Frenchman is averaging over a goal per 90 minutes, and as I have covered in the past, that puts him in some pretty elite company. All of this in the face of some of the steepest obstacles he has ever had to face.
So who deserves the credit? Was it just a turn of the tide? A switch in fortune? Not at all. This resurgence is all credited to Olivier Giroud. In 42 minutes of substitute time prior to his well-deserved Everton start, Giroud earned himself two goals. Call it a byproduct of coming in late and having to deal with tired defenders if you want. But then we get to Everton.
With Olivier Giroud back in the starting lineup, Arsenal figured to take the aerial route to a victory, at least from the start. That is exactly what they did. Giroud scored on a beautiful cross from Ozil that he flicked on masterfully with the top of his head. It was a class goal that, as Lee Dixon put it, would not have been scored without Giroud on the pitch. The deft touch with the top of his head was not the touch of a lamp post.
Giroud made himself known on the pitch, doing exactly what a starting forward should do. He boxed out the Toffees defense on just about every aerial duel. He even completed near 90% of his passes, well above the Frenchman’s average. He hit the crossbar as well. It was a superb all around day for Giroud. But it had been a superb few months for Giroud, this match merely highlighted it. Olivier Giroud is much more than a super sub. He can maintain that same level of intensity that he brings in the 65th minute throughout 90 minutes.
Next: What Pokemon Is Olivier Giroud?