Arsenal: Olivier Giroud’s Confidence Must Be Protected

Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud stated that he was affected by France’s fans booing him during the Euros. As a confidence player, it must be protected this season.

Man management is a key aspect of modern day managers. Many footballers nowadays are sensitive souls, offended at the slightest word or deed out of line, ashamed at one poor performance, vilified by the public no matter what they do. Some characters can handle such public pressure with ease. Others struggle greatly to overcome the might of the many. Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud lives by the latter.

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Confidence players are always difficult to manage. When they’re playing well, things are falling right, then keeping them at their best is easy. Performances flow as easily as the praise from their manager’s lips. It is when things turn sour and difficulties are faced that such players need support, rather than further criticism.

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For Giroud, he has always been a streaky player, allowing his goal droughts to plague him before scoring nine in ten and playing like a man possessed. He allows the fans’ opinion, rightly or wrongly, to effect his game. The French international opened up about the struggles he faced when with the national side earlier in the summer when he was booed for replacing Karim Benzema in the squad under rather controversial circumstances:

"“I immediately realised that the people who booed me were not anti-Giroud, but pro-Benzema. It could not be otherwise. I came from a great season with Arsenal. It was just disappointing. It annoyed me. I was not even remotely responsible for this story and I did not understand the kind of hatred that developed against me.”"

The criticism that Giroud faced for the French side was wholly unfair. The Benzema omission had nothing to do with him and he was playing well in his stead. And yet the French faithful thought it acceptable to boo him with every touch. What is evidently clear in these comments, however, is that Giroud does take pride in how he is viewed by the fans.

That may not be a wise and mentally strong position to take, but that is his nature. Consequently, while trying to improve on reacting criticism, Arsene Wenger must very carefully manage Giroud so that he protects his confidence throughout the coming season. A three-month goal drought last year was enough reason to highlight the importance of maintaining a confident Giroud. Wenger will have to avoid such disastrous circumstances once again this year.

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Giroud’s mentally fragile state has rightly been criticised. He certainly needs to be able to handle criticism and bouts of poor form with far more maturity and intelligence. However, Wenger must also play apart in managing his star man. He is, after all, his manager, and getting the best out of his star players is ultimately Wenger’s job. Protecting Giroud’s confidence is essential if he is to have a positive upcoming year.