Arsenal: Olivier Giroud Finding Vindication In Flatlining

Arsenal had, for a long time, had a supposed “Olivier Giroud problem” but as the club flatlines with him a mere shadow, wouldn’t the Frenchman be vindicated?

There are some causes that I will not until they are fully realized. At the top of that list of causes is seeing Olivier Giroud finally appreciated for what he has done with Arsenal. For too long he has been the sole scapegoat for the Gunners not achieving greatness.

They’d say he was the one part of the team that wasn’t class enough. They’d call him a lamp post. They’d say that as soon as we got that world class striker, we’d win a title.

Well, we got that world class striker, or found him, really, and we are farther from winning it than ever before in Wenger’s tenure.

And where is Olivier Giroud?

A supporting cast. Way off in the distance, not even much of a thought to receive the blame. Instead, that blame is falling on the actual world class players that were supposed to solve the “Giroud problem.”

So my question is: Doesn’t this at least somewhat vindicate Giroud and how much blame he took in his early years? He was public enemy No. 1, yet his supporting cast was composed of the likes of Mathieu Flamini. There wasn’t a lot there, yet Arsenal stayed in the top four throughout his reign as the sole No. 9, even as everyone (Giroud included) was calling for a new striker to provide competition.

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Now Alexis has taken over and the club is doing worse than before. They sit in sixth place, behind even Jose Mourinho and the Red Devils, and the level of talent on this club is much, much higher than in the 2012, 2013 days.

Alexis is undoubtedly a massive asset to the club, but even he has not been able to rescue the Gunners from the depths of their despair. Nor has Mesut Ozil. Nor have the three new quality signings that Wenger brought in to up the ante even more.

The Giroud-led Gunners were in much better shape, points-wise, than the current, bedazzled Gunners.

At a time that is ripe with doom-saying and prophesying, I am taking immense pleasure in seeing that Giroud is not one of those at the end of the finger pointing. In fact, his 14 goals in just over 1200 minutes ranks in as second best on the team in terms of goal production. Only Lucas Perez has done better.

Next: Arsenal's Potential XI Under Thomas Tuchel

Giroud is having a fantastic season behind the scenes, and he deserves some big time credit for that.

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