Olivier Giroud's 5 best goals for Arsenal

It was not the biggest footballing news of the day, there were 115 reasons why that was the case, but Olivier Giroud all but confirmed he will retire at the end of this season. The 40 year old is still LOSC Lille's starting centre-forward, and will return to Emirates Stadium with les Dogues in the Champions League on 13 October.

Thus, this gives us an opportunity to assess his Arsenal legacy. Across five and a half seasons in North London, the Frenchman scored 105 goals in 253 appearances. In the club's entire history, only 19 men have ever surpassed 100 goals for the Gunners.

However, Giroud is more widely remembered for missing chances during the second half of the 2015/16 season, as well as the fact he departed for Chelsea, infamously scoring against Arsenal during the horror show that was the Europa League Final at the Bakı Olimpiya Stadionu.

He may not have been a great goal-scorer, but Giroud was undeniably a scorer of great goals. Once he does retire, he'll have one of the best YouTube compilations of any football in history. So, we look back at his best five in an Arsenal shirt; there were plenty to choose from!

5) Liverpool (A) - 2015/16

As Arsène Wenger's side sought to keep pace with Premier League leaders Leicester City, they played out a six-goal thriller with recently-appointed Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool. Having twice equaliser, the visitors then went in front shortly after half time, thanks to this sublime touch, swivel and strike from Giroud.

It would have been a worthy match winner but, on this occasion, did not prove to be; Joe Allen firing home a stoppage time equaliser in front of the Kop.

4) West Ham (H) -13/14

Many of these goals underline that Giroud is far from just your average target man, despite how he might first appear. Had Dennis Bergkamp scored this goal against West Ham in April 2014, we'd all be raving about it for ever.

A long pass forward by Thomas Vermaelen found Giroud who, in one motion, held off the defender, touched the ball out of the sky and lashed beyond Adrián. A very underrated, forgotten strike.

3) Manchester United (H) - 2014/15

On a similar theme, this goal is often forgotten too, given the context. In November 2014, Arsenal were beaten 2-1 by Louis van Gaal's Manchester United at home, with Wayne Rooney sealing the win five minutes from time. After that though, Giroud scored one of the best consolation goals you'll ever see.

A hopeful ball forward by Mikel Arteta, whatever happened to him, seems to have run away for Giroud, only for the Frenchman to, somehow, connect with it as sweet as you like and find the top corner; David de Gea barely even smelt it.

2) Red Star Belgrade (A) - 2017/18

Arsenal's time in the Europa League, specifically the group stages, have been, Men In Black style, wiped from the consciousness of most supporters. However, we want to take you back to October 2017, when UEFA's second-tier competition still felt fresh and exciting, ok well sort of.

Wenger's team made it three wins out of three in Group H with a 1-0 victory over Crvena zvezda at the Marakana. The night's only goal, coming five minutes from time, was certainly worth the wait. A classic Wenger free-flowing team move, featuring Reiss Nelson, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott, was finished off by a Giroud overhead kick. In a more glamorous context, this would be more widely remembered than it is.

1) Crystal Palace (H) - 2016/17

There can only be one goal that takes first place can't there? You knew it when you first starting reading this article! In 2017, Giroud was awarded the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal scored anywhere in world football, and it is difficult to argue with that.

On New Year's Day, Giroud kick-starts a rapid counter attack with an impudent little flick, releases Alex Iwobi, who moves the ball onto Alexis Sánchez and his cross finds a Frenchman who, sprinting at full pelt, pulls off a scorpion kick, the likes of which we've rarely seen before or since. The improvisation and uniqueness of this strike mean it will remain one of the best the Premier League has ever seen.

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