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Olivier Giroud: Big Frenchman Key to Arsenal’s Attack

  By O-Posts Team | December 7, 2012 - 17:41 | ,
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With no obvious replacement yet again within the squad for Giroud, Arsenal have found themselves reliant on a single striker like last season when they were dependable on Robin Van Persie who shipped in the summer to rivals Manchester United for a fee of £24m. Olivier Giroud is a big, tall (6ft 3in), French striker who played for last season’s French champions Montpellier.

He netted 25 goals last season helping the club to a historic league triumph; their first ever. Arsenal will be short in strikers on January due to Gervinho going to AFCON, and it is understood that Wenger is ready to bring back Thierry Henry on loan from New York Red Bull for a third spell at the club which many fans see as a dubious move.

Any short terms deals leaves Arsenal in the similar position to the one they were last season. This time something similar is happening with Giroud. Giroud is a different animal to his predecessor and though he has a long way to go to reach the level he was last season with Montpellier. He’s the team’s one reliable and natural striker, and there is no replacement for him within the squad should find himself sidelined with an injury.

Podolski could have a go but it seems he is more suited at his normal role on left wing, while Walcott would like to have a shot but Wenger has denied the idea because he lack the faculties to lead the line.

It has become increasingly clear over the past weeks that Giroud is an important element in Arsenal’s attacking strategy. He showed that when he was playing his old club in the Champions League, where he pulled off a strong performance by racking up two assists for his collection. The first was a classic big-man knock-down where he hung up and nodded the ball down for Wilshere to slot his first goal since returning from a long term injury.

Then he found his inner Alex Song, and scooped a deft pass for Podolski to volley in with stirring ferocity.

Despite his slow start to the season, he has managed to score 7 goals in his 11 starts and assisting 6 in all competitions. His hold-up play, strength, excellent positioning and aerial prowess are his biggest assets, qualities that give opposition defences a hard time and something to think about, and another dimension and useful outlet for a side not known for its reliance on long balls and such.

So injuries to the likes of Giroud and Podolski, particularly the big Frenchman, would severely hamper the Gunners and might force Wenger and co. to go all out in convincing the incoming Henry to stay until the end of the season.

 

Written by Peter Tomi

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Arsenal vs Montpellier: Slow and Steady wins the race

  By O-Posts Team | November 22, 2012 - 17:02 | , , , ,
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Jack Wilshere has recently returned to full form with his childhood club Arsenal and today he made an impact like no other. After being 14 months in the shadows, Jack Wilshere has broken out into the lime light with an almighty bang. He pushed personal fears of deprivation aside as he scored his first goal for Arsenal since returning from his long stretch of injury.

If Arsenal ever needed to win a game, it was this match against Montpellier at the Emirates which was vital. If Arsenal didn’t secure these three points, then it was all over red rover for the club as they would be on their way to bidding farewell to the UEFA Champions League.

After a tentative first half, Arsenal were entering the second half with the definite need of these three points hanging above their heads. It took none other than the man with the fire in his belly to break the silence. Jack Wilshere, the player with the determination of a champion, broke the dead lock with a chip over the keeper with his left foot. After a trivial header from Olivier Giroud, the Englishman beat the keeper to tap the ball in, wildly celebrating afterwards with fans and the Arsenal medical staff.

Olivier Giroud also set up Lukas Podolski who scored an absolute cracker to break the hearts of many Montpellier fans. Giroud set an overhead pass with his left foot to his German counterpart who smashed his volley past the Montpellier keeper into the back of the net. This was Podolski’s third goal in three games for his new club and it was a kick of ferociousness to seal the game for the Gunners.

“You always know with Olivier that you will get a guy who fights for the team. Technically it was not one of his best games, but after matches when you measure his performance it is [often] decisive. He had two assists here. Defensively he is always very reliable,” says the Arsenal manager, complimenting Giroud.

Montpellier put up a fight against the Red of North London but you can’t beat a team full of Cannons.

In other news from the UEFA Champions League, the fate of 13 teams has been decided.
While FC Porto, Paris Saint Germain, AC Milan, Arsenal FC, FC Schalke 04, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Malaga CF have qualified to the last 16 – with Borussia Dortmund and Malaga topping their group – FC Dynamo Kyiv and Olympiacos have sealed their place in the UEFA Europa League whereas GNK Dinamo Zagreb and Montpellier Herault SC have been eliminated.

“I’m very proud,” he said. “Thirteen times in a row we [have] qualified… it’s most difficult to be consistent at our level. It is a credit to the club, because it is not as easy as it looks. If you look all over Europe, there are not many teams who do it,” Arsene Wenger expresses proudly.

 

Wenger’s post match conference:

 

Written by Siobhan Pedroza

Follow her on Twitter @briefcase_wanka

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