(All statistics in this piece are from WhoScored and Squawka.)
Over a year ago, I wrote ‘Olivier Giroud: A bit more than what meets the eye’ for Football Paradise. The Frenchman has already come a long way since then, with his second season just gone. But go on to any Arsenal forum or blog, or just have a peek at Twitter and you will find a wide array of opinions on Giroud – ranging from he’s not fit to wear the Arsenal shirt, to he’s a good striker but we need better, to he’s exactly what we need only if he improves in certain areas. I’m here to provide a level-headed response based on a few observations and statistics.
Bought in the summer of 2012 following the departure of Robin Van Persie, Giroud arrived with unrealistic expectations on his shoulders before he had even kicked a ball in an Arsenal shirt. In a first season that was a mixed bag, he scored 11 goals in the League (34 total appearances) and 2 in the Champions League (7 total appearances) with 3 and 4 assists respectively. A pretty respectable total for any newcomer or regular in the English Premier League.
With 16 goals and 8 assists in 36 PL appearances in the 2013-14 season, the Frenchman has certainly moved ahead. A 22 goals tally from all competitions in a second season at a club like Arsenal is a good return from the main centre-forward. It is not his fault that Wenger hasn’t brought in another striker to ease the pressure off of him, and to his credit, he has improved – on his own merits as well as with the arrival of Ozil, the explosive form of Ramsey and the growing understanding between him and his team-mates. You can also see it in his general confidence and on-pitch attitude which has steadily increased after a slow, inconsistent start in his debut season.