Chelsea’s FA Cup final against Arsenal is on Saturday 1st August. Frank Lampard will undeniably be looking to win his first major trophy as manager and add to Chelsea’s impressive FA cup record this century.
One man Frank Lampard may be looking towards for this crucial game is Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has been in mouth-watering form since the Premier League’s restart (having scored again on the final day against Wolves, securing a top four finish for Lampard), but for Giroud, goalscoring in this manner is nothing new.
Throughout his career, he has often been overlooked. Few are willing to recognise Giroud as the clinical goal scorer that he really is. To many, his record of goals and trophies both domestically and internationally will be surprising. However, these accolades are simply a testament to the hard-working, intelligent forward that Giroud actually is.
The opening goal of Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against an in-form Man United can be described as classic Giroud. As Azpilicueta broke into the space ahead of him on the right-wing, Giroud was alive in the box. His deceiving acceleration, fuelled by his unteachable eye for goal, saw him usher his way past and in front of Harry Maguire. By the time Azpilicueta delivered the ball, Giroud was free to tuck the ball away with the outside of his left boot from six yards.
One man Frank Lampard may be looking towards for this crucial game is Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman has been in mouth-watering form since the Premier League’s restart (having scored again on the final day against Wolves, securing a top four finish for Lampard), but for Giroud, goalscoring in this manner is nothing new.
Throughout his career, he has often been overlooked. Few are willing to recognise Giroud as the clinical goal scorer that he really is. To many, his record of goals and trophies both domestically and internationally will be surprising. However, these accolades are simply a testament to the hard-working, intelligent forward that Giroud actually is.
The opening goal of Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final against an in-form Man United can be described as classic Giroud. As Azpilicueta broke into the space ahead of him on the right-wing, Giroud was alive in the box. His deceiving acceleration, fuelled by his unteachable eye for goal, saw him usher his way past and in front of Harry Maguire. By the time Azpilicueta delivered the ball, Giroud was free to tuck the ball away with the outside of his left boot from six yards.
Giroud celebrates with Reece James after scoring the opener in the semi-final nine days ago
The Frenchman is adept at getting into these positions in the box and tucking home. For Arsenal fans, his time at The Emirates will be remembered for goals of this fashion, created by the likes of Alexis Sánchez and Mesut Özil. His five-year stint at Arsenal is often not given the credit it is owed. He achieved double figures in Premier League goals in all five seasons – with 16 goals in both 2013/14 and 2015/16 being his highest. This is no mean feat. You need to be serial goalscorer to consistently hit double figures in the Premier League.
Giroud does not simply score tap-ins though. While getting into the positions and remaining cool to slot home is a skill in itself, Giroud is capable of the magnificent also. Many will look towards New Years’ Day 2017 as an example of this. His simply incredible scorpion kick against Crystal Palace will live long in the memory of Arsenal fans and football lovers alike. A goal of that quality cannot be described, but the technique required to score such a goal in a game situation is astronomical.
He can score tap-ins, he can score wonder goals, and Giroud is also very threatening in the air. It is safe to say he can (and does) score all types of goals. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry are the only Frenchmen with more Premier League goals to their name.
He is a very hard-worker on the pitch too. While the majority of his sprints are used to get himself into the box and score those archetypal Giroud goals, he is willing to press the opposition defence and lead his team’s defence from the front. He can play as a lone hold-up man – owing to his strength and passing ability – and also part of a front two – due to his ability to win flick-ons and get into clever supporting positions. It is his intelligence and experience that allows the 33-year-old (who is showing no signs of slowing down) to seamlessly slot into any setup, in which he can create goals as well as score them. Giroud has over 200 career goals and nearly 100 assists. These numbers are hugely impressive.
It was the 2011/12 season which brought Giroud to the fore of European football. In his second season at Montpellier, Giroud finished as top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals and led his side to their only Ligue 1 title, finishing 3 points ahead of PSG. In the summer of 2012, he made an £11 million move to Arsenal. By then however, his impressive international career was already up and running.
Giroud does not simply score tap-ins though. While getting into the positions and remaining cool to slot home is a skill in itself, Giroud is capable of the magnificent also. Many will look towards New Years’ Day 2017 as an example of this. His simply incredible scorpion kick against Crystal Palace will live long in the memory of Arsenal fans and football lovers alike. A goal of that quality cannot be described, but the technique required to score such a goal in a game situation is astronomical.
He can score tap-ins, he can score wonder goals, and Giroud is also very threatening in the air. It is safe to say he can (and does) score all types of goals. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry are the only Frenchmen with more Premier League goals to their name.
He is a very hard-worker on the pitch too. While the majority of his sprints are used to get himself into the box and score those archetypal Giroud goals, he is willing to press the opposition defence and lead his team’s defence from the front. He can play as a lone hold-up man – owing to his strength and passing ability – and also part of a front two – due to his ability to win flick-ons and get into clever supporting positions. It is his intelligence and experience that allows the 33-year-old (who is showing no signs of slowing down) to seamlessly slot into any setup, in which he can create goals as well as score them. Giroud has over 200 career goals and nearly 100 assists. These numbers are hugely impressive.
It was the 2011/12 season which brought Giroud to the fore of European football. In his second season at Montpellier, Giroud finished as top scorer in Ligue 1 with 21 goals and led his side to their only Ligue 1 title, finishing 3 points ahead of PSG. In the summer of 2012, he made an £11 million move to Arsenal. By then however, his impressive international career was already up and running.
A 24-year-old Giroud was unveiled at Montpellier in July 2010
He made his France debut in November 2011 and scored his first international goal in February of the next year. He came on as a substitute in three of France’s four games in Euro 2012. France exited the 2014 World Cup at the quarter-final stage, but Giroud started three of their five matches and scored in a 5-2 win against Switzerland. He was slowly becoming favoured as a striking option for coach Didier Deschamps, as he liked to play a front two. With Antoine Griezmann coming through, France were becoming a real force on the world stage.
At Euro 2016, in which France disappointingly lost in the final, Giroud scored three and assisted two. His partnership with Griezmann at the tournament was formidable. Both men were hard-working and complemented each other’s game. Despite not registering a shot on target in the 2018 World Cup, Giroud played in every single match and had a pivotal role in the success of France at the tournament. He had added a World Cup winners’ medal to his impressive repertoire of silverware.
This encompasses the Europa League, which Giroud won with Chelsea in 2019 after scoring the opener against Arsenal in the final. Impressively, this was the Frenchman’s 11th goal of the tournament in just 14 games. Perhaps most impressive however, is Giroud’s FA Cup record. No one has won the trophy more times than him since 2010, and the Frenchman has a chance to add his fifth FA Cup in seven seasons on Saturday.
At Euro 2016, in which France disappointingly lost in the final, Giroud scored three and assisted two. His partnership with Griezmann at the tournament was formidable. Both men were hard-working and complemented each other’s game. Despite not registering a shot on target in the 2018 World Cup, Giroud played in every single match and had a pivotal role in the success of France at the tournament. He had added a World Cup winners’ medal to his impressive repertoire of silverware.
This encompasses the Europa League, which Giroud won with Chelsea in 2019 after scoring the opener against Arsenal in the final. Impressively, this was the Frenchman’s 11th goal of the tournament in just 14 games. Perhaps most impressive however, is Giroud’s FA Cup record. No one has won the trophy more times than him since 2010, and the Frenchman has a chance to add his fifth FA Cup in seven seasons on Saturday.
Giroud celebrates scoring France's first goal during the Euro 2016 Group match between France and Romania at Stade de France
Giroud has been on hot form since the Premier League’s restart, with six goals in the league this summer. Despite only making six appearances in the first 26 Premier League matches, Giroud had three goal involvements in the three matches before football’s postponement and has carried on in such form. His form at the moment serves to remind us how great a player Giroud is. His imposing physical frame does not reduce his ability to get free in the box to score his trademark goal. Alongside his startling consistency, he is capable of the incredible. With the FA Cup final beckoning, we wonder whether Giroud will be able to lead Chelsea past Arsenal and to their second FA Cup in three years. We certainly wouldn’t bet against the 33-year-old owing to how he is playing at the moment.
Written by - Ben Rowe
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back
Edited by - 3-At-The-Back