7 reasons Olivier Giroud must ditch Olivier Giroud and other amusing quotes from the press

Posted on by Tony Attwood

By a rather smug Tony Attwood

Untold is a web site that takes sides.  A web site that presents a case.  A web site that quite often gets things horribly wrong.  But a web site that by and large sticks to its ground.

As with the last post – the one about Spanish clubs being guilty of child trafficking.

And indeed you might recall that over the past couple of years it is a web site that has run the story that Giroud is comparable in terms of goal scoring to Henry.

Cue raucous laughter and a fair amount of on-line abuse.

But lo!  Behold!  And one might almost say Liverpool! (except that is so yesterday, you wouldn’t.)

But wait.  What is this?   What, indeed is this???

“He will never be a 20-goal-a-season striker, they claimed. A flat-track bully, they said. Does not score important goals, they jibed.”

Yep that is the Daily Telegraph, ally of the aaa, now taking the whatnot out of the aaa, and indeed itself.

“Criticism of Olivier Giroud has been widespread. A lot of it has been justified. The fans’ clamour for a new superstar striker to take them to Premier League glory persists – Edinson Cavani appears to be this month’s Karim Benzema – but perhaps they can now look closer to home.”

And wow, yes even the Home for Retired Colonels is now admitting it.

“Giroud has grown and matured into a formidable force as Arsenal’s main striker, a point underlined by his exceptional performance against Liverpool on Wednesday, to the extent that Wenger’s decision not to spend big on another striker in the last couple of transfer windows appears rather shrewder than it did at the time.”

Well, shrewder than the right-wing anti-European, Union Flag-waving hard core zealots of the Telegraph suggested anyway.

Let us consider (and you might want to sit down for this), the statistics…

Giroud … Henry
 Season Games Goals Avg Season Games Goals Avg
2012/13 47 17 0.36 1999/00 47 26 0.55
2013/14 51 22 0.43 2000/01 53 22 0.41
2014/15 36 19 0.53 2001/02 49 32 0.65
2015/16 28 18 0.64 2002/03 55 32 0.58
(Avg is the goal average – that is the number of goals per game).

Giroud has of course had a tougher time of it than Henry.  Thierry, master of all things that he was, had a team built around him.  We bought Pires to be his foil, the man who would saunter into the centre as Thierry strolled off to the left wing.   (Actually if you were at Highbury at the time, do you remember the abuse Henry got for doing that in his first season?)

Giroud has suffered in his goal scoring in two ways.  One is the injuries, and the being dropped as first choice in his third season, and the other is playing in a team with two more equal goalscorers (Alexis and himself) rather than Henry and Pires.

And I must admit I never really meant to say that Giroud and Henry were equals – they are of course very different types of player.  But their stats are quite interesting nonetheless.

The great Arsenal teams of the early Wengerian period were built around Henry.  The current team is built around Ozil.  There is thus a huge difference in what is expected of the centre forward, so allowances must be made, but the Goal Average figures in the red column make a worthy comparison.

Indeed some of the replacements suggested by the wild and whacky media and their aaa allies actually had worse stats than Giroud making it clear that the argument was, “if Wenger signed him he’s crap.”

So now even the Telegraph admits that Giroud is “having his most prolific European campaign, while four goals for France made 2015 his best year internationally.”

Indeed the old men’s paper is getting quite excitable these days, thundering that,

So far this season his ratio of minutes per league goal is better than in any previous season at Arsenal, and is also superior to that of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and the Premier League’s top scorers Jamie Vardy and Romelu Lukaku, having been given much less game time.

They then kindly supply an Olivier Giroud – Minutes per Premier League goal chart, which is awfully decent of the old buffers.

Mins per goal
2012/13 211
2013/14 193
2014/15 133
2015/16 117

His conversion rate and shooting accuracy are also on the up.  And one stat that doesn’t show up here is the fact that he is the perfect foil for Mesut Ozil what with him being the recipient of six assists, duly tucked away into the goal.

He has 11 goals in his last 11 appearances away from home in all competitions, and apart from knocking in a couple against Liverpool! he scored against Bayern.  OK we lost that one so maybe not so important, but what about the hat-trick at Olympiakos; nothing unimportant there.  To say he does not score important goals is plain daft.

At home, he has hit goals against Bayern, Manchester City and Everton, amongst others.

So the new argument thrown against him is that he doesn’t score important goals – aside from in the Greek match.  But the Telegraph do actually do a serious bit of work on this and have come up with a table I didn’t have.   It is the goals scored and how many points have been won as a result.   You might be interested in the name at the foot of the chart.

Goals Points won
Vardy 15 16
Lukaku 15 8
Mahrez 13 16
Igahlo 13 13
Giroud 12 7
Kane 11 1

The reason Giroud is behind Vardy et al is because of who else is in the team and who can tuck away goals.  Try this table…

Arsenal Top Scorers

 
Rank Player CL FACS FA LG LC Total
1 Olivier Giroud 5 0 1 12 0 18
2 Alexis Sánchez 3 0 0 6 0 9
3 Aaron Ramsey 0 0 1 4 0 5
3 Theo Walcott 2 0 0 3 0 5
3 Mesut Özil 2 0 0 3 0 5
4 Joel Campbell 0 0 1 2 0 3
4 Laurent Koscielny 0 0 0 3 0 3
5 Mathieu Flamini 0 0 0 0 2 2
6 Gabriel Gabriel 0 0 0 1 0 1
6 Kieran Gibbs 0 0 0 1 0 1
6 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain 0 1 0 0 0 1

We have seven players with 3 goals plus.  Compare this with Leicester with whom we share the top of the league

 
Rank Player FA LG LC Total
1 Jamie Vardy 0 15 0 15
2 Riyad Mahrez 0 13 1 14
3 Joseph Dodoo 0 0 4 4
3 Shinji Okazaki 1 3 0 4
4 Nathan Dyer 0 1 1 2
5 Nine other players 1

Four players with 3 or more.

We are evolving an interesting style and approach – and one that is considered a lot safer (in terms of possible injuries) than having just two players who knock in all the goals.

So, to sum up a rather nice day, Untold’s coverage of Barcelona’s child scandal case and our predictions about Real Madrid have actually come to pass.  Indeed our predictions about the Barcelona appeals were right too.   (Which is interesting because at one stage when I was trying hard to find out exactly what the nature of the Barcelona appeal to CAS said, I was roundly attacked by a number of correspondents who basically told me CAS had already heard the case and instantly awarded the matter to Barcelona.  It just goes to show how far people will go to defend certain teams).

Thus in one day – Real Mad join Barcelona in the punishment suite, and the Telegraph agrees that actually, Giroud is a rather decent goal scorer.

Wow!

To finish, here’s what was said in the past by various people who clearly know it all when it comes to football…

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27 Replies to “7 reasons Olivier Giroud must ditch Olivier Giroud and other amusing quotes from the press”

  1. I do agree that le grove is a complete embarrassment to anyone with a brain (that’s my opinion but I recon you would agree) just Arsenal is just laughable and most of the press and pundits are just plain lazy, but with round the clock football news and games on almost every night, they have to say something so don’t pay much attention. You have become so obsessed with what you call the aaa that you have become the polar opposite so when something goes right you become the self appreciation society (embarrassing) and rejoice in your so called victory. Just as they do when we lose. You are better than this I believe. You could attract so many more readers than the few sycophants that come on here regularly. Just an observation Tony, hope your not offended.

  2. Let us call a spade, spade. This article is a tested fact. Of don’t want to believe it, don’t.

  3. Bleeding gums…

    I do try to publish a variety of articles on this site, some which are seriously campaigning, some which are quite detailed analyses, some which express a thought out opinion, and some which are lighter reflections – of which this is one.

    I don’t think any publication should be totally serious throughout, and it is always the humour that divides opinion.

    But in terms of the readership, we had ovr 5.75 million page views last year and the number is growing all the time, which puts us in the very top selection of club sites, so I think overall we are getting it roughly right.

    But there is always room for improvement, and I do reflect seriously on all the points such as yours as to where the blog should be going in future.

  4. Tony, as an avid reader of this website and an Arsenal fan for nearly 50 years, I would be happy to comment on the article regarding Giroud (being in full agreement with your comments) but the overriding sentiment in your article appears to be your personal hatred of The Telegraph. You rightly denounce the Press and AAA for believing they know what all Arsenal supporters are thinking yet you appear to “know” who or what all Telegraph readers know. (By the way, I don’t read any newspapers except the Saturday edition of my local Regional paper – all the national newspapers manage to offend me in some way or another.)

    As regards “anti-European” and “Union Flag-waving” – firstly, it would be odd to be anti a continent one inhabits. If you mean anti-EU, then perhaps those readers are so inclined because they don’t like to be told what they are thinking or what to think. Secondly, why disparage Telegraph Union Flag-wavers but not Guardian Red Flag-wavers. Surely, the Red Flag wavers, rather like the Black Flag wavers, also tend to be those who tell us all what we think and what to think.

    Any way, keep up the good work on the football front!

  5. Tony, I think we are all pleased to see Giroud doing well – apart from the aaaa and the anti-football cretins in the media!

    Giroud works damn hard every match and is almost continually fouled with no protection (or fair play) from the visually impaired refs – they continually allow cheating teams to disrupt our build up by permitting the fouling of Giroud – who in a football sense fight back superbly and often retains posession despite the thuggery.

    So well done Giroud – keep knocking them in!

  7. Tony,

    Don’t fix it if it’s not broken and be wary of unsolicited advice.

    You have your readership and they are very loyal. They keep coming because they like Untold as “the polar opposite of Le Grove”. You don’t need to change a thing.

    I am a very loyal reader and even I don’t enjoy or like everything that is published but I never expect to like everything done by anyone. That is life. You can’t please everybody and I think if you try, you might end up losing those who are happy with your work, warts and all and who aren’t demanding changes to suit their sensibilities.

    I implore you to continue to be the “the polar opposite of Le Grove”. As an advertising professional, I don’t need to remind you that the customer is always right.

  8. BGMurphy……I am one of your so-called “few sycophants” who are regular readers and contributors to UA. Your spurious credentials along with your misplaced and cheeky criticism of such balanced and open-minded contributors like Bootoomee, Mandy, Para, colario etc. as well as your arrogant dismissal of UA’s mission to support all that is Arsenal clearly explains why your gums bleed. That is what happens when you stick your foot in your mouth like you did in your post.
    One can gloat when what one predicted and warned about comes to pass, and Tony/Walter have earned their stripes by accurately predicting and analyzing so many events that are now facts; FIFA’s corruption, Platini and Blatter’s demise, PIGMOB twisted machinations, the FA bloated and stuffed suits incompetence, to name a few. Stay tuned for more…..

  9. I would like to think that Giroud’s goal tally and assist figures would soar if the bent PIGMOB refs called all those fouls committed against him. Not only could he boost his figures by taking those penalties himself , or be credited with an assist when lawfully winning a penalty .

    Not to mention very much less injuries and even more playing time , if the culprits were penalised from the onset. It would have be a stroll in the park for him against the opposition’s 10 or 9 man team !

    You know like a very recent player of the year who not won quite a number of dubious penalties ( and mucho points for the club !) , but also top scored by taking them himself .

    He has regressed so much that even the Belgian Diving Federation have withdrawn their standing offer of a guaranteed starting place for the next Olympics ! Real shame , he could have made a real splash !

  10. 5.75 million readers = A few sycophants ?

    Somehow I think somebody got their maths wrong ! I really don’t think that so many people could be misdirected on to this blog against their will . Or better judgement .Or could it be that they are are all following the light ?

    As a raving sycophant myself , I do confess that I enjoy the articles , the bonding , the positivity and the zanyness that abounds here . And the chance to swat ‘ them ‘ !

  11. And the humour ! So here’s one with some math in it , which may not tally !

    A BLONDE’S DIARY ON A CRUISE SHIP

    DEAR DIARY: DAY 1

    All packed for the cruise ship — all my sexiest dresses and make-up. Really excited.

    DEAR DIARY: DAY 2

    Entire day at sea, beautiful and saw whales and dolphins.
    Met the Captain today — seems like a very nice man.

    DEAR DIARY: DAY 3

    At the pool today. Also some shuffle boarding and hit golf balls off the deck.
    Captain invited me to join him at his table for dinner.
    Felt honoured and had a wonderful time. He is very attractive and attentive.

    DEAR DIARY:DAY 4

    Won $800 in the ship’s casino.
    Captain asked me to have dinner with him in his own cabin.
    Had a luxurious meal complete with caviar and champagne.

    He asked me to stay the night but I declined.
    Told him I could not be unfaithful to my husband.

    DEAR DIARY: DAY 5

    Pool again today, got sun burnt, and went inside to drink at piano bar for rest of day.
    Captain saw me, bought me several large drinks. He really is charming.
    Again asked me to visit his cabin for the night. Again I declined.
    He told me if I did not let him have his way with me he would sink the ship.
    I was shocked.

    DEAR DIARY: DAY 6

    Today I saved 1600 lives – Twice……. !!!

  12. It’s a pity that they did not get banned for longer allowing the other teams in their league to catch up a little, but it seems the ban really does not affect them anyhow, see Barca how they pre-arrange deals and take the player on loan until out of the ban.
    These “punishments” are just slaps on the wrist as they seem to be able to be circumvented and do not really restrict the club.

  13. I just read this on twitter, have to verify.

    quote:” Giroud (0.7) has scored more league non penalty goals per 90 mins than all the big names, barring Messi (0.74)”

    If that is true, then not bad for a shit striker is he??

  14. Peter Kay thanks for your comments.

    I don’t think I hate the Telegraph, and I 100% applauded their amazing work in revealing the MPs expenses scandals. I do think though that they can be very very inward looking, and perhaps I should have said anti-foreigners.

    I do feel they tell us what to think, which, to my perception, the Guardian does less. But for me the way they nicked my article about why England does so badly in international competitions was the final straw. And if it wasn’t their running of a piece clearly written on behalf of or by PGMO was the final final straw.

    I’m biased, of course, but I think most of us are, and I never intended Untold to be moderate or middle of the road – but to be campaigning for certain causes with facts mixed up with some light hearted ranting. My hope is that 3 articles a day allows us to cover all that. And I do publish almost all the articles I am sent – the only ones I miss out are those which are abusive towards others, or criticise Untold’s pro-Wenger stance without any evidence.

  15. Surely can’t be true,Arsenal 13.
    No, no no… he is shit. One of the not posted comments from an aaa said so. Immediately after the Liverpool match. In which he scored two goals…. LOL you couldn’t make it up…

  16. One of the biggest critics of Giroud is Alan Sheep-Shearer on MOTD. He never says anything complimentary about Giroud, and has dreamt up a new one-liner (first used after we beat Man City) “with Ozil creating so many chances, Giroud HAS to score 20+ goals a season”
    He repeated on Wednesday night.
    I look forward to Ollie shoving those measly words down his throat.
    COYG

  17. Good read and i believe Giroud has improved a lot this season. People saying he doesnt scores in crunch matches should eat humble pie.
    Infact he scored the all important goal against Bayern at Emirates and not to forget the goal against City last year at Ettihad.

    But one must admit he is no Messi or Suarez.
    Had liverpool ownerfulfilled there contractual obligation when Wenger triggered the buyout clause in Suarez contract we could have won the PL last year.

  18. Barry L,

    You need to understand that when it comes to Arsenal, you must put one player down whenever you are praising another. They are now reluctantly giving Ozil his more than deserved praise but with the caveat that his team mates suck for not scoring more.

    When it comes to Arsenal, there is always a giant BUT behind every praise.

  19. Tony and all.

    For the record, I dislike the EU immensely and want out. I have never liked being told what to do, theyve never been audited nor do I agree with all the regulation that has affected my business. I am entitled to that view and I hope those who disagree with me accept that fcat.

    Personally, I do not want a football blog to be politicial. I come here to talk about the thing I love with a passion and that is Arsenal Football Club. So with that in mind I hope we all ignore our politics and concentrate on our real passion. There is enough crap going on in this world, I need a break from it all please! I expect most of us feel the same way.

    GIROUD
    I think a common mistake has been made with Giroud. This centres around ignorance and agenda-itus.

    In modern football, there is less onous on a team having one main goalscorer. Goals are shared around more and a strikers role is often misunderstood. It is the same with the way assists are recorded. If you watch Giroud play and understand his role in the team, it is not as a mere goalscorer. So judging him purely on goals scored, as some do, is ignorant.

    Firstly, he occupies the two centre halves. I have lost count of how many times his running has created space for others to run into and score. His hold up play too is invaluable, because he allows our more mobile players to be bought into the game. He also gives us that plan B, if we need to go long or put the ball into the box we can. Finally, something often missed, he is important defending set plays. For corners he often takes up the near post position and is often seen making important clearances.

    For me, Giroud offers a lot more to the team than some want to credit. If you were to judge him on what he does for our team you would have to say he is one of our most important players. Wenger knows this.

    Unfortunately, certain elements hate being proved wrong so Giroud will always be treated unfairly. Thats a sad indictment of how some fans behave.

    For me, Giroud is one of our most important players and that £12m was an absolute bargain.

  20. Walter
    “No, no no… he is shit” – One of the not posted comments from an aaa said so”

    Walter. LG members have been calling Giroud this for what seems like forever. Recently those morons were claiming how much better Kane is on ‘that’ blog It seems that where Arsenal players are concerned, they are there to be abused and ridiculed at every opportunity. The same blog had members claiming Lamela and Eriksen were better than Ozil. These are the same experts who wanted us to sign Balotelli and Benteke remember. Last season Gary Monk was being suggested as future Arsenal Manager, apparently he does tactics better than Wenger.

    I think you just have to accept that these people either do not understand football or are simply not what they claim to be. It is totally moronic behaviour and a very strange way to support your football club. Its just nothing but abuse win, lose or draw.

  21. Great article Tone! Just checked those links and saw that blog, wow. UA all the way!

  22. Le Grove posters bigging up all things Spurs….now theres a surprise!
    I remember a about 3 seasons ago when they were lining up to claim Arry a better manager than Wenger. Still…freedom of expression and all that.
    I guess they have lost the ability to use Chelsea and Utd to beat Arsenal with, so some of them are either lowering their sights, or they are just Spurs supporters to begin with

  23. proudkev,

    I have immense respect for you but can’t you see the problem with your anti-EU rant above? You posted a lot of opinions (most of which are wrong or baseless as far as I know) while asking for none to be entertained on the site.

    There are two issues here:

    1. As the site owner and publisher, I believe that Tony has supreme right and indeed power to post any topic that he wants. I know this may sound odd from me but I see articles on Untold from time to time that aren’t for me but as more than less are to my liking, I am okay.

    2. Whether we like it or not, there is no escaping the EU for us footy fans so I think it isn’t and shouldn’t be a taboo topic on a football fans’ site. As long as English clubs participate in European competitions, the rules from EU will affect us.

    Forgive me here but I think your objection to the topic stems more from Tony’s support of EU than your aversion for political discussion on a football site.

  24. Bootoomee.

    I have no objection to Tony or anyone voicing their opinions. I am one of those that would fight for that right. Tony has every right to express that view.

    The point I was making, evidently not very well, is that this is an excellent football blog and should remain as such. My passion is football and I derive much enjoyment from that. Politics is different, in my experience in life it is the one thing that really can affect friendships – therefore I think is best avoided. That was the point, sorry if that didnt come across.

  26. proudkev,

    Maybe I was being a little biased 🙂 and probably unfair to you 🙁

    Tony and I are leftist atheists who are crazy about Arsenal and Arsene Wenger so it’s a little easier for to stomach his politics than you. I don’t think I’d be as forgiving if he were a bible thumping rightie to be honest.

    There is no problem man. You are one of my favourite people on Untold and your opinion matters to me.

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