I didn’t mean they should be investigated for real.
Olivier Giroud...
- Thread starter Rozay
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Contes been consistently shit in the market, apparently he tried to sign Ashley Young for Chelsea aswell.
I think he still has something to offer, evidently Conte does too. Crazy to sell him unless we've got a better replacement lined up. We're really struggling to score goals at home. I'd give him some game time.
Will remember his excellent performance in 4 1 V arsenal EL final.
That's about the last time he played for us!
Will remember his excellent performance in 4 1 V arsenal EL final.
That's about the last time he played for us!
Moonwalked Chelsea into Champions League football.
He’s the top 4 champion. Used to do it for Arsenal too.
He cost us the 15/16 title when he decided to go 15 or so league games without a goal when we were serious contenders that season. Good squad player but never good enough to start regularly
I like him even more.
Better than Laca though.
This version of Giroud is much better than the Giroud we saw at Arsenal. Ever since winning the FA Cup and World Cup in the summer of 2018 his confidence has skyrocketed.
You don't praise him enough Duffer. It's very disappointing.
I didn't realize that he had scored that many PL goals in 2020.
Nah. He’s always been a confidence player, going through spells of being one of the best strikers in the league, and periods where nothing comes off and he finishes like Danny Welbeck.
I disagree. He's become a more effective and big game player at Chelsea IMO.
Not really that's the version that he has been for France since 2011-2012 and was for Montpellier. He also a pretty good G+A per minute ratio for Arsenal.
He loves Wembley as well. His record there is something silly like 12 wins out of 13.
Good thing we didn't ship him out in January... Guess you could say he was kept fresh for the run in anyway, genius
Giroud played in a much better Arsenal team than Laca did. To think he was signed as a replacement for RVP when his real level is what he’s doing for Chelsea now as a squad player and he’s doing it well.
If Chelsea let him go, I would give him a contract for a year or two, bit of experience to come off the bench.
Thought we brought Ighalo for such role.
Giroud will really go down as one of those strikers that aren't pleasant on the eye but knows how to get the job done.
He's like a Drogba-lite, big game player. Striker who offers so much more than goals
Eight goals away now from becoming France’s all time top scorer. For a player who has largely been criticized for his entire career, but has always come across as a humble and likeable character, this would be quite an achievement.
One of the most underrated strikers in PL history IMO.
What about looking at goals only in tournament football?
Yeah its really weird. He was a meme ar some points for a tiny while but I never understood it. It was like people wanted him to be a huge laughing stock.
Nah he’s quite along way down from the top bracket of strikers. Fair enough his France record is decent but he’s also played with a golden generation behind him and really he lucky to even be involved with that as ordinarily it should have been Benzema who is far superior.
Nothing but respect for Giroud as far as I'm concerned.
He was outscoring Benzema when they were both in the same team.
Sure but doesn’t change the fact benzema is far better and also brings more to the table than Giroud outside of goals.
Giroud brings plenty outside of goals though which is actually how he managed to be a starter, by being an excellent target man, linking up very well with his attacking teammates in particular Griezmann and in the last 3 years Mbappé, he has been very important when it comes to defending set pieces and leading the press with Griezmann. So Giroud has scored more for France than Benzema and has been overall better and contributed more than Benzema outside of goals, Benzema is more talented but it doesn't matter when he doesn't bring what the team needs.
It's definitely not a fact when it comes to France
Benzema played most of his prime with scrubs and he still has 27 goals. It shows you how good he was. If he played with the players Giroud has he would have broken the record a long time ago.
Him and Ribery were unlucky. Probably the two best French players of the last 10,12 years and both played in their prime between two golden periods
I'm going to quote an old post of mine and hopefully put to bed the weird idea that we didn't see Giroud outperform Benzema with the "scrubs".
Yeah, from the outside looking-in, it would seem Giroud has been "lucky" to start for France, but he's actually played his part in the team dynamic - making the team perform better as a unit, rather than just a collection of big names and individuals. Benzema only has himself to blame for not being involved in the French setup, anyway.
Would be a little weird having Giroud as the all time leading goalscorer for France though, considering the level of other strikers they've had in the past!
Would be a little weird having Giroud as the all time leading goalscorer for France though, considering the level of other strikers they've had in the past!
Think he lost his way at Arsenal a bit. they didn't really play to his strengths but since moving to Chelsea he's looked a lot better.
it's rare to have a combination of a big striker who's got great control, excellent movement and presses really hard. He deserves all the plaudits IMO.
it's rare to have a combination of a big striker who's got great control, excellent movement and presses really hard. He deserves all the plaudits IMO.
We have to give him credit for all the goals scored with the French team. At the same time, some of the critics aren't baseless if we're being honest.
Deschamps has given him a lot of chances for the NT even while he barely features for his club, most players in other teams or under other coaches don't get the same chances. Also, he rarely scores against other top teams (and didn't score any goal during the WC).
Deschamps has given him a lot of chances for the NT even while he barely features for his club, most players in other teams or under other coaches don't get the same chances. Also, he rarely scores against other top teams (and didn't score any goal during the WC).
Buzzing for Giroud to beat Henry's record. I have nothing but love and appreciation for him.
Do you truly believe that you wouldn't have had the same or even more success with Benzema in the team? Giroud is decent and I can see why French football fans would show him loyalty after what he's delivered but he's never been top class and really has only been picked because he suits the way Deschamps wants to play (which is largely very negative despite the talent on offer).
Yes, I do. I have seen enough of dysfunctionality with France to understand that international football isn't about the best collection of individuals but about the best team and actually playing as a team and no Giroud hasn't been picked because he suits the way Deschamps wants to play, that claim shows that you know nothing about France because Benzema was immovable until his suspension despite some shoddy performances. Giroud was a bench and second team player until the Benzema-Valbuena scandal despite the fact that Giroud was providing better performances than Benzema, Giroud was eventually picked because Benzema was suspended, he outperformed everyone else and never gave the starting spot away, chances have been given to the likes of Lacazette, Ben Yedder and Martial, Griezmann and Mbappé have been tried upfront but Giroud has been the best and most consistent performer.
As for the style, France having attacking/technical talent is a recent thing. For the better part of the last decade the likes of Matuidi/Kanté were the best french players with Griezmann and Pogba are outliers, we barely produced great wingers/wide forwards until the likes of Dembélé, Coman and Mbappé appeared with the former two being constantly injured, our best fullbacks are former CBs. And the most important point, national teams rarely play great expansive football because players need to be drilled which is nearly impossible at international level since players barely train with each others and the only examples are of teams that have a core that plays together at club level which isn't a thing for France.
Also playing good defensive football is better than playing a faulty attacking style that only pleases the neutrals, particularly when you are actually successful with the former.
If you compare Benzema and Giroud for thé national team then you really don't know thé complicated history of Benzema and the french team.
This guy even said he doesn't like France and won't play for the team.
Even if he aplologised after his realationship with the team and country was broken.
Deschamps cleared the desk when he was appointed and even if I don't like his style of football he did that very well. He sacked all the problematic caracters from the team and builded one with a real team spirit. As a team we never had problems since he arrived.
So no, even if Benzema is more talented, I don't think we ever win the world cup with him in the team. Giroud is much better for France then Benzema ever was purely because he play for the shirt and country. Even if I am not a fan you can't contest his contribution or the fact he give it all. That is much more important then talent as it is a team game.
This guy even said he doesn't like France and won't play for the team.
Even if he aplologised after his realationship with the team and country was broken.
Deschamps cleared the desk when he was appointed and even if I don't like his style of football he did that very well. He sacked all the problematic caracters from the team and builded one with a real team spirit. As a team we never had problems since he arrived.
So no, even if Benzema is more talented, I don't think we ever win the world cup with him in the team. Giroud is much better for France then Benzema ever was purely because he play for the shirt and country. Even if I am not a fan you can't contest his contribution or the fact he give it all. That is much more important then talent as it is a team game.
I agree with you maybe except about the defensive part. I agree that players don't have automatism at national level but it is thé same for most team really so I don't see any disavantage for France to play more proactive football.
We are very defensive in my view because of Deschamps. He is a very pragmatic coach and ever will be (he was the same as a player). That is not a bad thing as we won the world cup being very solid for most part and a very good counter attacking team. He won the world cup in kind of the same fashion when he was a player...