Olivier Giroud analyses how he made Arsenal improvements

Daniel Roberts
Olivier Giroud: Happy with recent form

Olivier Giroud: Happy with recent form

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has explained why his early season injury is the cornerstone for his goalscoring run in recent weeks.

The French international had a difficult start to the campaign after suffering from injuries but has put his absences behind him to become an important outlet for his side.

Giroud has 10 goals for the season so far, with five of those in his last six appearances, including important late goals against Manchester United, Bournemouth and West Brom.

The 30-year-olds’s resurgence has even seen Alexis Sanchez lose his central role in the team, with the Chilean pushed out wide to accommodate the in-form frontman.

And Giroud believes losing his place in the first team has helped him become a better footballer.

“I don’t know if I am a better striker, maybe I am,” he told Arsenal Player.

“I’ve obviously improved myself since I signed for Arsenal, but I always try to be stronger [physically] and stronger in my head as well.

“It’s never easy to be injured and as I told you, to watch the game in front when you are injured and you can’t play is frustrating. That’s why I was so happy to come back on the pitch after these injuries.”

While Giroud is happy to help his side pick up points with his late goals, he has warned his fellow team-mates that they must play better earlier on in games and not to rely on him to bail them out.

“I’ve always tried to bring something to the team and I was very pleased to score important goals, especially in the final minutes. But as I’ve said before, we need to be stronger at the beginning of the games because I’m not going to score goals in the last minute every week!”