Arsene Wenger ranks Olivier Giroud among the best strikers in Europe

Europe's elite? Wenger has said Giroud is one of the continent's best strikers
(ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
James Olley11 December 2015

Arsene Wenger believes Olivier Giroud has proved himself as one of the best strikers in Europe after firing Arsenal into the Champions League knockout stages.

The 29-year-old scored a hat-trick in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Olympiakos which sealed the Gunners’ place in the last 16 for the 16th consecutive season.

Giroud has now scored 26 goals in the calendar year and 13 in his last 15 games for club and country. Wenger believes his fellow Frenchman now deserves to be ranked alongside the game’s leading forwards.

He told Standard Sport: “I think he’s in that league because he plays for one of the best clubs in Europe and scores goals. If you look at the number of games and the number of goals, you have to give him credit. He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who puts work in for the team. I think he’s among the best strikers in Europe.

“He has gone through this calendar year with ups and downs but overall it is typical Olivier Giroud. That means when it doesn’t work he puts effort in. I believe recently, especially recently, he has come back with an improved game and with his finishing. Wednesday was one of his best performances on all fronts, I must say.

Olympiakos vs Arsenal - player ratings

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“If you look at his record, I believe he has special qualities that are difficult to find. After, of course you want him to be efficient as well. Where he has improved a lot is his link play with the other players, and that’s very important in our team.

“We are in a job where you have to accept that in every game, you are questioned. In his job, as a centre forward, [it’s] even more. If you don’t score for three games, you’re questioned again. That’s part of the job.”

Wenger started with Giroud and Theo Walcott together for the first time this season in Athens - although the latter played on the flank rather than his preferred position through the middle - and the Arsenal manager hinted at using them together again in future as well or rotating them during the hectic festive period.

“Olivier is not exhausted in December - a striker is a bit of a more demanding job but he had a breather and came in and out,” said Wenger. “I think I will have to do that again because it is so demanding now and he has a game that demands a lot of energy, that sometimes you need a breather in that squad.

“Or they can play together well, what I did on Wednesday night, so in some games I will play Olivier and Theo together. It depends on the global balance of the team, it is a bit more different when Alexis is there as well. On one side people always want you to have seven strikers, but as soon as you rest one, they ask, ‘why don’t you play him?’”

Wenger also dismissed reports linking the club with a January move for Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama - “I rate the player but we are not on the case” - and also insisted Jack Wilshere will not be fit before the New Year, as had been suggested.

Wilshere is making progress in recovering from an ankle injury but Wenger said: “If you ask me if he will be fit before the end of December, no chance.”

Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Aston Villa but Mikel Arteta (calf) and Alexis Sanchez (hamstring) are among seven first-team players still unavailable.

Giroud’s form is likely to dampen speculation Arsenal linking Arsenal with a move for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, who is currently embroiled in a sex scandal which has led to his suspension from the French national team.

And Wenger believes the striker should not play at Euro 2016 until he is found not guilty of any wrongdoing. “I think it is a legal case and as long as it has not been judged, you have to wait for the judgement,” he said. “At the moment he cannot play because he is under investigation and as long as he is not cleared, he should not play.”

And asked whether the sordid allegations made Benzema less appealing as a transfer target, Wenger added: “We just said that Olivier Giroud is a great striker, so behind that we cannot buy Karim Benzema!”

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