Olivier Giroud determined to prove Chelsea don't need another striker in January transfer window

On target: Olivier Giroud
AFP/Getty Images
9 November 2018

As the January transfer window grows ever closer, it would be understandable if Chelsea duo Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata are getting concerned.

Just as in the summer, Chelsea are being linked with a move to buy another centre forward. Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi, Genoa's Krzysztof Piątek and Bournemouth's Callum Wilson are among their potential targets.

Chelsea have yet to turn potential interest into anything concrete, but the common consensus among most observers this season is that the club need an improvement on current strikers, Morata and Giroud, to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League.

Unsurprisingly Giroud disagrees. However, instead of sulking about such talk, the France international says both him and Morata are determined to prove a new addition isn't required.

He told Standard Sport: "All the speculation is part of the sport, part of the job. We must expect good players, good strikers at big clubs. But the both of us just need to carry on and show the team is doing well with us.

"It's true that at times we didn't score. But as I always used to say, some strikers need to do the runs for team-mates, to do the things that people don't see.

"We are fully committed to Chelsea. Even if sometimes it wasn't perfect, I will always give my maximum.

"I'm not worried about the future and I'm sure we will score more goals for the team. It (the talk of Chelsea signing another forward) doesn't trouble me, no. I am a competitor and I will do my best until the end of my contract.

"It has always been a fair competition between Alvaro and me and now we are going to step up and reach a higher level of competition between us. Then it will be better for the team."

There have been more reasons to be positive about both men of late. Morata has found the net five times in the last six matches, while Giroud ended his goal drought last night to secure all three points for Chelsea against BATE Borisov.

Giroud's trademark header from Emerson's cross ended a dry spell lasting 794 minutes in a Chelsea shirt.

In Pictures | BATE vs Chelsea | 08/11/19

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That run has stretched over the space of six months, although Giroud experienced the high of winning the World Cup with France in between.

"It is always difficult when you're a striker and dont find the net," Giroud added. "In my head I wasn't very, very well.

"The World Cup is part of the past. Even if knowing you won it brings you a lot of confidence, you have to always question yourself and do your best to stay at the top, at your best level.

"Sometimes there are periods when you struggle: the goal feels like it gets a bit smaller; you have less luck; your team-mates choose another option or you don't make a good run. It is a combination of things that goes wrong.

"But you just need to keep the faith. I have always scored goals so I knew they would come back.

"I want to carry on like this, I hope it is the first of a long series of goals to help the team reach our targets."

Despite Giroud's defiant stance, it must still come as a great source of comfort that coach Maurizio Sarri thinks so highly of him.

After the 32-year-old's goal ensured Chelsea qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League with two games to spare, Sarri said: “I'm pleased for him. I know very well that strikers want to score and so, for his confidence, I think it's very important.

"But I don't want him to be worried about scoring because, for us, he's very important and very useful. Very important.”

Sarri has said similar things about Ross Barkley too recently and the midfielder will get the chance to face Everton on Sunday for the first time since he left Goodison Park.

Barkley joined Chelsea for £15m in January, yet has only become a first team regular following Sarri's arrival as manager.

The England international may face a hostile reception from Everton supporters, who were upset over the cheap manner of his departure having refused to sign a new deal.

Instead of dreading it, Giroud reveals Barkley is looking forward to facing his former club at Stamford Bridge.

"Ross will be very happy to face his old team-mates" he said. "It is always a great feeling. I'm sure he wants to show them his improvement because he has really grown over the last few months."

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