Troy Deeney claims Arsenal players ‘tainted’ Olivier Giroud across the France striker’s time at the club. He also feels even Kylian Mbappe cannot do all his World Cup teammate can.
Giroud has helped guide Les Bleus to the quarter-finals and a tie with England on Saturday at Qatar 2022. Didier Deschamps’ squad are striving to retain their World Cup title claimed at Russia 2018. And like four years ago, Giroud is again a central aspect of the France team.
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The 36-year-old has scored three goals in as many games to become France’s all-time top-scorer, overtaking Thierry Henry with 52. Giroud did not score a single goal at Russia 2018, despite him starting in six of their seven ties. He did manage two assists over 546 minutes.
Deeney has hinted the Arsenal squad held France’s World Cup star Giroud back
Deschamps has leant on Giroud to guide Les Bleus after Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema suffered a thigh injury. The Real Madrid striker sustained the issue in training before Qatar 2022. Mbappe has also delivered five goals for France as the top-scorer at this World Cup.
But Deeney does not feel Mbappe can do all that Giroud does with France. The ex-Watford ace also feels the forward’s efforts can go under the radar. An appearance against England on Saturday would be the Chambery native’s 118th cap since his debut in November 2011.
It is not just his off-the-ball work and willingness to help his team that can go amiss, either. Deeney also feels the identity of the Arsenal squad that Giroud played with from 2012 to 2018 held the striker back from the star now shining brightly for France at the World Cup.
“If there was a serious opportunity to score, he would put his head in where it hurt,” wrote Deeney in his column for The Sun. “He was one of the hard men, big hitters, big fish of that Arsenal team but was tainted by the rest of the squad’s identity.
“Normally he plays with two wide men either side, allowing them to go and deliver. Kylian Mbappe couldn’t do what Giroud does. Sometimes you have to slow things down, make selfless runs. He is massively underrated because of the work people don’t see.”
The Gunners won three FA Cup titles with the Bleus forward
While Deeney has hinted Arsenal held Giroud back, France’s World Cup star won three FA Cup titles with the Gunners. He also offered 105 goals in 253 games across all competitions whilst in north London. Even though his early years featured a succession of costly misses.
Giroud’s average of 0.41 goals per game with Arsenal is only marginally less than his 0.44 for France. He also only scored an average of 0.32 goals per game after joining Chelsea in January 2018 for £18m. The forward scored 39 in 119 outings before moving to AC Milan.
Even at the San Siro with 23 goals over 57 games, Giroud is averaging less than he did with Arsenal at 0.40. But since leaving north for west London, the 36-year-old has added to his trophy haul with the 2018 World Cup plus the Champions League with Chelsea in 2020/21.
He also won the 2018/19 Europa League with the Blues before joining AC Milan for £1m in July 2021. The Rossoneri also agreed to pay Chelsea £1m in add-ons, and have benefitted from his presence by winning Serie A during his debut season at the San Siro in 2021/22.
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