Olivier Giroud 'Not Sure' Arsenal Are 'Better' Without Arsene Wenger
Olivier Giroud doesn't think Arsenal are better since Arsene Wenger stepped down last summer, but he did call for patience with the Frenchman's successor, Unai Emery.
Giroud scored 105 goals for the north London club between 2013 and 2018 before moving to Chelsea last January. He assessed his old club's transition from Wenger to Emery before the Gunners host the west London club in the Premier League on Saturday.
In an interview with ESPN FC's Liam Twomey and Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal, Giroud called it "a new adventure for them with a new coach."
While Giroud revealed Emery has won over Arsenal's players, he also said Wenger's influence still looms large:
"I think Emery has settled well in the club, the players like him, the way they are training, his philosophy of the game. I spoke with some of them and they are quite happy, but you don't forget what Arsene Wenger achieved in this club."
"He basically built this club -- if you take the different teams that used to train under Wenger, there were some unbelievable teams. We need to be patient with Emery and I think he will do very well at Arsenal. I'm not sure they're better than before (yet), but one thing for sure is they've got a nice future."
Giroud isn't the only one to express the idea Arsenal are no better under Emery than last season with Wenger. Emmanuel Petit, who won a league and FA Cup double under Wenger in 1998, recently said "nothing has changed. So why did they sack Arsene?" per the Daily Mirror's John Cross.
Arsenal are actually two points and one place better off than after 22 games last season. However, Emery's team has conceded more goals, which is just one of a few worrying statistics.
Giroud's assertion that his former team-mates have reacted favourably to Emery and his methods may come as a surprise to some. The Spaniard is embroiled in a mooted standoff with Arsenal's highest-earner, Mesut Ozil.
Emery has dropped the playmaker frequently in recent matches. BBC Sport's David Ornstein told BBC Radio 5 live (h/t Damian Burchardt of The Sun) Emery has told Ozil he should leave, but the 30-year-old has responded by applying himself more in training.
For his part, Emery has called for Ozil, who was left out of the squad altogether for the recent 1-0 defeat away to West Ham United, to be more consistent, per BBC Sport.
The issue with Ozil is just one of the problems facing Emery, who recently revealed Arsenal can only afford to loan players during the January transfer window. Problems with recruitment have also been cast into a fresh light by news that chief scout Sven Mislintat could quit the club after a mere 14 months on the job.
This backdrop of worrying news off the pitch has come amid a run of just two wins in the last six Premier League matches. Those defeats have left Arsenal six points adrift of Chelsea and a place in the top four, making this London derby close to a must-win for the home side.
Emery might have liked to still have a player as committed as Giroud on the books, particularly with striker Danny Welbeck recovering from ankle surgery. Giroud wasn't always the most highly regarded during his time at the Emirates Stadium, but he still brought vital qualities to Wenger's teams.
Chief among those qualities was the power to dominate in the air and play with his back to goal. Giroud proved erratic as a finisher, but his link play, via clever touches and flicks, was some of the best around.
Those traits appear set to go unappreciated at Chelsea, with Twomey and Fernandez-Abascal calling Gonzalo Higuain's arrival on loan from Juventus "imminent." However, they also noted how "Higuain will not arrive in time to help Chelsea against Arsenal," meaning Giroud could feature at the Emirates Stadium.
The man who assisted winning goals in two FA Cup finals, including against Chelsea in 2017, said "in a personal way it's going to be a special moment" to face his former team.
An under-pressure Emery will be hoping Arsenal don't see the best of Giroud in a game that could spell the end of the Gunners' hopes of avoiding a third straight season without UEFA Champions League football.
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