Olivier Giroud ended the year with the best strike rate of any player in the Premier League, just ahead of Sergio Aguero and Mohamed Salah. Enter his goals in the Champions League this season – he filled four away to Sevilla – and the record is even better.
“I’m told it’s a goal every 63 minutes this season,” Giroud explains Sky Sports. “Of course, I’m very happy with those numbers. I’m the happiest person when I’m on the pitch.”
At 34, Giroud’s form has not declined. The goals keep coming as he continues to strengthen his craft. He’s a master of the one-touch finish, the king of a near-post run that every defender in the upcoming Premier League but still struggling to stop should know.
He has had two of his last two games for Chelsea – a Wolves volley from Ben Chilwell’s left cross and a goal against Aston Villa after a ball from the same player.
Is he worried that his trade move, courting in front of defenders, will be a speech on the opponents’ dressing room before the game? Surely Manchester City will know exactly what to expect if he hits the pitch at Stamford Bridge this coming Sunday?
“Everyone knows of Kevin De Bruyne ‘s passing quality at Manchester City but he still helps over and over again,” Giroud explained, laughing. “I believe it ‘s one thing to be aware of a player’ s quality against a counter but it ‘s another to stop. “
Giroud doesn’t show signs of slowing down, though in his case that’s the point. “My speed has never been my main strength,” he admits. As long as he can find enough space to get a body part to the ball ahead of his mark, he will continue to score his goals.
In this exclusive interview with Sky Sports examining why it is possible for him to score more consistently than anyone else, the shortest effort is in explaining his success as the sixth sense. “It’s something you have or don’t have,” he begins. “A fighter can rip things off.”
But for too long it changes tack. “I’m not going to tell you everything because it will be easy for me to read,” he says. But this is not all about instinct, it is a skill he has learned. Being in the right place at the right time is an easy line, but it all comes down to hard work.
“As a fighter, if you want to get free from the defender, you have to do the first run and then after that another run. You feel like going to the farthest post but go to the first post.It is about that move to get free from your defender to get the ball.
“It’s not random. It’s nothing random when you get a goal score. Never. Never can it be that you’re just lucky. You’re powerless and agile. You always That is one of the main qualities of a fighter.You will never stop and always believe that you are going to score even if you miss the first or second man. “
Giroud’s move is unusual in that other strikers with his air capability would choose to pull away to the far post instead. He prefers the run near post and here he explains why.
“Of course, there are certain situations in a game where you have to go to the long post because the first post has a density. It depends on the situation.
“But as a striker, like No. 9, you have to do the run sometimes just to move the defender to free up the space behind you for another player. When the cross comes to the first post and is you ahead of the defender you are there to finish and you can surprise the keeper.That is what I like to do this move.I work on it a lot in training. “
What are the directions for the level crossing? “I urge my full backs and supporters to cross the ball early and not wait too long. You don’t have to go to the goal line before you cross.”
And is it easier to find the net when the cross comes in from the left wing or from the right wing? “It’s true that I’m probably more comfortable leading the ball when it comes from the left.”
Nonetheless, 10 of his goals at Chelsea have come from right-handed crosses compared to 12 from the left. In addition to the heads, the valleys are square and the flicks right. Less than 31 of his 37 goals for Chelsea have come from first-time finishes. It’s hard to stop.
It is also a testament to his remarkable manner. There are those strikers who are able to run through on target from a depth. They have time to put the ball down to make the opportunity easier.
Not Giroud. Its one-touch finish means it often handles incoming deliveries from odd angles. He constantly tries to control his body to handle the ball – most notably when he scores his scorpion kick for Arsenal against Crystal Palace.
“It’s true that it’s very rare for me to be in a position against the goal and I can just go for a look with a little touch. I’ve done it a few times when I’m in this position, I remember a bit of it.But most of the time I have my back to the goal and I try to set others up.I used to do a lot with Eden Hazard, for example .
“My type of game is more about setting up the others and just living in the box and ready to finish well. It’s something I use a lot, I try to be quick in box and finish as fast as I can.Although, to be honest with you, I never worked on a scorpion kick.
“But when you’re in the penalty box, you always know you don’t have much time to finish. There will always be a defender nearby so you have a better chance of scoring when you shoot with him. That’s your first rub. That’s why I try to work on it every day in training. “
Can it still improve?
“I still think I sometimes go too early to the front post which gives me not a very good angle to finish. But sometimes I get compelled because the defender is defending to good.
“It’s about your quality and your talent. I’ve been doing this all my career and that’s thanks to the work I’ve done in training and the quality of my finish. I strive for quality. My strength is the way I lead the ball and finish. I try to keep that up. “
His album speaks for itself and while Frank Lampard continues to turn his strikers – Giroud has been an unused substitute in two of the last three games. at Chelsea – it’s no surprise that the manager regularly returns to one of the most trusted visitors around.
With his contract up in the summer, what’s next? For now, this World Cup winner is not looking too far ahead with Chelsea running trophies in three different competitions.
“We’ll see what happens in the coming months but I just want to keep my efficiency high. When I’m not on the pitch, I just try to be part of the team. I really want the best for this team and I truly believe we have a great chance to win something at Chelsea with this great squad. I will continue like this and try to keep up. “
With this, no one else should expect.