Mick Jagger Has The Moves Like Olivier Giroud

Do you know what I hate in football? I hate it when people are quick to write someone off before they've even had a chance to prove themselves.

At the beginning of his Arsenal career, Olivier Giroud was never going to have it easy. He was following in the footsteps of Robin van Persie. A player who scores more freely than Marouane Chamakh in a Moroccan strip club. 

People try to compare him to Robin van Persie. And the comparisons are unfair. Giroud is simply Giroud. He isn't van Persie. He doesn't have a little boy inside of him. He is just a sexy French beast who plays in a completely different way to his Dutch counterpart.

It was always going to take time for Giroud to settle into English football, and the Arsenal way. Yet some people were so Giroud, I mean rude, at times to him. They expected instant success and the truth is he needed time to adapt.

How many players come to England and set the league on fire straight away? Not many in my book. And the fact that Giroud was only used sparingly, with a forehead called Gervinho taking his place, at first didn't help matters for him.

He was playing in dribs and drabs and anyone that plays, or played, football knows that getting into the flow of a game is very difficult. Especially with only 10 or 15 minutes here and there.

Of course, Arsene Wenger was only easing Giroud in at first. Completely understandable. But people should have understood they wasn't seeing the real player because he wasn't getting the real chance to showcase his ability.

Little bits of game time here and there is not easy. When a player like Gervinho, who couldn't finish his dinner, is playing in front of him, then I should imagine it can be demoralising too.

However I saw enough of Giroud in these little moments to think we have a decent player on our hands. Unlike Osama Bin Laden he never went hiding. Not only that, he worked hard and was still getting himself into scoring positions.

The movement of Giroud is exceptional. In fact, I would say that Mick Jagger has the moves like Giroud. And that is a compliment. He (Giroud) is awesome round the box, and while I'd say Jagger is awesome round the, um, box too, I think Olivier just shades it. Although Jagger has bigger lips.

We have a real player on our hands here and apparently Fulham turned him down in the summer. Whether that's true or not I don't care because, in my opinion, their loss is our gain.

Now Giroud is getting a run of games we are starting to see why Arsenal spent a few quid on him. Some at first tried comparing him to van Persie, then a donkey and now I am even seeing people say he is the white Didier Drogba. Some change around! 

Its a bolder shout than Steve Bould but Olivier Giroud will go all the way. He will become world class. I know that is hyping him up no end and puts pressure on them beautiful shoulders but he has all the tools to become one of the best strikers in the world.

Time is on his side and I while think he will go on to have a fantastic season this campaign, watch him go next season and in the future. 

Follow me on Twitter @_Wrighty7

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Could Another Manager Do A Better Job In Wenger's Shoes?

There are many disgruntled Gooners out there at the moment and some, more than ever before, are beginning to question whether Arsene Wenger's time at the club is coming to an end.

When a team struggles the first person you look at is the manager. Unless Kelly Brook or Jules Wheeler are part of the Arsenal staff of course. Then you just look at them two beauties.

And it's true that things haven't been great for us Gooners in recent years so I understand the frustration building. 

Despite this I always try to look at the bright side of things. You could say I am 10% optimistic and 90% deluded but that is just me.

That said of course I am worried about Arsenal and where we seem to be at the moment but, when J-Lo's bottom isn't in the way, I see the bigger picture and think there is always someone worse off than yourself.

I understand people questioning Wenger too. I think nobody is above criticism, constructive criticism at that, and there are questions of Arsene that need to be answered.

However it is easy to say 'sack the manager' and get someone new in isn't it? Who do you replace Wenger with if that's the case and would he do a better job?

In my opinion if a man could be guaranteed to do better than Arsene then bring him in. I'm pretty tasty at Football Manager 2009 so I am a possible candidate.    

But seriously nobody is guaranteed to do such a thing and while I agree a lot of the time a change can freshen things up in the short-term you have to look at the long-term picture.

Could you honestly see this current Arsenal board giving a new manager lots and lots of cash to spend if they don't give it to Arsene Wenger? 

I don't.

So we would be in the same situation only with a new manager at the helm who has Arsene Wenger's squad.

And would the new gaffer be happy with the constraints that Wenger has had to deal with in the last few years? I doubt it.   

Arsene has just got on with it, without moaning. And I think he should be respected for that.

Bandying names about to replace Wenger is easy to do but when I see the likes of Harry Redknapp mentioned my eyes bleed.

Seriously? If Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid or Wigan had managerial vacancies and Wenger or Redknapp was in front of them who would they choose? 

I mean, he was sacked by S*urs!!!

It would not be triffic if Harry was at the Emirates unless he was selling hot-dogs in a burger stall.

In my opinion Arsene Wenger is not irreplaceable at Arsenal. Nobody is. But there is more to this.

I think the board are happy with top 4 finishes and the money it brings in. Wenger delivers that so they are never going to sack him. 

We have a stadium to pay off and the gaffer gets by on what he is given to help the club. Would Redknapp, Guardiola or Mourinho do the same?

They would be out the door quicker than John Terry knocking on his team-mates doors for a quick fumble when they are at training now he is injured.

Of course I get frustrated by Wenger too. Please don't think I'm a Wengerite. But I genuinely don't think replacing him, at this moment in time, is the right thing to do. 

Nothing would change. It would be the same board only we would probably have managers coming and going the door because they wouldn't take it.

Wenger is paid handsomely of course, but you can't doubt that he loves Arsenal and has the clubs best interests at heart. 

And not a lot of people could do a better job in his shoes.

I am speculating here but a bit of honesty, from the board, would go a long way to help a lot of Arsenal fans realise that maybe Wenger isn't so bad after all.

Follow me on Twitter @_Wrighty7

Keep It Goonerish.........

This Arsenal Team Can Explode Soon

I have no doubt I will get slaughtered by some for writing this piece but hey-ho I am there to be shot at. You couldn't miss this nose anyway!

When I look at this Arsenal squad I see so much quality. I really do. If you look deep down I'm sure most of you do too.

On paper, in my opinion, a first choice Arsenal 11 matches anything that Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United can muster up.

Now you may think 'Hold up, Wrighty has had a liquid lunch again" but seriously have a look at the squad on Arsenal.com.

That there is a decent squad who, for reasons unknown to me, are underachieving at the moment.

I can't put my finger on why we are struggling at the moment.

I kind of think its a confidence issue because when we are on-form we take the piss out of teams but off-form, well, they piss on us.

Maybe its a complacency thing? I would hope not because I think in the past we have definitely seen previous Arsenal sides think they have just got to turn up and they would win.

All I know is, at this very moment in time, we need something to inspire us. We need a big win. A confidence boosting victory to kick-start our campaign and get us back on track.

That's why I think this NLD coming up is perfect timing and could be the vodka and to...sorry the tonic to get us going again.

Of course that notion could go the complete opposite way. Defeat against that lot could see us crumble like a cookie soaked in milk and really deflate us. In a bad way.

But a victory? A win against them lot could really set us up for the decent season we showed glimpses of having a month or so ago.

Form goes out the window when its derby day. Anything can happen.

And I am optimistic that if, and its a big 'if' going by recent form, this Arsenal side 'click' then we could go on a run of games to change our season and claw our way into contention in that top four.

Last season beating S*urs 5-2 was the injection needed to boost our confidence and I really feel this Saturday could be the same.

I can understand people doubting that but there is a belief I have had since the summer and I won't change my view on it.

This is the most complete Arsenal squad Arsene Wenger has had at the club for a long time and a shit run of form doesn't make me feel any different.

Remember form is temporary, class is permanent and we have lots of class at Arsenal.

Follow me on Twitter @_Wrighty7

Keep It Goonerish...............