Olivier Giroud has been speaking to the French media during the national team training camp, ahead of Euro 2016 in France. The Arsenal star scored 24 goals in all competitions this season, but has been repeatedly criticised for his below par performances in the second half of the season.
At the start of the season, Giroud and Ozil formed a commendable partnership, and the German international had a strong chance of beating Thierry Henry’s assist record in a single Premier League campaign, but that didn’t happen in the end.
Recently, Ozil liked a picture on Instagram that sparked some controversy. The caption read: “On December 22 Ozil made his 15th assist of the season meaning he’d only need 6 more to break Thierry Henry’s record.
“But then Giroud decided to stop scoring, and he finished with 19 assists.”
Giroud was asked by French newspaper L’Equipe if he fears for his place in final list of 23 for the Euros, and the French international changed the answer to reflect his Arsenal form, and mentioned Ozil wasn’t as good either.
Giroud: “You can never be 100% sure. But given what I had accomplished in team of France, I think so. Even at Arsenal if it didn’t work out at the start of the year, a team is not a player.
“Our problems were collective. I’ve been less efficient compared to the first half of the season, but it is same for all the players, either Ozil or another.”
The 29-year-old also specifically talked about the games that he played well for Arsenal this season to point out how much the team rely on him as well.
He added: “We mostly talk about the striker because you are at the end of the line. I didn’t play well in some matches, it’s true, but I was also present in very important matches, against Leicester (2-1, on 14 February) for example.
“In the Champions League, if we qualified from the first knockout round it was also through my hat-trick against Olympiacos (3-0, December 9, 2015, last game of the groups).”
