Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud revealed his dream starting XI compiled of his favourite teammates.
Now 39, Giroud is still going strong in France, signing for LOSC Lille in the summer on a short-term contract.
The Frenchman certainly split opinion at Arsenal, but with 105 goals in red and white, his ability to lead the line can’t be overlooked.
Fast forward to today, and Mikel Arteta has his answer to Giroud in Viktor Gyokeres; all the Swede needs now is goals, something Giroud was often gifted at Arsenal thanks to those around him.
- READ MORE: Olivier Giroud says whether Viktor Gyokeres will make the grade at Arsenal after his poor start
Olivier Giroud says Mesut Ozil’s ability was ‘crazy’
Giroud was surrounded by playmaking talent at Arsenal, as Arsene Wenger showcased an abundance of passing maestros throughout his time at the club.
One of Giroud’s favourites was Mesut Ozil, whom he just named in his dream starting XI.
Guess who: There’s one former Arsenal player clearly missing from Olivier Giroud’s dream XI, who is it?
Speaking as a guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, the former Gunner explained why Ozil was one part of the midfield in his squad.
“Mesut Ozil, if he wanted you to score on the day, you would score,” Giroud said.
“He preferred to assist than score. So clever, and his left foot is crazy.”
Ozil set the standard for Arsenal’s playmakers in the Emirates era, being one of the best creators the Gunners have ever seen.
Leaving N5 with 77 assists to his name, it’s no surprise that a striker like Giroud enjoyed playing with Ozil, whose Arsenal exit was sanctioned by Arteta.
Arteta froze Ozil out, leading to his exit to sign for Fenerbahce six months before his contract expired, bringing an eight-year stay at the Emirates to an unfortunate close.
Giroud and Ozil’s partnership was underrated
Giroud named Ozil in his best XI, but would the Frenchman make his former teammate’s dream team?
The common takeaway from the two players was that, far too often, Ozil set Giroud up, only for the striker to miss, take that unfortunate night against Monaco, for example.
A decade on, are Arsenal missing a partnership like Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil?
Hindsight is a crazy thing, as very few would’ve anticipated that more than a decade down the line, Arteta is crying out for a dynamic like Ozil and Giroud’s.
Love or loathe Giroud, he was a brilliant finisher on his day and an intelligent striker, making Ozil’s job easy, sometimes.
It’s what Arteta’s squad is missing: that strong connection between playmaker and centre-forward that can guarantee goals.
Will the Spaniard unearth his own version of the pair? With Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard on board, there’s surely a chance.
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