If Chelsea finish in the top four this season, it could have a lot to do with Giroud.
For Chelsea, this season has been marked by the emergence of youth players in the first team. Led by manager Frank Lampard, the youngsters are finally getting the chances they deserve.
Rising academy players such as Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount have navigated the club through most of the season, but now it could be a veteran who leads them across the finishing line. That man is Olivier Giroud.
The 33-year-old has been consistently stepping up when his side needs him this season, despite not getting many opportunities to do so.
How Giroud has already made key contributions this season
The Frenchman has only started eight games this year, with only two of those starts coming before February.
He played an hour against Leicester City in the second week of the season and then started in a 1-0 loss against West Ham in November, but his lowest point came soon after.
The World Cup winner was left out of the squad for ten consecutive games, spending all of December and January kicking dust in the stands. At this point, he was widely regarded to be leaving in the January transfer window.
January came and went, though, and Giroud was still at the club, as the Blues could not find a replacement. Chelsea had engineered a situation where both player and manager were upset, and all signs pointed to a summer exit for the veteran striker.
But that all changed when Abraham went down injured against Arsenal. The No. 9 tried to play through the pain against Leicester, but it was clear he could not continue, so for the next fixture against Manchester United, Giroud was brought in from the cold.
In a game marred by VAR’s deficiencies, Giroud proved he still belonged, doing more in the 20 minutes he played than backup striker Michy Batshuayi had done all game, and all this having not played in three months.
The following fixture was against Tottenham Hotspur, in a fixture that could truly decide the top-four race. If Spurs had won, they would’ve overtaken Chelsea in fourth.
But they didn’t win, because Giroud stepped up. In his first start since November, he opened the scoring with a venomous left-footed volley and won the game for his side.
When Chelsea needed him the most, he was there to deliver the win.
Since then, Abraham has returned from injury, but Giroud has largely kept his starting role. He scored against Everton and looked set to continue his good run of form until COVID-19 forced the Premier League’s suspension.
Football was put on pause for three months, during which Giroud extended his contract with Chelsea. When it returned, it was presumed a fit and healthy Abraham would take back his starting role. However, this has not been the case.
Giroud started the first game back against Aston Villa, where he scored the winner with a sweet turn and finish. He also started in a crucial win against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
The only game he hasn’t started so far was against West Ham United, where Chelsea lost 3-2 in a stunning result for the Hammers, but Giroud returned to the starting lineup on Saturday against Watford to once again score the winning goal.
What Giroud has to offer this Chelsea team
While the 33-year-old lacks pace in behind, he makes up for it with excellent hold-up play, and the ability to bring others into the game.
He developed an excellent relationship with Eden Hazard during his time at Stamford Bridge, and he seems to be gaining a good understanding with Christian Pulisic now as well.
His play also makes others better because he distracts the defence so much with his sheer size and power that there is space for midfielders and wingers to make runs beyond him.
Of course, he is also dominant in the air, with his movement in the box as well as his aerial prowess making him a very promising target for crosses.
His terrific movement also applies for balls along the ground, as shown by his excellent five-yard run to get some separation from the defenders and score into the bottom corner against Watford.
Overall, his combination of size, strength, and football intelligence makes him a key player for Chelsea, one who has been overlooked all season.
How Giroud could affect the final matches of the season
The Blues play five more games in the league, starting with Crystal Palace away on Tuesday. Led by former Chelsea legend Gary Cahill, Palace’s resolute defence will surely be looking to stifle the club’s key players.
Facing such a defensive-minded approach, Giroud’s ability to get on the end of crosses is very important, as well as his capacity to create space for the likes of Pulisic and Willian out wide.
He will likely get the nod at Selhurst Park, and he seems to have established himself above Abraham in the pecking order, at least for the time being. How these final matches go could have a lot to do with him.
If he can come up with some key goals down the stretch, as he already has this season, it will surely spell good news for Chelsea’s top-four hopes.
Along with the sudden emergence of Pulisic as a star player, Giroud has been one of the most impressive players since the restart, and he could very well continue in that same vein.
He has already provided two game-winning goals in the past four matches, and he does not look like he is about to stop now.
With Timo Werner arriving in the summer, Giroud’s place in the squad looks under threat, but he has shown this season that he will never stop fighting. Helping his side clinch Champions League football for next season would prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Olivier Giroud is a warrior and a champion. You can add to that list the unlikely hero of this Chelsea team.