GOD told Olivier Giroud to stay at Chelsea this summer according to Giroud himself.
Well, thank you God, and thank you Giroud.
The Frenchman bullying the Sevilla defence on match-day five in the Champions League.
With all Chelsea’s shiny new signings arriving at the club, you would not have blamed the big striker if he decided to move on and search for more regular football, as he had so often been rumoured to during recent windows.
But Giroud had an excellent end to the season playing a lot for Frank Lampard and helping them qualify for the Champions League – and he was not ready to give up on them just yet.
Chelsea have spent £231 million in recent windows on the likes of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, and Christian Pulisic – but it is Giroud who is knocking the hardest on Lampard’s door this week after a world-class performance in the Champions League.
Giroud scored all four of Chelsea’s goals in their win over Sevilla in Spain on Wednesday night, sending the strongest message he’s ever sent to Lampard and his coaching team.
The French international scored with his left foot, right foot, and with his head – creating what is known as ‘the perfect hat trick.’
And what he has done as a result is he has pretty much made it impossible to be dropped for Saturday’s game against Leeds United, and he should now be the first name on Lampard’s team sheet for that game.
Chelsea’s new signings have been fantastic, but Giroud’s performance last night is a stark reminder of what he can do and the talent that Lampard already had at his disposure – his strength in depth is incredible.
Amongst a sea of quality international stars, 34-year old Giroud is standing with them all proving he has just as much to offer on the pitch.
How Chelsea could line up against Leeds.
Giroud has always been a natural goal scorer, but he now forces the question, has he been under rated by many?
He has never really managed to hold down a position as a regular starter at Chelsea under a string of managers, and it was largely the same at Arsenal.
But for France he is a regular starter and he scores goals for fun. It is time that Giroud is finally taken seriously as a number one striker, and this must start at the weekend for Chelsea.
I am adamant that Lampard will make his selection on merit in Giroud’s case, which means that he will start against Leeds.
Here’s exactly how I think we will line up:
GK – Edouard Mendy
The clean sheet king is the easiest selection of the team right now and he will start.
RB – Reece James
Chelsea’s strongest back four pick themselves right now, which makes this another easy selection for Lampard.
CB – Thiago Silva
The veteran has become vital to Chelsea’s back line.
CB – Kurt Zouma
Zouma is growing alongside Silva and has become equally as important.
LB – Ben Chilwell
It has been a great start to his Chelsea career for Chilwell, and he will come back in after a needed rest.
DM – N’Golo Kante
Kante is enjoying one of his best ever seasons so far playing in the holding role.
CM – Mason Mount
He has become an essential player for Chelsea over the last two seasons.
CM – Kai Havertz
Havertz was fantastic against Sevilla and did more than enough to start again against Leeds.
LW – Timo Werner
He needed a rest and got it this week. He will probably start and rotate with Callum Hudson-Odoi who is also knocking hard on Lampard’s door. But he played midweek so naturally will likely be rotated out.
CF – Olivier Giroud
I’ll be shocked if the man of the moment does not start on Saturday.
RW – Hakim Ziyech
Since coming back from injury, Ziyech has been constantly waving his magic wand and has already proven how important he is, and will become even more.
@SiPhillipsSport
Giroud celebrating one out of the four goals he scored last night.
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Olivier Giroud grabs four goals for Chelsea in Champions League tie with Sevilla
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
