France attacker sticks up for his goalscoring record since arriving at the Emirates.
Arsenal front man Olivier Giroud claims he has had a more impressive debut campaign in the Premier League than either Thierry Henry or Didier Drogba managed in their first campaigns in the English top flight, reports the Daily Mirror.
The France international, who arrived in north London from the then Ligue 1 champions Montpellier last summer for £9.6 million, has found the back of the net 11 times in 33 Premier League appearances to date, and 17 times in 46 matches in all competitions for the Gunners.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old has also demonstrated that he is not simply a fox-in-the-box goal poacher, creating 11 goals for Arsenal team-mates along the way in this campaign.
However, when comparing his season stats so far with those of fellow Arsenal star Henry and Blues legend Drogba, the Frenchman’s do not quite match up.
Henry scored 26 goals in just 47 matches in 1999-2000, and while Ivory Coast international Drogba could only manage 16 strikes in 2004-05, the front man only played in 41 contests though.
“I replaced Van Persie and when you arrive at a big club like that, they are very demanding towards you. The criticism has not always been deserved, but they push you on,” said Giroud.
“Seventeen goals and 11 assists – that is better than Henry and Drogba in their first seasons. This is the quality I have. I have got better with this team and this staff – it is another level. And I want to continue to improve.”
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