Olivier Giroud no longer has an excuse. The 2018 world champion needed an adaptation time last season after his signature at Los Angeles FC. Landed in July, the 38-year-old center-forward scored no goal in 14 MLS matches at the forefront of the best team of the Western Conference, which was finally eliminated in the conference semi-finals at the end of November. After two months of vacation, Giroud perfectly prepared the new Statesunian season alongside Hugo Lloris but his exercise start is even more laborious.
Giroud did not score in four matches with the LAFC, starting the two heats of the first round of the Champions Cup against the Colorados Rapids and by entering the championship during the victories against Minnesota United and New York City FC. His competitor for the number 9 position, the American international Jeremy Ebobisse, recruited during the offseason, precisely gave the Angelinos victory against Minneapolis. And Giroud was transparent during the qualification in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup last Tuesday.
Giroud's big failure
On Saturday, the former AC Milan player was launched in the 77th minute in place of Ebobisse and, two minutes later, missed a huge opportunity. Denis Bouanga has a clearance of the New York goalkeeper and Giroud checked the ball alone in front of the opposing goalkeeper without reaching the precipitation, to adjust his strike from the right. Steve Cherundolo's men torn off the victory as an additional time approaches thanks to the lateral Ryan Hollingshead, on an action where Giroud failed to take over the center of Bouanga…
The pace remains unchanged for the next two weeks: the Los Angeles FC defies the Columbus Crew of Dylan Chambost next Tuesday (in California) and the next week (in Ohio) in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup and plays every Saturday in MLS, first in the setting of the Seattle Sounders then against Austin FC in the City of Angels. Failing to open his counter this season, Giroud must absolutely do better in the game, as the immense player he was throughout his career, from Ligue 2 to the Premier League via the Euro and World Cup.
