I Tried To Emulate Shevchenko – Giroud

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has admitted that he has tried to emulate the performances of former Chelsea star Andriy Shevchenko.

Ukraine legend Shevchenko spent three years at Stamford Bridge having carved out a reputation as one of the game’s deadliest strikers during his time with AC Milan and formerly Dynamo Kiev.

And France international Giroud, who has scored 45 goals in over 100 appearances since moving to the Gunners from Montpellier, was a big fan of Shevchenko, who retired from football back in 2012.

He told the club’s official website: “When I was young I tried to run like Shevchenko because he was a fantastic player and really elegant as well.

“Sometimes at training I used to start running like him. He runs in a special way and he was really powerful – short but strong. I tried to imitate his shots as well. I don’t think [my coach] noticed though, because it was a quick try. It was not an obsession!”

Giroud also revealed that he has been working on his runs from attacking corners, adding: “Sometimes the boss used to say, ‘Of course the striker has to go to the near post because after it will create some space behind you, even if you don’t get the ball, the defenders will have to follow you.’

“After it’s easier for maybe a midfielder or the other forwards to make other runs. We say most of the time, ‘first post, first there’. In that situation it was true but the crosses Hector [against Newcastle] and Theo put in, against Spurs last year, were perfect. After that, it’s all about the outside of my foot.”