Arsenal new boy Olivier Giroud insists he is not a direct replacement for Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but will try his best to fill the void.
Striker ready to take up goalscoring responsibility
Arsenal new boy Olivier Giroud insists he is not a direct replacement for Robin van Persie at Arsenal, but will try his best to fill the void.
Giroud joined Arsenal from Montpellier this summer prior to Van Persie's big-money switch to rivals Manchester United.
There is a lot of responsibility on French international Giroud's shoulders to help replace Van Persie's goals in the Arsenal side, but the 25-year-old admits he is a very different player to the former Gunners captain.
"I am not here to replace Van Persie or to make people forget him," Giroud told
The Sun.
"I am here to bring something different. I don't have the pretension of saying I will replace him because I have every respect for him as he had an enormous season last year.
"I wish him good luck for the future but I need to bring what I can bring without being pretentious to say I am here to replace him. That would be very bad.
Responsibility
"I feel ready. Absolutely ready to assume the responsibility and make people say 'yes, we have Olivier'. That's how it is.
"If I didn't think that I would never get my chance. If you sign for a big club it's to replace another striker who leaves or you come and sit on the bench and wait for some game-time or wait until a striker is less efficient, needs a breather or is injured.
"Unfortunately that's how it is in football. Now I have a chance as Robin left. So I will get more time to play and I need to assume the responsibility. In fact, I must.
"Because that is my chance and I have to take it. The ball is in my court and the show must go on."
Don't forget Sky TV customers who upgrade to the Sky Sports Pack today will get a one-off £5 discount on their bill. Simply click here to upgrade now. Not available to current Sky Sports customers.
