Ability to ‘smell’ situations key to Giroud’s form – Koscielny

REUTERS – Olivier Giroud’s high work rate and an ability to “smell” situations have been key to the striker’s impressive form this season, according to his Arsenal team mate and compatriot Laurent Koscielny.

The France international has scored nine times in his last 11 club appearances, including a vital Champions League hat-trick at Olympiakos Piraeus and a brace against Liverpool in the Premier League.

Giroud, 29, has netted an impressive 18 goals in 32 games in all competition for the Gunners this season and Koscielny stressed the forward gives much more to the team than just those goals.

“He’s so massive and that’s one of the best qualities for a striker. When he can play like this, with one or two touches and staying in the box, which is where we want him, we can score in the air,” Koscielny told the club website (www.arsenal.com).

“I think Olivier has a work rate for the team which is very high. He’s not just a forward, he’s always there (when we have) free-kicks or corners against us.

“You can see now that he smells the situations well – when he needs to shoot quickly, or control the ball, like he did against Liverpool with his second goal.”

Arsenal continue their FA Cup defence hosting second tier side Burnley on Saturday and take on Southampton on Tuesday hoping to improve their third position in the Premier League table.

(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)