Can Giroud Handle the Pressure of Leading France at Euro 2016?

Earlier this week, France head coach Didier Deschamps was forced to defend striker Olivier Giroud. “It’s definitely a minority (of fans) and it’s obviously unfair,” Deschamps said after the Arsenal striker was booed by a contingent of the fan base in their 3-2 win over Cameroon. Giroud netted France’s second in the victory having got on the end of Paul Pogba’s sumptuous cross to make it five goals in his last six international appearances. 

Yet despite his good goalscoring record for the national team, some quarters of the support still felt the need to lambast the 29-year-old at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Monday. France supporters, though, need to come around to the idea of Giroud leading the attack, particularly with Euro 2016 looming. The FFF’s decision to axe lead striker Karim Benzema came as a blessing for Giroud, who takes the Real Madrid star’s place in the France offensive in Deschamps’ favoured 4-3-3 formation. 

Benzema’s comments on Deschamps on Wednesday are unlikely to have sat well with the France boss and plunge his international future into further doubt. As such, Les Bleus head into Euro 2016 with Giroud as the lead striker, with Andre-Pierre Gignac his deputy. France play their final preperation game when they face off against Scotland this weekend, a little under a week before the competition’s curtain raiser when Romania play the hosts. 

Giroud is expected to start against Scotland in order to build up a head of steam ahead of France’s first competitive outing in just short of two years, having played a succession of friendlies since their 1-0 defeat to Germany at the 2014 World Cup. The question now is whether Giroud can shoulder the goalscoring burden that comes with being France’s lead frontman. His record on the international stage is respectable if a little underwhelming, averaging a goal every three games for France. 

He ended the season on a high note for Arsenal having netted four goals in his last two games, but that masked what was a dire downturn in form for Giroud in 2016. After netting a brace in the entertaining 3-3 draw with Liverpool back in January, he went on to score just twice in the next 21 competitive outings, both of which came in a routine 4-0 FA Cup win at Hull in March. 

For any player, though, regardless of ability, the need to come into a big international tournament in form is high. Giroud’s recent goalscoring outings are just what France required considering the absence of Benzema. However, if his performances at the 2014 World Cup are anything to go by, concerns over his striking ability are not without reason. Giroud netted just one goal and registered one assist from five appearances in Brazil to return a WhoScored rating of 6.70. 

While only two of those five appearances were starts, it’s still a worry given Giroud’s inconsistencies in front of goal. In the last three Premier League seasons, only Sergio Aguero (43) has missed more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities (40). Given the vast array of attacking talent available to Deschamps - despite numerous absentees, the France boss can still call on Anthony Martial, Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet, to name three, in the final third - chances will be created for Giroud this summer and it's up to him to tuck these opportunities away. 

A player capable of operating as the lone frontman is essential in the system Deschamps favours and while Griezmann and Anthony Martial can fill the void on the frontline, Giroud’s the obvious stand in as the main striker. His physical stature and ability to bring others into play benefits those around him, particularly with Martial and Griezmann operating either side of the Gunners man. 

Given Benzema has routinely underwhelmed for the national team, his absence, despite his impressive league form for Real Madrid, is hardly the biggest blow for France. Giroud is unlikely to make the similar selfless runs as his compatriot, but his hold up play is an impressive trait that will improve France’s chances of success on home soil. 

This France side are one of the favourites to lift the European Championship and if Giroud can continue his recent good form on the international stage, there is no reason why he can’t prolong his goalscoring performances at Euro 2016. Booed by some quarters of the support against Cameroon, you can bet those same fans who castigated Giroud this week would sing his praises should he fire France to glory this summer.