Why Olivier Giroud could be a solution to Everton’s goalscoring woes
Everton's Portuguese manager Marco Silva is under increasing pressure after overseeing a wretched start to the season. The Toffees are currently 15th in the Premier League table, level on points with Tottenham Hotspur, who have a superior goal difference.
Clearly, goalscoring has been an area of concern for Everton since the departure of Romelu Lukaku in 2017. The Belgian, who currently plays for Italian giants Inter Milan, scored 87 goals in 166 appearances across all competitions for the Merseyside outfit.
Everton have an abundance of attacking talents but a lack of cutting edge up front has proven costly. They’ve managed just 13 goals in 12 Premier League games in the present campaign, with only five sides scoring fewer than them.
Cenk Tosun has struggled to adapt to the pace and intensity of the Premier League ever since his £27 million arrival from Besiktas in January 2018. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and summer signing Moise Kean haven’t been consistent enough to cement their spot in the starting eleven.
As a result, Silva has been forced to use Richarlison through the middle, but the Brazilian prefers to operate down the left flank.
With this in mind and pressure building on Silva to improve his side’s fortunes, the addition of a target-man features highly on Silva's January wish-list. In that regard, Olivier Giroud would be a perfect fit for the Toffees.
The Frenchman is not a regular starter at Chelsea and recently expressed his desire to move on in search of regular first team football. He said,
“I’m 33, I still have legs and a good healthy lifestyle and I feel good physically. I want to have fun and want to play more games.
“Chelsea is my priority, but if in the end I'm forced to make a choice, I will do it as when I left Arsenal.”
Signing Giroud would give Everton’s attack a potent target-man. The 87-capped France international is excellent in the air, great at holding-up play and bringing his teammates into the game.
Aside from his impeccable work ethic, the Frenchman is a tidy finisher. He has plundered an impressive 115 goals since moving to England in the summer of 2012 from Montpellier.
No wonder, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger rated him so highly.
“If you look at the number of goals he has scored you have to give him credit. And he is not only a goalscorer – he works a lot for the team. He is among the best strikers in Europe."
Even at 33 years of age, Giroud could give the Toffees two to three years of top-quality service. Furthermore, he could help bring out the best in the likes of Richarlison, Kean and Gylfi Sigurdsson. He could provide a focal point around which Everton’s other attackers could operate - looking for knockdowns and little touches to feed off.
Silva must move for the Chelsea ace in January if he wants Everton to climb up the table and be a contender for the Europa League spot at the end of the season.