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Extended Clip - Olivier Giroud: Has AC Milan’s big-game MONSTER ever been better?
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After scoring a brace and assisting twice in AC Milan's 4-0 thrashing of Salzburg in the Champions League, Nima Tavallaey and Carlo Garganese discuss if Olivier Giroud has ever better.
This is an extended clip from this week's Thursday episode of The Italian Football Podcast which is only available for patrons on Patreon.com/TIFP
To listen to ALL complete episodes of The Italian Football Podcast, go to Patreon.com/TIFP and become a Patron for only $2.99 USD per month (excluding VAT).
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Transcript
Introduction to the Italian Football Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian football podcast.
Olivier Giroud's Impact on Milan's Serie A Success
00:00:06
Speaker
Olivier Giroud, he has shown since joining Milan from Chelsea in 2021 that he has been the ultimate big game player in Italian football in Serie A. I mean this season in 2022 scored so many big goals. He was the man that won them the Scudetto really. I mean obviously Raphael was player of the season and he was devastating in those final months but in terms of
00:00:31
Speaker
crucial decisive goals in the race of the Scurto. It was your route. You had the Milan Derby, you had the goal to beat Napoli, the Lazio game and then of course the final day of the Scurto against Sassuolo when he got the ball rolling and basically won them that game early on in that first half.
Giroud's Breakthrough in the Champions League
00:00:52
Speaker
Having said that though,
00:00:54
Speaker
Funnily enough, and this is something that I've spoken about and I did earlier this week. He hasn't done it in the Champions League when it matters. He scored the odd penalty here and there, but in the big games, he's been very, very disappointing for Milan. So, you know, I said before this game against Salzburg, this, we need Giroud to turn up.
00:01:15
Speaker
It's about time he turned up in a Champions League game for Milan when it really matters. And he did it. Boy did he. I mean, two goals, two assists. He was just offside, would have had a hat-trick otherwise.
Giroud's Peak Physical and Psychological Condition
00:01:31
Speaker
Man of the match by far.
00:01:32
Speaker
And I think, and I've said it on this pod before in this season, that I don't think physically I've ever seen him in better condition than he is right now. He looks at his absolute peak. And that's so important for Milan that although he's 36 and 33 days, he, or however many days it is, the fact that they've bought a player that is not
00:01:57
Speaker
past his best, which everyone thought that he might have been. I honestly don't think that Giroud has been any better ever before. He looks physically, psychologically, in complete harmony. He's really enjoying his football. He looks happy. I mean, every time you see Ollie the Giroud, you just see a person that is in complete harmony with life and where he is. And that kind of atmosphere, that kind of thing, that rubs off on everyone else.
The Importance of Giroud's Aerial Ability
00:02:25
Speaker
um around him and the fact that he's so strong in the air I mean the the aerial threat that he provides Milan with is just astonishing uh is I mean the the first goal Sandro Tonali excellent corner he wins that header which I mean turns it around that's a really difficult thing to do in that position now I do have question marks defensively because I don't understand how that ball went through two defenders and a goalkeeper because it wasn't exactly that hard
00:02:51
Speaker
hard in terms of how fiercely he headed it. But regardless, it's a difficult thing he did for the first goal. And then obviously for Krunich's goal, that assisted header, that's not easy. That is world class. I mean, that kind of, that's what he provides for Milan. This aerial presence that he can hold up the ball, he can play off other players aerially.
00:03:17
Speaker
That's an incredibly important aspect of Milan's game that I don't think that they've really utilized as much. And that's something that I think they will start to utilize more, especially in games like this, when they play opponents who are arguably weaker than them.
00:03:35
Speaker
but decide to defend deep and make life difficult for them and his aerial presence and his ability to control the ball in the air and play it wherever he wants to. And also the link-up game for the fourth goal, although the game was pretty much over by then, that aspect of
00:03:52
Speaker
of his game will be crucial for Milan and I think it's incredibly important that he's starting to show that.
Giroud's Leadership Role at Milan
00:04:00
Speaker
And also the leadership and experience he brings as well to what is still a pretty young team, let's be honest. Most of the players are in their early 20s and that is important to have that leadership in your team.
00:04:16
Speaker
Certainly yesterday because you know that first half, even though they won four, that first half was on a knife edge. You know Salzburg were really in the game. They looked dangerous Salzburg going forward. Yes, the defence was weak. They defended very badly Salzburg. I mean the goal for Giroud's second goal was a terrific defending.
00:04:34
Speaker
where Liao ran, he ran from one side to the other side, crossed it in, and it must have gone through about three defenders, you know, and then Giroud turned in the loose ball. But, you know, he is an important weapon, and he's going to be very, very important for the knockout
Record-Breaking Performance in the Champions League
00:04:50
Speaker
stages. And, you know, like you said, 36 years and 33, 34 days now, he's the oldest player to be involved in
00:04:58
Speaker
in at least three goals in a Champions League game since 2003-2004 season. He's the second oldest player to score two goals in the Champions League match for Milan since good old Billy Poinsaghi in 2010. I think that might have been against Real Madrid game, I think. Yeah, I think so as well. I think it was that game when he scored two goals. I think he surpassed Raoul as the most prolific goal scorer of the Champions League in that game as well. The Real Madrid legend, if I remember.
00:05:26
Speaker
Correct. I'm not sure about that. Raoul's got a lot of goals. But yeah, he's breaking record off the record. No, I think he did. I remember there was a talking point in that game that he surpassed or equalled Raoul's record. But I mean, again, I mean, another point to illustrate, well, you know, another factor to further strengthen my point about how I think he has never been better in his career.
Giroud's Potential Role for France in the World Cup
00:05:45
Speaker
This was the first time that he scored and made an assist in the same Champions League game. It's
00:05:51
Speaker
nights, he looks really good and that's important that Milan have a player again that is at his peak. They need that, they really need that and with Ibrahimovic we don't know if he'll ever come back. It's incredibly important that Giroud is doing this well and it is in this form.
00:06:11
Speaker
But, you know, they do need to be a little bit careful so that they don't burn him out the same way Inter did last season with Edin Jekyll. Because 36 is, you know, at that point in your career when you reach those ages, that's when the injuries come.
00:06:27
Speaker
But he's going to the World Cup, he's going to the World Cup and he's playing so well that you feel like he should deserve to start for France, but unfortunately there's a certain carry in Benzema. So you're not starting there. But I do feel though, he could still be important for France because he is the kind of player that you can bring on. If you're chasing a goal in the last 15 minutes and his aerial presence and you're just crossing the ball with Teo or whoever it is,
00:06:55
Speaker
He's going to win 9 10 times out of 10 those aerial challenges if the delivery is good enough. Yeah.
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00:07:02
Speaker
Yeah. So yeah, he will be important. Listen to the full show and all other episodes by going to patreon.com slash TIFP and become a member for only $2.99 per month.