DON’T JUDGE ME ON GOALS, SAYS MISFIRING GIROUD
FRANCE’S Olivier Giroud has insisted he ‘gives everything’ — despite a shots-on-target record which is one of the worst in World Cup history and even poorer than Jack Charlton’s in 1966. Giroud, who is expected to face Croatia in Sunday’s final, has failed to get any of his 13 shots on target at this tournament — a record which is equal to Poland’s Zygmunt Maszczyk in the 1974 finals and North Korea’s Im Seung-hwi in 1966. The Chelsea forward even eclipses Charlton’s record of 11 off target in ’66 — the year from which records exist. Giroud said: ‘Hopefully I can have it for the final. I think I’m having a good World Cup, I’ve assisted three times for goals but if we are world champions and I don’t score, I’m OK with that.’ Jurgen Klinsmann was among those who criticised Giroud for his poor finishing against Belgium in the semi-final, where he had six shots either off target or blocked. ‘He (Giroud) is always kind of a step short,’ Klinsmann said. ‘I’m not sure he’s really convinced of himself right now to finish things off.’ But feelings are more mixed in France, where they appreciate Giroud’s defensive contribution and remember striker Stephane Guivarc’h not scoring a single goal when the team won the 1998 World Cup. Guivarc’h told L’Equipe this week: ‘He (Giroud) is a player who works a lot. What can we honestly reproach him for? ‘When you see his work supporting the block and the job he does when the ball is lost, you see that he is very useful. What he has in common with me is that he accepts playing in a role which is not his usual one.’ Giroud said: ‘In 1998 Guivarc’h played a good World Cup. Against Belgium I missed efficiency, luck and something to score but hopefully I can have it for the final.