CHELSEA LAND SECOND BEST LOOKING No 9...
SO THERE I was, sat at home a couple of weeks ago, when my phone started to beep and I heard I was trending on Twitter. I didn’t expect to see my name linked with Chelsea but that was the situation. It was all speculation, I suppose. Of course it was nice to get linked with a club of that stature — particularly as they were the club I used to watch when I was a kid — but I didn’t think much more about it. There was never any strong interest. I heard Antonio Conte quite likes me as a player but I was only ever concentrating on Stoke. I didn’t expect anything to happen and, as it turns out, Chelsea have gone on to make a great signing. I’ve always admired Olivier Giroud. He is France’s No 9, he’s been to the World Cup and the Euros and worn that shirt with distinction. He’s a top striker and maybe he didn’t get as many chances as he deserved at Arsenal. Conte likes playing with big target men and you only have to think about how he used Graziano Pelle when he was in charge of Italy. Given Giroud’s ability and how Conte wants to play, he will be perfect for Chelsea. He was one of the best signings of the window. He is good technically, strong and great in the air. I’d go as far as to say they got themselves the division’s second best looking target man!