OLIVIER GIROUD must score almost 20 per cent of Chelsea’s goals next season to replace Real Madrid newbie Eden Hazard.
With 21 goals last term, the latest Galactico was responsible for a massive 19 per cent of his side’s efforts last season.
Giroud is tipped to be the man to lead the line for Frank Lampard this term, but he’ll need to step up for the Blues to be successful.
The former Arsenal star scored 13 goals – or 12 per cent of Chelsea‘s total tally – but only two of those came in the Premier League.
Giroud played 27 times in the top-flight to find the net just twice, although he was limited to mostly minutes off the bench.
The Frenchman could now be tasked with being expected to start every game this season, with Michy Batshuayi and Tammy Abraham providing backup.
Whether Giroud or one of the others – someone will need to find the net with more regularity this term.
After all, when “own goals” is your seventh-top scorer, with five, there’s something wrong.
After Pedro, level on 13 goals with Giroud, Ruben Loftus-Cheek was Chelsea’s most-prolific star last term, with ten goals.
But he is injured to start the season and the next most-lethal star was Alvaro Morata with nine goals – he’s now at Atletico Madrid.
From there onwards, it’s just a sea of midfielders chipping in with the odd handy goal here and there.
So while Batshuayi or Abraham could step-up and prove their worth – with Chelsea banned from making new signings – it looks as though it’s up to veteran Giroud.
If he can replicate his Europa League form – 11 goals in 14 games – the Blues will be just fine.
