‘Give Giroud game time and he will score goals’ – Chelsea striker has to leave in January, claims Clichy

Olivier Giroud would score goals for Chelsea if the Blues gave him game time, says Gael Clichy, with the France international striker being urged to move on in January and find the opportunities he deserves.

The World Cup-winning frontman was given just three minutes off the bench in the 2-0 win over Newcastle on Saturday, taking him to 36 for the season in the Premier League.

Giroud needs goals and games if he is to remain part of the national team set-up under Didier Deschamps, with Les Bleus’ boss admitting as much.

The former Arsenal frontman has conceded that he will be weighing up his options when the winter transfer window opens, with Clichy calling on a proven performer to leave Stamford Bridge.

The ex-Gunners and Manchester City defender told Stadium Astro: “It’s been a few months, a few years, that we hear the same speech around Giroud, that he is not needed, he is not good enough, if he doesn’t play enough he will not get into the national team.

“All those questions, all those question marks, have been solved and resolved by Giroud himself.

“Give him time and he will actually score goals. When I say give him time, I’m not asking to give him 10 games in a row to get his first goal. Give him 20 minutes here, half-an-hour there, 40 minutes here, cup game, Champions League game, he will score goals and he will show people that that kind of profile in the team, within the group, is essential.

“You want players that can create something, but you also want players that can hold the ball and score goals.

“If you look at where he is in terms of goalscoring for France, I will not name all the names but he’s second and seven goals behind [all-time leading scorer] Thierry Henry, and this for me is enough. That is the answer to everybody telling me that he shouldn’t be there.

“So obviously if the manager of the national team is saying that he needs game time to go to the Euros, well if you look at that direction, you need to go and you need to find a place where you will play.

“Again, we’ve heard that many times in his career, many times, he’s always been there and scored goals, and he’s always kind of put people straight in terms of what he’s doing on the football pitch, or in this club, or in the national team. For me that’s a great example of attitude and commitment.”