Olivier Giroud, the perennial supersub, took up a starting role for Chelsea this afternoon as the Blues came from behind to beat Cardiff 4-1 at the Bridge.
The French World Cup winner proved the perfect foil for Belgian star Eden Hazard and the pair combined to drag the home side back from a goal down in the first half. Giroud laid on the assists for the first two of his teammate’s three goals on the day.
The Man of the Match Hazard made sure to credit the Frenchman who he dovetailed so well with on the day.
‘He’s a target man - maybe the best in the world, I think so,” he said. “When he’s got the ball, he can hold the ball and we can go with him in deep. So yeah, for us it’s a pleasure for us to play with him.”
The club’s Italian boss Maurizio Sarri has shown faith in Alvaro Morata since his arrival in London, keeping Giroud in the substitute role, but this showing will surely give Sarri a real decision to make over who his first choice striker is.
Hazard highlighted the need for the two competing styles of forward in the squad.
“When Alvaro is playing it’s different - he’s a different player. Both of them have quality so we are glad to have both players in the team,” he said.
There’s a busy spell ahead for Chelsea, which includes their first Europa League games of the campaign and two ties with Liverpool, and so both are likely to see some minutes even if Giroud might have assisted his way to the front of the pecking order.
Some praise from Eden Hazard, this...
