Succeeding the 37 goals of Robin Van Persie was never going to be the easiest of tasks for any striker, but Olivier Giroud faced difficulty from the moment his €12.5M transfer from Montpelier was confirmed.

After Arsenal's last two signings from France in Chamakh and Gervinho failed to make an impression there was fear Giroud would follow in their slippy, open goal-missing footsteps.

What's more, a number of Arsenal fans had it in for him the moment it was confirmed by Arsene Wenger he was the player signed to replace the former Dutch hero.

Early frustration

Giroud gave an industrious if not eye-catching performance in Arsenal's friendly victory at Cologne, before making a cameo against Sunderland on the opening day of the season, in which he contrived to miss a decent chance that would have won Arsenal the game.

That didn't help, though fans kept patience with him.

Unfortunately Giroud struggled in his next few games, barely getting a sniff as far as chances were concerned and spurning those he did receive.

While his fellow new signings Podolski and Cazorla formed an impressive partnership the Frenchman seemed somewhat the poor relation in Arsenal's new-look attack.

His first goal came in the League Cup against Coventry, but this was followed by a miss against Chelsea that again cost Arsenal points. While he did well to get past Cech his finish was lacking.

This was when patience ran out.

Misunderstanding

The press, Arsenal fans, and analysts all took Giroud to task for his slow start. They lined up to explain why he wasn't scoring.

The man who scored 21 goals for a fairly average Montpelier side to win the league was typecast as a target man, dubbed by some as 'the French Andy Carroll'.

Others decried Wenger 'replacing the best striker in Europe with a player who wouldn't make it at Sunderland' and suggesting he was the cheap option: "Giroud: 9m, Van Persie: 24m; you get what you pay for."

His intelligent movement and unselfish assisting play were swept under the carpet, as in most cases, perhaps rightly, strikers are judged on goals, and Giroud had only one of those, though he did have 4 assists to his name.

The fact was that Giroud was neither Van Persie nor Andy Carroll, a player somewhere between the two.

He marries aerial threat with a lightness of touch unexpected for a player of his frame, who can put the ball through a centre-back's legs as easily as out-leap him at a corner.

Anybody who had watched him at Montpelier would know this, but the French league lacks exposure and the Premier League is a different kettle of fish.

Silencing the doubters

By the time Arsenal faced West Ham Giroud was seen by newspapers as much of a laughing stock as West Ham's Andy Carroll.

"Carroll vs Giroud? That's a 0-0 draw then", crowed one publication. Many others were prefixing his name with 'Arsenal flop..'

A well-taken goal in that game against West Ham did a little for his reputation, as did a goal for France against world/European/intergalactic champions Spain. It was after this break that he began to come into his own.

It's also no coincidence that the coming in from the cold of Theo Walcott has contributed to this. Giroud himself has commented that he could have scored more at Montpelier had they crossed to him, and Arsenal have discovered this to their benefit. Four headers in three games, followed by his poached finish in the second 5pur2 of the year, all from crosses, have made people sit up and take notice of him.

He's paired these goals with performances of real power and presence, challenging Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski for the title of the 'White Drogba'. He's made Arsenal a more direct force, which suits them at the moment, though he's also proved he can play Wengerball when called upon.

Arsenal will be looking to build on their victory against Spurs, and Giroud will be a key part of that. He wants 15 goals this season. 20 may be more like it.

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