Chelsea has a history of buying older players that take the club to great success. Olivier Giroud could be the latest to don the mantle of the veteran.
The ’90s saw an influx of aging stars into Chelsea. The idea was that players past their prime, yet with world class experience, could help guide Chelsea to greatness. In the long run, it worked.
Ruud Gullit, Mark Hughes, Gianfranco Zola, Ed de Goey, Gianluca Vialli, Gus Poyet, Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps all joined Chelsea aged 30 or more. Between them, Chelsea won two FA Cups, one League Cup, one Cup Winners’ Cup and one Super Cup. At the time, it was the club’s most successful period in its history.
Their veteran leadership helped Chelsea reach new heights. Without their contributions, it is unknown if Roman Abramovich would have looked at Chelsea so favorably. And now, two decades later, Olivier Giroud could be the latest player to take on the mantle.
Chelsea are a vastly different club than they were in the 90s. One of the major changes under Abramovich has been to keep contracts to players over 30 to a minimum. The few times it has happened has been to fill gaps.
But the club is in flux right now. Every other year feels like a rebuild. And at a certain point, having the same veterans year after year can make things stale. That is where Giroud comes in.
Giroud can offer a fresh perspective to the squad. The players that have been at Chelsea for years are used to a certain way of things. They are used to winning the Premier League. Giroud is not. And like Cesc Fabregas when he joined the squad, that can turn into a hunger that is infectious to the rest of the squad.
Related Story: Chelsea player ratings: Hazard, Azpilicueta, Giroud combine for essential win
Giroud also offers a cleverness that comes with age. Buying younger players who can grow is fantastic. But the squad loses a guile that only comes with experience. This season that has shown with the replacement of older players like Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa with Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata.
And when Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi return from their loans, Giroud can put them under his tutelage regardless if they stay past preseason or not. Chelsea loses that veteran sage wisdom with their contract policy and the previous years has seen a great deal of experience depart. Giroud puts some of that back in with the view from the outside.
Giroud does not have to be a world beater to succeed at Chelsea. If the most beneficial thing he provides in blue is his voice then his signing was a success. His time at Arsenal has given him a unique view of the league that will help the current Chelsea squad.
Next: Chelsea vs. WBA: 5 takeaways include one great debut, 3 welcome returns
The big French striker is not a pioneer at Chelsea, but his veteran leadership could see the club reach new heights during his tenure and perhaps pave the way for other older players to do the same.