Olivier Giroud admits Arsenal always seem to hit a stumbling block when the Premier League title race hots up.
The Gunners were favourites for the title in January but a series of poor results in February and March derailed their challenge for a first title in 12 years.
Giroud’s form also dropped at the same time as the team’s did, as he went on a run of 14 top flight matches without a goal during the second half of the season.
However, the Frenchman claims he isn’t solely to blame, and made reference to Mesut Ozil, who also struggled for form after Christmas.
Ozil notched 15 assists in his first 16 top flight appearances of the season and looked set do obliterate the Premier League assists record.
However, just four followed in the German’s next 19 games as Arsenal endured their annual mid-season collapse.
“For some reason we always seem to have this dip around March,” Giroud told the Guardian. “Not just me, if you look at our best players, such as Mesut [Ozil] who made less assists after the turn of the year.
“In my first year we finished fourth, the following season third and now second. We will have to improve on that to take the final step next season.”
Despite the criticism levelled at Giroud, the statistics show he scored more goals this season, 24 in all competitions, than in any of his other three campaigns as a Gunner.
“I accept criticism because it is difficult for a striker to go through a drought like I had in the second part of the season,” he added. “I still had six very good months and at the end of the day, when you collect the stats, this was perhaps my best season with Arsenal.”
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