Arsenal Boss Praises ‘Perfect’ Giroud After Great Escape

But after becoming only the seventh man to reach double figures for Arsenal in the Champions League proper with his hat-trick against Olympiakos, Giroud has eclipsed the lot of them.

Given his chance by Arsenal’s lengthy injury list including fellow forwards Daniel Welbeck and Alexis Sánchez, Campbell started the Gunners’ last three group games as they recovered from a poor start to qualify with Wednesday’s victory.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger toasted one of the greatest European nights of his long tenure after Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick to complete a Champions League great escape in Greece last night.

“I told you before the game it would be a great escape, and I must say I’m very proud of the team”, Wenger said.

“Whoever we get, we need to respect them well. We tried to play our game in between the lines and we created chances to score, so we are pleased as it was not so easy and we were in a hard position.” .

“Champions League games are one level up and we needed to be focussed as a unit, be together, show good cohesion, defend well and finish well. At the back we were magnificent”.

Qualification to the last 16 completes a remarkable turnaround for the Gunners as they become just the eighth side to advance through their group having taken three points or fewer from their opening four matches. Özil again started everything with a clipped pass to Campbell, the former Olympiacos loanee controlling well under pressure before sliding a ideal pass into the path of Giroud for the France striker to sweep home.

Monday’s draw will present the usual nightmare scenario of a tie against the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, combined with a potentially less hazardous pairing with Wolsburg or Zenit Saint Petersburg.

“But we’ll have a good rest and open the new page of the Champions League in February”.

“If they keep on improve like last night, then why not?”

Olivier Giroud was magnificent in Greece but I still don’t get the feeling he is completely loved by everybody at the club. “We are very close in the dressing room and you could see this tonight”. At 2-0 we had to push for a third goal, it was too risky to stay at 2-0.

“That is the spirit we want in this team”.

But Giroud made the crucial breakthrough on 29 minutes, heading home Aaron Ramsey’s cross after some suspect goalkeeping from Roberto, who allowed the ball to creep in at the near post after initially getting a strong hand to it.

It was Olympiacos who looked the brighter side in the early stages, with Felipe Pardo and Seba causing problems for Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal down the flanks.