Arsenal may have appeared to miss former captain Robin van Persie this season, but new signing Olivier Giroud believes he has already replaced the Dutch hitman.
After a debut Premier League season where he has notched 14 goals in all competitions for the Gunners, as well as nine assists, Giroud feels that he has outshone the now Manchester United striker in his equivalent campaign:
"For a first season... It's better than the start that Van Persie had, even though when he arrived at Arsenal, he was younger."
The stats bear out his statement too, with RvP finding the net just eight times in his first 34 games with the Gunners, while the former Montpellier man has nearly doubled that tally, albeit playing more minutes.
Despite his bold claims, when talking about the France national team Giroud came across a lot more reserved in his words, aware of his limitations in his interview with L'Equipe:
"I don't want to take Karim Benzema's place... I just want to be consistent in my performances.
"I've got an atypical style of play, I am not going to dribble past ten players." he said, but he also emphasised that he likes to work hard to improve his game.
"It's nothing new to say that in Blue [with France], one doesn't have a lot of time to work on things, to fine-tune.
"When I arrived at Arsenal I had the same worries, but they were quickly resolved."
Another thing resolved at the Emirates in recent months was Theo Walcott's contract wrangle, and although no major signings arrived to rival Giroud in attack - despite rumours of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and David Villa being courted by the club - the Frenchman confessed that he did fear being replaced:
"The English press has talked about it a lot," said the 26 year-old, before assering that his manager "is not very keen on the January transfer window."
"It would be lying to say that I did not think about [new signings]. Although, I have always believed that the manager will give me time, and I don't see him pulling the rug from under my feet."
"We know what we are doing"
In a separate interview with Le Parisien, Giroud said: "It is all going to plan, but I can do better.
"I have room to improve, which means I can be more ambitious.
"I have matured in my mind. I have also learnt a lot, in particular with my back to goal. I control the ball more when I receive it and I read the situation.
"I am fortunate to have a coach who I can talk to. Recently we made a video and he talked me through how I can improve.
"On the pitch we know what we are doing. There is a trust and communication between us."
It had taken Giroud some seven appearances before finally getting off the mark in a Capital One Cup tie against Coventry.
But with five goals in his last four games, he does not intend to look back.
Giroud added: "As a striker you can't doubt yourself - in a career you will have periods of scarcity.
"You must be positive constantly and I am like that. Here, it is a requirement at a very high level.
"When you have an opportunity you must take it. When it is not easy, you have to look ahead and demand more from yourself. That is just my motto."
Giroud is part of Les Bleus squad set to face Germany at the Stade de France this evening, with most of Arsene Wenger's first-team squad away on international duty, including Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with England against Brazil at Wembley.
Arsenal will head to Sunderland on Saturday looking to maintain momentum from their recent unbeaten run, which has seen them close back up on fourth place in the Barclays Premier League and move into the fifth round of the FA Cup, where they will tackle Blackburn at home next weekend.
Captain Thomas Vermaelen could be back in contention for the trip to the Stadium of Light, having missed the win over Stoke because of an ankle problem.
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