The idea that Giroud wasn't "even a footballer" before he came to Arsenal is ridiculous, he scored 20+ for Montpellier the year before. He's had to step up, but the platform was there.
He's a confidence player. What we're seeing now is the result of extended good form, the flip side of all those agonised Gallic headshakes after rusty misses. And that wasn't an "instinctive" finish or the result of a hatful of chances to score either.
