Olivier Giroud admits Chelsea condition is not ideal

French striker Olivier Giroud has acknowledged that he does not have the ideal situation at Chelsea after falling behind Tammy Abraham in the pecking order for the striker's role.

The 33-year-old was expected to lead the line for the Blues after the departures of Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain during the summer but that has not been the case with Abraham making the breakthrough.

Since the backend of August, Abraham has been regularly starting upfront for the Blues and he has proved his worth with eight goals across all competitions.

Speaking to L'Equipe, Giroud has admitted that he has experienced a tough beginning to the season with the Blues but he is not given up on retaining a starting spot.

"I'm fine, I've had hard times. Now it's not the ideal situation. At this moment, little Tammy is walking on water. Listen, it's hard to drop a striker when he's successful. I am patient. I work in training. You have to keep a good state of mind. We have a lot of games to play," he told.

Giroud was an unused substitute during the Blues' 2-1 triumph over Lille in the Champions League last night where Abraham found the opening goal of the game.

The Blues are scheduled to face Southampton on the road this weekend and Giroud may have to settle for a bench role with Abraham remaining consistent with his showing upfront.