As the trophy drought is set to continue at the Emirates, a large section of supporters are demanding changes at the club. While the exodus of players is set to resume this summer, this time it would be to clear out players who have not performed to the standards set at Arsenal. One player who has gained mix reactions from the fans is Gervinho, but the manager has always spoken about the Ivorian in the highest regard
?At the moment, Gervinho is a fantastic provider but he creates space for the other players because he always goes behind. You could see the other night he had the chance to score, but started to think. When you start to think, you are already finished. For the rest I?m personally very happy with his game. His attitude, his work rate, his technical quality and the intelligence of his runs are absolutely fantastic. ?
After guiding Lille to the French League title, Gervinho joined Arsenal in the summer of 2011. Many had envisaged him becoming a key player in Arsenal colours. His ball control, dribbling skills, short burst of pace and running behind the defense have seen him gaining plaudits from various sections of the club. While Gervinho has the ability to run at and outsmart some of the best defenders, several aspects of his game need improvement. His indecisiveness to pull the trigger or to provide the final ball in several matches, has seen him making limited starts this season.
One notable attribute of Gervinho is his commitment on the pitch which is unparalleled. For Arsenal, he remains a good utility player who provides a different form of attack in the final third. There are undoubtedly a few areas in his game which need improvement, but with his record at Lille there still remains a distinct possibility of him regaining his form and becoming a great player at Arsenal.
| Ligue 1 / EPL Performances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Goals | Assists | |
| 2009-10 (Lille) | 32 | 13 | 4 |
| 2010-11 (Lille) | 35 | 15 | 10 |
| 2011-12 (Arsenal) | 28 | 4 | 6 |
| 2012-13 (Arsenal) | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| In all Competitions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Goals | Assists | |
| 2009-10 (Lille) | 40 | 18 | 5 |
| 2010-11 (Lille) | 53 | 18 | 11 |
| 2011-12 (Arsenal) | 37 | 4 | 8 |
| 2012-13 (Arsenal) | 15 | 5 | 2 |
Source: DSG
Source: DSG