Well there you have it. Wrighty7 is like a bus. You wait ages for an article and then three come along at once!
I don't know why I have blogged so much today. It could either be pure unadulterated boredom or just that I have a lot on my mind and plenty of time to write today.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I thought Gael Clichy was fantastic in Barcelona and is showing signs of being his old self again.
I think the last couple of years have been difficult for Gael. His form has been up and down more times than Katie Price's (aka Jordan) knickers.
Its difficult to pinpoint why he has been inconsistent but it could be down to the formation Arsene Wenger likes to use these days.
Maybe Clichy has just taken a while to get used to it and is now getting to grips with the system.
I remember saying that Gael Clichy would become the best left-back in the world when Ashley Cole left and I still think that could well be the case.
You may think I am madder than a hatter for making such an outrageous statement but the talent is there and time is definitely on his side.
Its easy to forget that Gael is only 25 years old. He seems to have been about since the Stone Age doesn't he?
I think I read somewhere that defenders peak on average from 27 onwards so we have yet to see the best of Gael Clichy if that is the case.
It's easy to criticise when players are struggling (I hold my hands up, I've done it in the past too) so its only fair to give praise when its due and in my opinion Clichy deserves some.
If he can continue to show his recent form till the end of the season then I believe we can have no complaints about him.
Whats that saying? Form is temporary, class is permanent. Well if Gael can become more consistent I might not sound so mad!
Keep It Goonerish.........
34 comments:
I have to agree, although does it have anything to do with the fact that he's currently negotiating a contract extension?
Word is these negotiations are stalling and he could b*gger off in the summer. We certainly have a good enough "backup" in Gibbs, but still, it'd be frustrating to se Gael joining Barcelona or Madrid, as is usually the case with our peak players leaving the club.
I am sorry but I am losing faith you understand football. The full backs jobs were to cover for when the center backs were beaten. And they were always going to be on one-on-ones. Sagna made two last ditch tackles to put of the attacker and make a clearance.
Guess who forgot? The goal from Messi? Yes it was dopey Clichy. Thats sums up his entire career. We have NEVER replaced the nutter ashley cole.
BTW Clichy also made the same mistake in Kos's penalty. That why Kos committed the foul because Clichy was too far away to double bank. Ineista, Pedro and Messi are that skill full that they were always going to beat the CBs. Sagna double banked Djourou magnificently. Kos was great fighting by himself. And its not a surprise that 2 goals originated on the left side cutting in. (incl the penalty that Diaby committed and got away with.) Clichy made Vermalean look bad last year. Nothing has changed eventhough Arsene specifically played Nasri to protect him. And Nasri was better than Clichy defensively. Rosicky didn't help Sagna at all.
So if you ignore the 1st and the 3rd goals. Yes he was very good. (ironic)
Too many negative Gooners these days. I'm off to support Barnet.
Clichy was fantastic? What exactly was fantastic? The zero crosses he put in, the way he played Messi & Zavi onside for their goals, or his 42% pass completion?
You're 'avin a laugh, mate. they guy is a total liability, our worst left back since fat Pal Lyderson greased Graham's pockets and waddled onto the pitch!
Hooray Clichy ls leaving no one is weeping.The worst error strewn leftback arsenal have had for the last 30 years and yews that does include Sammy Nelson.
C'mon Wrighty, Dani Alves drove into our box time and time again against an Arsenal team that played 90 minutes in their own half. It wasn't even that Clichy was caught up the other end of the pitch.
Dreadful defender. A bit of pace but always the player opponents target.
Sorry wrighty cant have that mate,time an again clichy gets sucked in allows his man in behind him also think he has lost a yard of pace with the back injuries,he also tends to take a touch too many at times an gets himself into trouble
Got to Agree.... And for all the haters maybe you look at Nasri's performance before slagging off Clichy. I am the first to criticise Gael but in my opinion he was one of our better players on the night
I reckon Gael is unsure as to whether to sign a new contract next year because Wenger has told him that Gibbs will be elevated next year and Traore will return from Juventus. Wenger always does right by his players and will allow it to be perceived that he will leave of his own accord. Thereby not suffering a negative in his career and retaining his dignity. I believe something similar happened with Thierry and Paddy.
Clicy is a good player but he's not as valuable as Sagna. I'd prefer someone who's intelligent both defensively and offensively like Cole or Evra.
I'm sorry but IMO he was poor, constantly getting beat on the over lap. But it all could be because Wenger wanted them to clog the middle. Diaby was woeful as well didn't track back at all and by the end he was walking around.
I have to say you are totally off the mark on this one, he might have a bit of pace and be good up and down the left wing, but positionally he gets caught out far to often, week in week out and far to many times against barca. His marking against barca was 1 of the main reasons we lost the game-gibbs would have done a better job. I think he will leave in the summer and it will be a great blessing in disguise for arsenal!
wrighty........i usually like ur posts but i have to certainly ask u today...are u gael in disguise??
I think Clichy has definitely improved this season. My problem with him is that he bombs up the flank without problems but then goes an entire game without any accurate crosses at all. He thus ends up giving the ball away in a good situation almost every time.
I would sign Leighton Baines should Clichy go. Leighton can shoot, cross and has decent pace to boot and I feel he's one of the grossly underrated players in the EPL. Clichy is talented but he can be really stupid as well. It's near impossible to pull of the offside trap with him in the team.
Well said wrighty. Finally a blogger who actually watches the game instead of slagging off an easy target.
I couldnt agree more. Clichy was imense in trying to push Barca back
Almunia ftw!
CLICHY IS A GOOD PLAYER, BUT NOT A SOLID RELAIBLE DEFENDER. i WOULDNT PLAY HIM AT FULL BACK, MORE A LEFT SIDED MIDFIELDER. hE IS UNRELIABLE AND LOSES FOCUS.YOU NEED DEFENDERS TO DEFEND AS A PRIORITY, NOT PUT THEIR LEFT-WING HEADS ON AND FORGET THEIR BASIC DUTIES. GOOD, QUICK, NIMBLE PLAYER TECHNICALLY THOUGH
The man is a genius. He manages to keep the defencive line perfectly organised...although he does do this from a position consistently 3 yards behind the rest of the team.
absolutely no footballing brain, shocking delivery, and has got this far because his pace can make up for his misjudjements of which there are many.
Puts in some important tackles, but finds himself always out of position. Look at the line that should be there of the back 4, clichy is never in position. Always coming in too deep. You may say this because of his tackling, but he is getting the basics wrong. Definitely not the player he was just after cashley left.
He’s a very good player but, for me, dwells on the ball far too much some times! There are too many occasions where he can kick the ball up-field, or in to row z, but tries to be clever with it and loses possession in very dangerous areas.
for 90 minutes..it was the same thing... bombing down the flanks on both sides... the same ..again and again.. how terrible where the left and right back... i mean come on... how stupid do you have to be to not realise.. shit..here they come again... its the same thing over and over.., Barca do this every time... most of the time they bomb down the flanks..and either sagna or clichy allow them that space!
I actually disagree with this blog post. I was constantly frustrated with clichy, always out of position, barca's men were constantly breaking through the back on the left because of this. It was not good to watch actually.
Clichys played a lot of football in the last 5yrs with the team chopping and changing around him, Hes a perfect athlete but definitely needs to go back to the basics of defending, an give the boy a rest no football for a couple of weeks\mounths then we'll see the best from him again!
clichy has been so horrible, he makes you miss Ashley Cole
Clichy - OUT!
you won't be missed
You have not mentioned that for a year or more he has been backing Arshavin but in return he was getting nothing from him
I have lost count of how many goals we've conceded because Clichy was staring at something shiny instead of remembering to play the offside trap.
Or the amount of times he decided to leave his flank completely exposed because he bombed forward but forgot to go back and cover.
Or the times he's just been left for dead by players when it could have been avoided with some intelligent defending play.
I like Clichy, I really do, but he needs to buck up.
Clichy is an absolute liability, it's there to see most weeks. By the way, why does the author mention himself In the third party? Is he a celebrity or someone of importance?
Clichy's problem is he's basically never improved his key areas.
Namely crossing (his own and stopping oppositions), awareness of runs behind him and the offside line, and aerial ability.
So in the key areas of a defender he is rubbish and in his one attacking area where he could make a difference he is utterly abysmal. And yet... and yet he's one of the few players in the side who when the chips are down tries to stand up and be noticed.
I like his attitude, I like him as a person he appears to be polite and well liked in the club. But he continues to make these huge monumental cock-ups at the wrong moment after an otherwise excellent game or couple of games.
Maybe in the next year or two he will find that consistency, but if he goes and Gibbs at 20/21 continues to improve the way he has done (mostly) then it won't necessarily be a bad thing.
Absolutely the worst article written about Glichy all the attacks against us come from his side he is a liability gibbs is way better he is just terrible never know when to make his tackle when to show a winger the outside terrible in the air please please get rid of him he is a liability how can you even compare him to any of our great left backs we have had at Arsenal he needs to go period same as almunia a team is only as good as it's weakest link and he ist it next to almunia
Have to say I thought Clichy had a shocker in the Camp Nou. To be fair he didn't get any cover in front of him but he was still hung out to dry playing far too narrow and lose time and time again.
wow - I disagree with the article, but I think he deserves more respect than some of the above comments. He is not my favourite player and we can do better, but he gives his all every week, you can clearly see that.
Gibbs, 2 inches taller, and hopefully bulkier in a couple of years is the natural replacement. Now is not the time to sell Gael, he should stay and be Kierans understudy. He is Arsenal through and through and I'd like to see him retire at Arsenal. Afterall he's the only player in the squad with a premier league medal.
Wenger may force him out if a decent offer comes in for him though.
Clichy's dip in performance was down to 3 things - change in formation, back injury and having Arshavin playing in front of him. Now that he has had a chance to get used to the new formation, has recovered from his back injury and Arshavin has improved his defensive work, the difference is noticeable. He plays even better when he has Nasri in front of him as well. Football is a team sport and no player looks good without his team mates supporting him.
for 90 minutes..it was the same thing... bombing down the flanks on both sides... the same ..again and again.. how terrible where the left and right back... i mean come on... how stupid do you have to be to not realise.. shit..here they come again... its the same thing over and over.., Barca do this every time... most of the time they bomb down the flanks..and either sagna or clichy allow them that space!
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