Showing posts with label Gervinho. Show all posts

The Mysterious Case of Gervinho

17th July 2013 By Hássan Gülzár @HassGeee


Arsenal’s Gervinho ‘Forehead’ has had his fair share of stick. Ever since his 11m move to Arsenal from Lille, the winger hasn’t quite made his mark, has been unable to come to terms with the pace and rigours of the Premier League, and has generally divided opinion, to put it mildly.

Unpredictable is the word which comes to mind when one watches the Ivorian on the field; when on the ball, he certainly has a few tricks up his sleeves and an aura of unpredictability to his game, which on paper should be an asset but as we’ve seen, it’s not always quite worked out in his favour.

Over the years, Arsenal sides have been known for their free-flowing football and attacking prowess. Since the last few seasons, however, things have changed. Opposition managers seem to have devised certain ways to shut Arsenal down and prevent them from playing their game. It simple: get men behind the ball, pack your own half, and let Arsenal pass in front of you in non-dangerous positions, denying them space to play their trademark free-flowing, quick-passing game.

All of which is usually followed by a quick counter attack or a dangerous ball above Arsenal’s midfield to put them a goal down. Rinse and repeat.

More and more teams have started employing this simple tactic now. It is therefore no wonder that this season, in particular, Arsenal have had trouble finding the net, or even mustering up an effort on goal until late in the game.

All of which explains why Wenger has opted to deploy Gervinho’s as a center-forward: the player’s quick feet and dribbling, excellent close-control, pace and movement should provide an excellent way of breaking packed, stubborn opposition defenses.

Operating mainly from the left wing last season, as an inverted-winger with a tendency to drift inwards the manager has used Gervinho in the center-forward position this season, but more in a del Bosque-style false-9, rather than as a traditional target-man. On paper, this should work out well for his team, and Gervinho is certainly a player who possesses all the qualities to make it work, he can dribble his way in and out of tight places, even when he’s closely marked, keep the ball in sticky situations, and bring Arsenal’s wingers (such as Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski) all of whom have the tendency to drift inside rather than stick to the byline into play as well.

And while the Ivorian did enjoy an explosive start to the season albeit a brief one, scoring a few goals while settling into the new position he was being asked to play in, this horrendous Torres-esque miss from last night Capital One Cup game against Bradford, from 2 yards out no less, pretty much sums him up as a player, as well as his time at Arsenal.

To his credit, Gervinho is industrious and an extremely hard, always looking to create something when on the ball, even getting into all the right positions. So why hasn't it worked out for him at Arsenal? Is it simply a lack of confidence in front of goal, or is the player that Arsenal paid £11m for simply not good enough? I highly doubt it’s the latter, especially when one of the brightest young talents in world football, Eden Hazard says that he’s the best player he’s played with!

What do you Gunners think? Let us know with your thoughts in the comment section below. 

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West Bromwich Albion 1 Arsenal 2 : Match Report with Extended Match Highlights & Post Match Reaction

7th April 2013 By Jeff @ArsenalTrend & ArsenalSupremo 


Picture edit by @TheGunnersWay
Arsenal enhanced their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League with a 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday thanks to two goals from Tomas Rosicky, in each half of the crunch encounter. Arsenal now provisionally moved into the Champions League places as Chelsea and Spurs play on Sunday. The Gunners' sixth victory from their past seven Premier League matches enabled them to swap places with Chelsea, which can return to fourth place in the standings by beating Sunderland on Sunday.


Tomas Rosicky scored in the 20th and 50th minutes at the Hawthorns for his first league goals this season. He has only found the net once before this campaign, against Olympiakos in the Champions League. The Czech Republic international scored either side of half-time in an enthralling Premier League clash at The Hawthorns that saw the Gunners climb to fourth place in the table. Arsene Wenger's side were coasting to victory until Per Mertesacker was sent off after he brought down Albion striker Shane Long inside the box. James Morrison converted the resulting penalty but despite a sustained period of pressure, the home side were unable to find an equalizer.




West Brom threatened with a succession of corners in the early stages and almost grabbed the lead when Chris Brunt's delivery was glanced towards goal by Claudio Yacob at the near post, but Rosicky nodded off the line. A neat passing move in the 16th minute saw Long released down the right flank, only for the Republic of Ireland international to drag his shot wide. Wenger's side remained patient, though, and were rewarded with the opening goal slightly against the run of play four minutes later through Rosicky. Mikel Arteta used his vision to pick out Gervinho on the left edge of the penalty area and he twisted and turned Gareth McAuley before picking out Rosicky, who directed a powerful header in from close range.

Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski made an important save shortly afterwards when he dived to save a low Brunt free-kick struck through the wall. The visitors' neat passing created an opening for Ivory Coast forward Gervinho in the 28th minute and he managed to angle a shot through a crowd of bodies that Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster saved with his foot. West Brom's defense struggled to cope with Arsenal's intricate style and their back line was opened again shortly before half-time. A brilliant move involving several Arsenal players left Wales international Aaron Ramsey with a golden opportunity from close range, but he screwed his shot wide.


Arsenal maintained their intensity after the interval and increased their advantage five minutes in when Rosicky claimed his second of the game. Ramsey's clever ball found the Czech, who saw an initial shot parried by Foster, but he was quickest to react and buried a low shot under the body of the goalkeeper. West Brom had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Howard Webb moments later when the ball seemed to strike the arm of Mertesacker while he was on the ground. Albion manager Steve Clarke introduced on-loan Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku in a bid to freshen up his side's attack. The Belgium striker soon curled a dangerous free-kick over the Arsenal wall on the hour mark, but Fabianski had anticipated it and gathered well.

West Brom were then given a foothold in the game in the 71st minute when Mertesacker was shown a straight red card by Webb after he chopped down Long inside the penalty area. Morrison struck the resulting spot-kick to Fabianski's right and although the Arsenal goalkeeper guessed correctly, the shot had too much power and went under him. With the extra man advantage, Clarke's side dominated the remainder of the half in pursuit of the equalizer, but Arsenal's defense stood firm despite some nervous moments.

Lukaku should have shown more composure in the 83rd minute when he smashed the ball wide from a good position, while Long blazed over the bar a matter of minutes later. Romelu Lukaku and Long missed great chances to equalize late on. I Honestly cannot see anything as 'easy run-in' for Arsenal. Games against Stoke, Sunderland & WBA has proven otherwise. Norwich comes next for the Gunners at the Emirates. Tougher times ahead, but today showed Arsenal can soar high.

Line Ups 

West Brom: Foster, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Yacob, Brunt, Dorrans (Lukaku 62), Morrison, Thomas (Rosenberg 62), Long.
Subs Not Used: Myhill, Popov, Tamas, Fortune, Isaiah Brown.
Booked: Jones, Ridgewell.
Goals: Morrison (pen) 71.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Rosicky (Gibbs 81), Ramsey, Gervinho (Vermaelen 73), Cazorla (Coquelin 89), Arteta, Giroud.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson.
Sent Off: Mertesacker (70).
Booked: Ramsey, Rosicky, Koscielny, Arteta.
Goals: Rosicky 20, 50.
Attendance: 26,144
Referee: Howard Webb

Arsenal Players Twitter Reaction
West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke:

"I thought we played well today. They scored in the first half with one of the very few chances they created. We had good control in the first half but didn't really create enough.

"We could have had a penalty for a challenge on Claudio Yacob on the edge of the box [by Laurent Koscielny]. On another day that was a penalty and would have changed the complexion of the afternoon.

"We were disappointed to lose the second goal at the start of the second half. It was crucial for us to get back in it and we gave away another soft goal, a bad goal to lose.

Arsene Wenger Reaction :


"We know we have one target - to win our games. Then we don't have to look at Tottenham or Chelsea. "If we lose our games, then you have to look at the results of the others. Our attitude is simple, we have to win the games.

"Can we finish fourth? I believe we will do it. We are conscious as well we have to give 100 per cent commitment in every game and it will be difficult and edgy to the end.

"We are ready for the fight and we always tell the players 'don't look at everyone else, just focus on ourselves'."

Arsene Wenger Interview
Press Conference
Tomas Rosicky Reaction
New : Arteta & Sagna reaction's 

ArsenalSupremo tweeted out on Twitter to get Arsenal fans there opinions on what they thought on the game here are just a few of them. Remember if you wanted to get involved follow us on Twitter or just comment below on what you thought on the Gunners performance to get involved with the fans.

Stats and Facts  

1.Tomas Rosicky scored his first Premier League goal for Arsenal since February 2012 and this was the first time he has scored more than one goal in a league game for the club

2. Tomas Rosicky scored his 14th and 15 league goals of his Arsenal career.

3. Arsenal have now been given the most red cards in the Premier League this season (4)

4. Arsenal are yet to lose a Premier League game that they have taken the lead in this season (W16 D2)

5. Gervinho: Last 3 games 2 goals 3 assists

6. Minutes per goal involvement (mins/goals+assists) in 2012-13 Premier League Gervinho one every 117 mins, Gareth Bale every 119.

7. Gervinho has the same number of goal assists as Gareth Bale this season




 

West Bromwich Albion 1 Arsenal 2 Match Pictures

6th April 2013 By ArsenalSupremo

Fantastic Arsenal away supporters at the game
Podolski and Vermaelen all similes before the match
Goal line clearance from Rosicky


Tomas Rosicky celebrates making it 1 0
Rosicky strike to make it 2 0 
2nd goal for Rosicky

Great celebrations from the players



Mertesacker shown a red card

Arsenal 4 Reading 1 : Ramsey Gervinho Chamberlain and Arteta player complications

31st March 2013 By ArsenalSupremo


There are many Gunners out there that produce great player complications after every single Arsenal game and we are here to give them to you as soon as they are out. Player complications focus on the best parts of the players performance. Today we feature videos on Arsenal's 4 1 victory over Reading.

Match report on the game with match highlights click here

Match pictures click here

Aaron Ramsey  Midfield Performance



Gervinho Performance 



Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Performance 



Mikel Arteta Performance

Arsenal 4 Reading 1 : Match Report & Match Highlights

30th March 2013 By Jeff @ArsenalTrend & ArsenalSupremo


Gervinho scored one goal and set up two others and inspired Arsenal to a 4-1 demolition of struggling Reading on Saturday as the Gunners boosted their chances of qualifying for the Champions League for the 16th successive season, but ruining Nigel Adkins' return to managerial life in the Premier League. Gervinho scored the first at the Emirates Stadium and had a hand in second half goals for Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud on his first Premier League start since December. Hal Robson-Kanu pulled one back for Reading in Nigel Adkins' first match since taking over as Royals manager, but Mikel Arteta's late penalty condemned the visitors to defeat and saw them drop below Queens Park Rangers to the foot of the table.


There was even better news for Arsenal from Southampton, where Chelsea's 2-1 defeat meant the fifth placed Gunners are now just two points outside the top four. After successive victories over Bayern Munich and Swansea, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger kept faith with goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and recalled Aaron Ramsey, Bacary Sagna, Gervinho and Tomas Rosicky to his starting line-up. Adkins only made two changes from predecessor Brian McDermott's last game in charge, with Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak and Danny Guthrie both included.

Line Ups
Reading had lost their last six in all competitions, but began brightly, forcing a corner that Alex Pearce nodded two yards wide of Fabianski's far post. Arsenal were content to keep possession in the opening exchanges, but came alive after a minute's applause in tribute to former midfielder David Rocastle, who died of cancer on March 31, 2001. Gervinho was the architect in the 11th minute as he turned Nicky Shorey on the right touchline and fed Giroud inside the penalty area. Pearce managed to clear but only as far as Cazorla on the edge of the box and his pinpoint cross picked out Gervinho to side-foot home. Giroud thought he should have had a penalty when he was felled in the box by Reading goalkeeper Stuart Taylor but referee Chris Foy waved away the protests.

A bursting run from Gervinho that took him from his own half into the opposition penalty area should have ended in at least a shot on target but again his finishing let him down. Reading then had a lucky escape when the ball appeared to strike Mikele Leigertwood's hand following a corner and Foy failed to award the penalty. Seven minutes before the break, Cazorla had a golden opportunity for Arsenal to score the second goal that their build-up play deserved but his left-footed strike missed by a matter of inches. Gervinho also wasted a great chance just before the break to leave Wenger frustrated on the touchline. Any concerns that Arsenal may live to rue those missed opportunities evaporated two minutes after the break. Gervinho's short pass into the feet of Cazorla gave the Spaniard time to pick his spot and he unleashed a perfect curling shot from the edge of the penalty area that left Taylor grasping at thin air.

Santi Cazorla perfect curling shot
A superbly-timed tackle from Laurent Koscielny then denied Pogrebnyak the opening to register Reading's first shot on target. Pearce managed that from the resulting corner but his volley was comfortably held by Fabianski. A simple finish from Giroud after another quick break from Gervinho made it 3-0 in the 67th minute. However, Reading continued to fight for everything and they got their reward less than 90 seconds later when Jobi McAnuff picked out Robson-Kanu to head in.

Pic Via @ArsenalRealm
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was brought on for the final 15 minutes and the England youngster had an immediate impact. A clumsy challenge from Adrian Mariappa finally saw Chris Foy point to the spot, with Spanish midfielder Arteta slotting home. It was an all round brilliant performance from the Gunners, recording another crucial win.

Mikel Arteta celebrates his goal
The only downside of the game was when Nacho Monreal was replaced by Gibbs in the 71st minute after he collided with the post in an attempt to defend/save Reading's only goal. Arsene Wenger however, during his post match presser confirmed Monreal only suffered bruises and no not an injury. More good news from the injury front when Wenger also confirmed Theo Walcott is expected to return to the squad ahead of next game against West Bromich Albion, but Jack Wilshere still 2 weeks away. It was a day of near perfect display from Arsenal. The challenges ahead still massive, hope the lads are really up for it. What do you think of the result? Is it possible to get third place having seen the dip Chelsea are on, as they are still in 3 competitions. Free free comment below on what you think.

Lukas Podolski on the win
Stats and Facts : 

Arsenal have scored 16 goals against Reading this season. More than against any team in a single season in club history.

Kieran Gibbs made his 100th appearance for Arsenal after coming on as a second half substitute.

Bacary Sagna created three chances on his return to the Arsenal side - no defender made more in the Premier League on the day.

Mikel Arteta  made (107) and completed (99) the most passes in the Premier League on the day and also scored a penalty.

Santi Cazorla added his fourth Premier League goal in two games vs Reading and also set one up for Gervinho.

Gervinho  scored one and assisted two of Arsenal's four goals against Reading today.

Arsenal are now second in the form table only just behind leaders Manchester United after losing just once in the last 6 games and winning the rest. 

Matt Le Tissier spoke about the game who was covering the match for SkySports


John Motson BBC Match of the Day commentator : 

"Reading were taken apart by an Arsenal side who are running into form. Their defeat could have been heavier and new manager Nigel Adkins will have to work hard before his side take on his former club Southampton. For Arsenal, it was a comfortable victory."

Reading manager Nigel Adkins:

"I thought Arsenal were very good, they've come here and passed the ball very well. Unfortunately, we've made our own downfall on a couple of goals. We wanted to adapt a couple of changes, but any team who came here would have found it difficult today.

Arsenal fixtures in April : W.B.A. (Away) Norwich (Home) Everton (Home) Fulham (Away) Manchester United (Home) What do you make of these fixtures do you think we can get maximum points from this please leave your comments on your opinions we would love to see what you think.

Arsene Wenger Post Match Press Conference Click Here
Match Pictures Click Here
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