Arsenal boss thinks Gibbs CAN emulate Cole’s success – Can he?

The current Arsenal left back Kieran Gibbs has a long way to go to achieve the same level of success as the former Gunner Ashley Cole and hopefully he will not decide to abandon the club that made him. From what Gibbs said this week about the debt he owes to Arsene Wenger suggests that is unlikely, at least.

And his manager has returned the favour, as an ESPN report reveals, by praising Gibbs and comparing him favourably to Cole, who has been an FA cup winner a record seven times. Wenger says that the 25-year old is now starting to show his true class after a few years of being disrupted by injuries. The Frenchman was also full of praise for his former defender, at least for his on field actions.

Wenger also spoke of another former Arsenal left back Gael Clichy and revealed that he only let the French defender leave the club because he had great confidence in Gibbs and wanted to give him the opportunity to play and prove himself, a decision which he now sees paying off.

Wenger said, “It looks to me that he’s going into second gear now and he realises that he can trust his body, he can trust his talent.

“He was a bit inhibited [by injuries] for a period. What doesn’t help is when you’re in and out because of injury. You need a consistent presence in the team. If you don’t have a consistent presence at the top level, you do not have the confidence that makes you feel you belong to this world.

“I have talked to him many times. We try always to show him confidence and, look, I let Gael Clichy go [to Manchester City] because Gibbs was a young English left-back. That’s the main reason I let Clichy go. I wanted to give him [Gibbs] a chance.

“He’s such a great potential because he can dribble as well. When he arrived at the club he was 16 and he was a winger, midfielder, and I saw that potential didn’t really come out. I saw he was intelligent and maybe I could transform him into a defender. It was a bit similar to Ashley Cole.

“It’s a good example for him to follow Ashley because he is top quality. You see [negative] stories about Ashley Cole but on the day of a game, when it mattered and when you had to be there, he was always there. You have to respect that.”

Wenger certainly seems to have a knack of producing top quality left backs. Let’s hope that we finally keep hold of one and that Gibbs can stay injury free and fulfil his potential. With Leighton Baines struggling to repeat his club form on the international stage, how long before Gibbs starts to play more often for England?

Tags Clichy Wenger

16 Comments

  1. Gibbs can excel with Arsenal. The only thing holding Gibbs back really is the more limited opportunities for England due to the wealth of English talent at LB.

  2. Yeah very right.. At Arsenal he has always been a shy character without any huge fuss.. Last night, to my surprise, I saw the usually silent gibbs was very vocal.. He has really improved a lot compared to precious season.. He has grown up, and he is now showing the world, he can very well be England’s Lb.. It’s only time..

  3. Gibs is a victim of Wenger’s allergy to Left Wingers!
    He got transformed from a Lw to LB while CAMs got transformed to LW!! But he turned out well and I think if he goes injury free, he will be massive and definitely get a call for the Euro Cup

    1. It is also now true that when Wenger abandons the LW, Gibbs is left to cover the entire length of the pitch as he often has no winger with which to interact and work the ball deep. He is often on his own. Fortunately Sanchez on the LW changed that for the game on Wed.

      1. you very right pal, Alexis on the left provides more cover hence Gibs defends more than attack

  4. Welbeck,Sanchez and Chamberlain that front 3 will tear teams apart,this is the way forward for us add Walcott onto that we booming with pace

  5. We don’t praise him enough but he’s a great player didn’t put a foot wrong yday was very commanding attacked and used his speed well..he’s so underated but could be down to injuries but we have a gem here if he can stay fit and he’s a real gooner

  6. He deserves to be england no :1 lb considering his form and talent. I never saw baines playing well for england .

    1. for many years hes linked with Chelsea Man utd….wondering why Real or Barca dont come for him?

      hes world class LB….

      1. He wouldn’t start for either real or Barcelona. Chelsea would have been a good move for him this season but they went for someone equally as good in filipe luis

  7. Never been any doubt about his potential its his injury record that has hindered him if he stays injury free he can go on and be top class for arsenal and england fingers x he can have a long run in the team without the injuries!

  8. Overrated by Arsenal fans. Good defensively. Can’t cross the ball. Isn’t always the best positionally. Over thinks what he is doing.

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