Here’s a player who described Arsenal as the ‘club of his dreams’, crying the day he signed for us. Of course, there is a fine line between love and hate with the winger now hating the Gunners because of how Arsene Wenger ‘ treated him.
Gervinho Played 63 Scored 11
Most who worked for Mr Wenger have respect when they speak of him. Even those who left with fans angry at them will admit the influence their former boss had on them. That makes Gervais Yao Kouassi, better known as Gervinho, a unique case, one of the few to leave North London who felt he ‘learnt nothing’ from his coach. The Frenchman hasn’t argued with that, admitting he sold the winger because he felt his confidence had vanished and a fresh start would allow him to find it.
When you think how many opportunities Mr Wenger would give to others it’s clear he had seen enough to write off the player ability wise. Most gooners grew frustrated with his end product. Like Eboue, he had blistering pace but was poor in the final third. When you’re a winger that’s not good enough. I remember a cup tie at Bradford where you could see he was completely frozen because of the atmosphere and the League one side noticed and targeted it. You have individuals who need an arm round the shoulder, but this was the wrong time in our history for any new signing to expect that. Supporters were unhappy that our best talents were being sold while the whole club was under pressure to end our trophy drought. Mr Wenger could no longer have the patience he once did.
Gervinho’s record in France, and even now in Italy, shows that in the correct conditions he can deliver. Maybe the Emirates was just too big a stage?
His mentality has also been questioned by his country, part of an Ivory Coast squad who felt the weight of the ‘ golden generation tag’ although he did finally win the Cup of Nations in 2015.
Dan Smith
Never watched him play
Between Iwobi and him, who is the better dribbler?
Ooh tough one.. I know who has the better forehead though ?
He wasn’t one of my favourites & he used to frustrate me – a lot!!
Hahaha
He is definitely endowed with that
LMAO
I’d say Gervinho was better dribbler, but both were equal in terms of lack of finishing.
Perhaps that’s the root issue people have with Iwobi. Can’t help but think they have seen it all before.
Dare I say Iwobi is Gervinho 2.0?
I hope Iwobi would not be sold and could be better than Gervinho
Neither-they are/were both rubbish
Iwobi makes him look like messi
Xxnofx, you crease me up with your obvious fondness of our Mr. Iwobi!!
Yet another correct decision made by AW, no dilly-dallying, no new contract, just making the correct decision for the club yet again.
Ken @ I’ve been on here for probably 2 years and I know we did fall out about wenger (now I see I was wrong )but I would easily sit here and read everything that you post ,you post without being aggressive but always get your shit across so easy ,only a few on here That I take my time reading and you are always on top of the pile ,I would suggest that you become a admin on here if you have time .
Atleast you take your time to reply and wait for said reply’s back
I salute you for that .
Always a pleasure reading your thoughts Ken and hope it continues
Awww Dan… what a nice comment!? I agree with you.. we could all learn a lot from Ken!
Ken… I got my Emirates cup tickets ? hope they put it towards Zaha’s fee!!
That’s it sue it always seems like a divide on here because of ozil and Iwobi but I like to look at the larger picture ,I enjoy as a 40 year old the older posters Ken ,Phil (which me and him have our iwobi love in )Ozzie who I never agree with ,kenny Declen , Mr Jon ,TH14 (who I appreciate for his love for iwobi but never gets personal)and you sue and Kev who have your personal conversations,Kev (for all his transfer guff ),Mobella who I have just started taking notice of .what I don’t like is the constant feeling like you can’t say something bad against certain personal without being subjected to crappy abuse . @ sue always nice to talk about something else rather than football on here now again .
Sue, if only my wife agreed with you!!!
WEll, my £22.00 will buy one dive I guess, but as your going, don’y forget to sing the “Ozil song” at the top of your voice…Jon might just hear it!!!
I agree Dan, we’re all fellow gooners, yet some of the grief some of us get really does make me cringe!! You wouldn’t have thought we all supported the same team!!
There are some good ‘uns on here though – yourself included – a lot of sense is spoken, and like you, I have a lot of time for a fair few on here! I have to agree with Ken – you do make me laugh too (about you know who ?) btw did you like Cobra Kai 2?
Nice one, Dan ?
Haha Ken, just the one dive?!! Hahaha!!
I’ll be loud (& ozil) proud, Ken ?
Thanks mate, it’s funny how one gets used to seeing a name and responds to it, even when said views are completely different!!
One post I always read from start to finish is Jon Fox’s because I know for certain he will wind me up!!!
There are another, probably six/seven who I look out for and respond to (both in agreement or the opposite) just because they are passionate gooners.
Jon and I actually have discussions away from JustArsenal and how we differ so much about certain Arsenal matters I just don’t understand.
I put it down to his age!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I admire those who have a viewpoint and stick with it, even when the “majority” intimidate those views.
Your consistent views on certain players, situations and the way you challenge others in the same way you are challenged, makes for excellent reading and, like me, you have made some interesting “enemies”.
Keep it up mate…I have a autobiography signed by Terry Neil and in it he writes…”Don’t let the Ba****ds get you down Ken…a philosophy I have followed all my life.
Seems you have the same idea!!
This is for Xxnofx / change back to Dan for goodness sake, I always have to spellcheck your name!
??
Iwobi makes Messi look like Ozil
Gervinho was okay on occasions, but overall not great. Good to see he called out on Wenger on his coaching, or lack of. Going on last season, look how quickly other players improved the very second Wenger left. Looks like Gervinho was right!
What I thought was really telling Dan was your comment about Gervinho being the only player who has disrespected Arsene Wenger – speaks volumes about AW’s knowledge and abilities – what a shame some of our “fans” don’t have the same level of knowledge and respect.
Still, I’m sure the great man will be at ease knowing that the players he bought in are improving under UE.
That means UE didn’tactually inherit the dross previously claimed and, like the transfer shambles we are witnessing, yet another ridiculous claim being blown away.
So pleased that Gervinho set the world alight once he found the right manager…trouble is I can’t find where the fire was!!!
It’s burning dimly in some serie A team, last I checked
Really good dribbler, terrible finisher…… he rounded the keeper once, only for the keeper to recover and make a save, when he should have just knocked the ball into the gaping goal….. I wasn’t bothered when he left, jst like I won’t be bothered if some specific current first team players were to leave….. when is the new kit going to be launched…. I’m hoping this window turns out exciting for us after the kit launch
Nightmare of a player. And I mean that in a bad way. This guy makes Miki worth his wages.
Gervinho was = Iwobi
In other words, not good enough to start for us but okay off the bench
Spot on, I have to say to the majority who called out Wenger on his coaching. Poor Emery inherited a squad of bang average players (the worst squad I have ever seen whilst supporting Arsenal), and they are clueless when it comes defending. The defensive issues have now been going on for over a decade, and it won’t be a quick a fix, as we saw last season.
Emery still did well though. Bellerin, and Holding were finished at Arsenal under Wenger, but look how quickly Emery improved them. Even defensively, we have really improved, it’s just the crazy injuries, and the woeful defenders Emery inherited that let us down. Under Wenger, we conceded so many goals on the counter because he gave his CB’s zero protection, and we also conceded so many from playing ourselves into trouble at the back. Under Emery, we usually just clear it instead of playing ourselves into trouble, and we’re not so woefully open on the counter, it’s the individuals that are letting him down. Plenty of goals have been conceded when we’ve had enough back, and in the right positions, it’s just individuals. They’re simply not good enough. By no means am I saying Emery is perfect, but only a blind man/Wenger fan can’t see where the real blame lies.
Luckily they are in the minority, and have already been proven wrong!
THIRDMANJW, excuse me please sir, but i am a blind man,but i am no supporter of that absolute fraud wenger.i think he got awa lightly, he should have been frog marched out of the emirates some years ago. so, there are blind men who are not wenger fans i will have you know , hahahahahahaha.
Foreheadinho !…………..He had pace, skill and he worked his socks off,he had the ability to draw several opposition players out of position, but that was only because his head had it`s own gravitational pull field !……… but the finnishing !?
Like the rumour that Ian Wright will be on “I`m a Celebrity”!……….first bushtucker trial will be eating some Spuds……..followed by being put down a dark hole looking for some meal trophies with no luck, just like being in Spuds trophy cabinet !
You have to realise that the worst defensive injury crisis ever had at our club were all AW signings, so it must surely follow that those who insist UE inherited dross have no real problem regarding this, especially as UE signed five players, four of whom were defensive players.
That’s why, I assume, UE decided to play out from the back and what a disaster that proved to be, rather than clearing the ball immediately, as it is being claimed in the Daily Whako.
He even had Cech trying to dribble out and the catastophic plan made those of us who witnessed it for over half the season wonder what plan for our defence he actually had, the players certainly didn’t seem to know and that’s how it ended up as well.
I know it was only last season, but it seems some fans seem to have forgotten these “tactics” UE insisted on playing, claiming instead that individual players were at fault for playing to UE’s instructions…yes I know, the mind boggles but hey, did they actually watch any of the games, along with the comments on justarsenal?
Or were they just blinded by their need to blame AW?
The same goes for counter attacks, something that was to be improved under UE, especially as he had bought the new Vieria in Torreria, a type of player we had lacked since Gilberto…not sure that Song, Coqs or Flamini were Gilbertos, but they were certainly as good as Torreria…especially at the end of the season where his attitude was an utter disgrace by having to be substituted through not being fit or pretending to be injured…an awful example to our younger players.
One of UE’s favourite players, no doubt about that!!
But back to counter attacks, where we were blown apart time and time again during the season, the classic match being against Palace at the Emirates.
As for the players, of the thousands of players that have been under the supervision of AW during his career in managment, it seems only our man Gervinho found a reason to complain.
So, those fans who see AW as the sole reason for all the problems (remember we don’t even know if it’s the majority that said fans claim), what we do know is that the PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS by a majority of 99.99% regard him as the most inspirational man they have met in football…so poor old Gevinho has already been proved wrong and, by the way he dribbled into blind alleys, perhaps he was blind to what was required.
What a shame UE didn’t see what was required in the last five matches of the season, then he could have started on the road to AW’s 20 consecutive top four and CL positions with dross players, but just one win with that improved defence, better midfield and superior coaching proved too much for the players…
not UE and his tactics of course.
Now I believe THAT must have been AW’s fault for putting UE under pressure to be successful as he was.
Anything else doesn’t make sense!!!
Bar the Palace game (which was Emery’s fault), all the other games at the end of season, which you’re putting the blame on Emery, was the players fault. Emery reverted to a back 4. What the fans wanted. He played his strongest teams. What the fans wanted. He played his most attacking lineups. What the fans wanted. As always, the players crumbled, which they’ve been doing time and time again under Wenger, because they hadn’t been coached in defending, and that their mentality is so weak, and pathetic, which all came from Wenger.
How many times did we crumble after conceding a goal last season? Loads! That’s been going on for over a decade! But somehow not Wenger’s fault?
I am sure if we give Emery 22 years in charge that he’ll out perform Wenger for sure. Emery’s already done better in Europe in just his first season, compared to Wenger’s previous 12 seasons! And that was with an injury ravaged, awful squad! I just cannot see Emery going 9 years straight without a trophy at Arsenal, or not winning or even challenging for league title for 14 years straight. I’d be stunned if Emery manages that!
So the Everton away game was nothing to do with the team selection and (therefor) the tactics used?
That’s just one more game to ponder over, surely you don’t want me to list every game do you?
UE played more than two thirds of the season with his defence, including the keeper, instructed to play the ball out and yet you said the complete opposite in your previous post, so what is it that he wanted from the players that they didn’t do?
He played his strongest teams…with Elneny and Gueds in midfield, Lichsteiner at full back ignoring our youngsters and that’s what the fans wanted?
So now then, selecting Ozil was playing his strongest team? Of course I agree with that, but it’s good to see that you feel the same way at last, both from the player and fan perspective.
Played the most attacking line up? What seven defenders against two of the relegated teams as just an example…did we watch the same team play or are you making things up as you go along?
The players are weak and pathetic , all Wenger’s fault?
a 20 odd game unbeaten run, a european cup final, a top three ( that’s what UE should have achieved) finish…”Who needs Wenger” was the shout…starts to go wrong…all Wenger’s fault again.
I suppose the fact that he gave Iwobi his chance was also a mistake and could it be that is why some see him as mentally weak, pathetic and hasn’t been coached properly, rather than the next saviour? Mmmm…of course it’s only since UE arrived the change has occured.
To be able to win it, you have to be in it and that was what AW did for 20 years of his time at the club…fourteen of which he was dealing ( it seems) with players who were weak mentally, pathetic in their outlook and couldn’t defend because they weren’ coached.
I would say that factual stat alone borders on the edge of a miracle, especially in the hardest league in the world it seems, but here I take your point that a CL final and two semi-finals were not good enough.
Still, with dross, pathetic, weak mentality what more could one expect?
I have never seen a post on here declaring AW was not at fault and made no mistakes whatsoever and I concur with that wholeheartedly…what I have seen is posts that say AW was in total control of the club, hence all the woes both on and off the pitch.
Since he left, two years too late in my opinion, we have seen Ramsey leave for nothing…we have seen transfer bids shot down in flames, we have seen new improved contracts awarded to five players you consider dross AW players (Iwobi being one of them!!), we have seen deadwood signed for £70,000 a week, we have seen players injured and taking months to recover:
All of the above scenarios were supposed to have stopped once AW left along with his backroom staff, because it was him and him alone who was the cause of every single problem.
In fact, some were even supposed to have stopped two years ago with the arrival of the three musketeers.
Have you forgotten that one as well?
So you live in your world of negative thoughts and I will live in my world of positive thoughts regarding AW.
I’ll remember seven cup finals, twenty top four finishes, twenty CL qualifications, The Invincibles, the opening of the Emirates, the final home game where 50,000 odd gooners paid their respect to the most successful manager this club has ever known…you enjoy UE messing up on CL qualification and being completely outplayed in a european cup final, safe in the knowledge that, whatever goes wrong, you can always blame AW…
I cannot think of anything remotely to do with football that you and I could agree on, but we both obviously want UE to become the most successful manager The Arsenal have ever had…let’s just leave it there.
Having read the article, I then read ’35 comments’. I thought ‘How many? ’35’ ‘How many? ’35’. The number reminded me of the late and much lamented Kenneth Williams. With 35 comments too late for me to comment but I decided to read the comments. I am glad I did because I came to this comment of yours.
I could not agree more with all that you have written here. Arsene did what we now know David Dean wanted for the club that if not the best club in Europe one of the best in Europe.
Arsene’s football success in France and in England was only limited – restricted by the ring corruption that encircles English and European football. Most ‘fans’ jeer at the suggestion that there is corruption in English football. In Europe but not in Holy, Holy England. They can jeer if they want.
The Arsenal and Arsene knives like to remind everybody that once the stadium was paid for Arsenal would be the first of the ‘big spenders’ and they wail bitterly that this hasn’t happened and isn’t likely to happen for sometime.
We all know the two reasons for this whether we are Arsenal from the ‘heart’ or we are Arsenal’s ‘knife’. And we are agreed.
1. The spending power given to clubs like chelski and mancs.
2 The fact that we were sold to a miser and not a ‘big spender’.
Every manager brings to the club players that don’t make it, in this Arsene was no different.
In this he was different he didn’t just bring the great and the good player to the club he changed the club from an also ran to a great club and in his efforts to achieve this he changed English football forever.
Foreheadinho ????
Gervinho was the best player in Italy this past season so the problem might had been somewhere.
Eden Hazard said he was one the best players he played with??also they were rumours he made outrageous demand to move to the Middle East,high wages fair enough but private jet for his family??