Gary Cahill will be fit and able to replace the injured David Luiz in Chelsea’s crunch first leg clash with Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The Brazil international picked up a hamstring strain in the Blues’ 5-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday, and will now miss the game against the European champions.
However, Frank Lampard has confirmed that Cahill is available for selection.
“Luiz might be fairly bad but Cahill will be all right; fortunately we have back-up,” Lampard told reporters, published by Sky Sports.
“Branislav Ivanovic is suspended for the league games but he will be around to face Barcelona.
“It is a shame for David personally and for us as a team because he is such a good player.”
Meanwhile, Barcelona defender Dani Alves has raised tension ahead of the clash by stating that Chelsea played with fear the last time the clubs met.
With the Catalan giants down to ten men and a goal down in the second leg of the semi-finals of the 2009 tournament, Andres Iniesta scored a last minute equaliser at Stamford Bridge to see the Camp Nou side progress to the final on away goals.
“There is no doubt that was the hardest game we have played, with everything that was at stake, the moment and everything that happened,” Alves is reported to have said by The Guardian.
“People say Chelsea could have won but for the referee, but that is not our problem. We do not control the referees. We are there to play football, to compete and to try to reach the final. What can we do about the referee?
“Chelsea did not reach the final for one reason: fear. The team that has got a man more, is playing at home and winning should have attacked us more.
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“But of course if you don’t have that [attacking] concept of football that Barcelona have, you stay back and you get knocked out. You have to go forward. Stay back: losers. Go forward: winners.
“I think Chelsea lacked the courage to take a step forward and attack us. They paid for it,” he stated.
It’s more Groundhog Year than Groundhog Day at White Hart Lane this season. Complete capitulation in the second half of the season, another year propping up Arsenal in the league table and an air of uncertainty around several key players. And how good of Luka Modric to come out today and put his future on hold, just to perfect that Summer 2011 feeling.
But whist the mood of a Spurs fan might not have changed in 12 months, a lot of other things have. Luka Modric will stay, if he knows what’s good for him
On the face of it, the diminutive Croatian could well pack his bags and jump ship this summer. Despite a relatively unspectacular 2012 so far, Modric has had a solid season. His touch, vision and composure are undeniable and he is capable of being an asset to any, top European club. A couple of great showings at Euro 2012 next month will propel him straight back into the gossip columns and Spurs fans straight back to the chemist; but hold the headache for just a moment.
If Chelsea loose to Bayern Munich this Saturday, the game changes for them completely. The Blues may have bid a supposed £40million for Modric last summer, but if Spurs benefit from their missed Champions League spot, a transfer to West London might not stick. Modric said today, “I will make the decision where to continue my career. I’m ready for the big tests.” I’m not a mind reader, but I would hazard a guess that he isn’t talking about a Thursday night trip to Salzburg in the Europa League.
Of course, there is always the notion that Mr. Modric is simply looking to paint his landing gold and put a helipad in his back garden. But there is already a £100,000 a week contract on the table at Spurs. Chelsea will pay more, but he won’t be looking at Manchester City wages. There is still massive uncertainty over the managerial post at Stamford Bridge and their Champions League run shouldn’t fool anyone- as outstanding as they were to beat Barcelona, Chelsea will need a lot more than Luka Modric to sustain any form of title tilt next year.
£40million is, even in today’s transfer marker, still a mammoth sum. For a player who has at times, especially in the wake of the 5-2 disaster at the Emirates, pandered through games like he’s got one foot out the door already, selling him might not feel like such a mitigating disaster.
But when he is in full flow, he is a delight to watch. Ignore the stats brigade and his relatively low goals and assists return. Watch Spurs from September to January. Who was scampering around, and pinging balls off to Bale, Lennon & Van der Vaart to get those assists and goals? How many times during a match has he shielded the ball and kept possession in seemingly impossible situations? The impact of his departure, purely in footballing terms would be a disaster. Perhaps it is a case of you won’t miss him till he’s gone.
But when he’s not playing well, he still gets in the team. It is difficult to imagine Ferguson or Mancini keeping faith with Modric as he switches off when the chips are down, or half-heartedly trots back as their team are hit on the break. But Spurs do. That’s why Scott Parker or Sandro are there. The way Spurs are set up, suits Modric perfectly. He doesn’t need to worry about the stats with Bale and Van der Vaart there. At United or City, he will do.
Manchester United aren’t going to mould their team around Modric, they are going to mould it around Wayne Rooney. Manchester City are not going to mould their team around Modric, in fact, what would he honestly add to that team? The only position you can see him playing in Roberto Mancini’s team is where David Silva is. He won’t drop David Silva. Luka Modric’s uniqueness as a central midfielder might also be his biggest problem. He doesn’t make masquerading tackles, he doesn’t gallivant from box-to-box and he doesn’t score regularly. Not every team needs a human metronome.
Modric will earn more money elsewhere, that is basic fact. But he can still be handsomely paid, play Champions League football and participate in the “biggest tests”, whilst playing every league game. If he leaves Tottenham, that simply isn’t a guarantee.
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It’s a horrible cliché, but the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. It’s been a difficult last few months for both Modric and Spurs. But neither can loose sight of how important they both are for each other.
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Chelsea are readying a £32 million bid for Brazilian starlet Lucas Moura, according to The Daily Mail.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder is one of the hottest prospects in the South American game, and has already broken into the Brazil international set-up after stellar performances for club side Sao Paulo.
With the west London club looking to add some exuberance and creativity to an ageing midfield, Moura could well be the man to link up with attackers Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata.
The starlet’s club president has stated that the Stamford Bridge side have been in touch and are leading the chase between the European sides for the player’s signature.
“At the moment it is Chelsea that are the closest team to Lucas,” Sao Paulo president Juvenal Juvencio is believed to have confessed.
“Inter have presented an offer but that was not considered satisfactory to us. Real Madrid are another one of the teams and there have been contacts with Florentino Perez who admires the player very much.
“I do not know what it will take for Moura to leave. There are many factors. He is happy here and he will only go if there is an important proposal,” he concluded.
Despite the interest of other European sides, Chelsea have good links with the Brasileiro club after signing Lucas Piazon from them last year.
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Chelsea’s interest in Moura could well put their proposed interest in Eden Hazard on the back-burner, which will be of relief to Manchester United and City.
Arsene Wenger insists Robin van Persie will remain at Arsenal this summer and cannot understand why the forward would want to join Juventus.
The Dutchman is entering the final year of his contract and Wenger was keen to resolve the future of his captain before Euro 2012 amidst speculation that the striker could be leaving the Emirates Stadium this summer.
In the end Van Persie jetted off to Poland and Ukraine with his Netherlands team mates without committing himself to the club and speculation remains over his future with continued interest from Manchester City.
According to Sky Sports News the Premier League champions are one of a number of teams to have been linked with the prolific forward, but the father of the 28-year-old has claimed it’s ‘impossible’ that his son will join one of Arsenal’s domestic rivals.
There’s rumoured interested from clubs across Europe but Serie A champions Juventus are eager to sign the player. Reports claim the Italians want to add a big name striker to their ranks but Wenger doesn’t believe Van Persie will end up in Turin. The French manager told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica:
“He will stay at Arsenal.
“There is no reason why a top player, a big champion would want a move to Serie A – in terms of the prestige of the league, the level of play or financial considerations.
“If he moves there, I will buy you a caramello.”
La Liga heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been linked with a move for the striker.
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With the 19 match unbeaten run left on a cliff hanger by the spectacular day at Wembley in late May, the two-month lull between seasons will be characterised by the eagerness of Crewe fans waiting desperately to try their newly resilient hand at the stronger proposition of League One.
The gap from the 2-0 win over Cheltenham in the sun to a home date with Notts County on the 18th August coming a week after a Carling Cup assignment at home to Hartlepool, will be infested with a growing sense of the usual excitement and optimism that will have tailed off from the back end of the extraordinary last season to a feeling that this time such fanfare will not be false.
This is a new, vibrant Crewe waiting with desperate anxiousness to put the validity of the Steve Davis resurrection on the line in the bustle of the third tier.
It will be done of course without the influence of the talismanic precociousness of Nick Powell who has left for Manchester United on the basis of last season’s heroics, but just like the departures of Dean Ashton, Rob Hulse, Danny Murphy, Luke Varney as well as countless others that epitomised Crewe Alexandra as a selling club, it will not prevent the natural progression of a club that values youthful evolution over dramatic revolution like no other club in the Football League pyramid.
The 17-year-old Max Clayton lurks in the shadows to seize the Powell beacon on the promise that he displayed in numerous cameos last season, and Davis’ enthusiasm for youth will see no qualms with the potential of the youngster partnering the impressive Ajay Leitch-Smith without drafting in the lower-league stereotype of the big-man striker that so many managers see as the natural route.
The attack-line has been bolstered with an unexpected move for Wrexham’s Mathias Pogba, scorer of 12 goals in last season’s Conference, but he is more adept at playing between the lines with a nature to provide. There can also be a temptation to forget Shaun Miller who has seemingly lost his way since his bourgeoning potential, a run of 6 goals in 9 games, threatened his coming of age at the start of last year. Clubs have registered an interest, but there will be a reluctance to abandon the talent that tallied 19 goals the season before he slipped into a pain-staking indifference, it will be an inviting test for club and player to rediscover his form.
Davis’ main priority however, has been to initiate the preparation from the back, possibly indicative of the age of pragmatism that has been a transient feature of the Steve Davis/ Neil Baker era. Rather unforgivingly, out went play-off winning captain David Artell together with the notion that sentimentality will play no part in future plans, and firstly, in came Torquay’s Mark Ellis, eight years Artell’s junior, to promise more mobility and speed alongside Adam Dugdale at centre half.
The club has also managed to realise once more the need for a natural left-back in signing Chesterfield’s Gregor Robertson, which will bring to a pleasant conclusion the numerous use of stop-gaps in the position, plus some valuable experience with the Scot standing at the ripe age of 28. Behind them, goalkeeper Steve Phillips will have pleased supporters by extending his deal having solidified the number one jersey after a year littered with some strong performances.
There will still be some lingering anxiety in the defensive positions as the club awaits Kelvin Mellor’s verdict over a new one-year deal amidst speculation linking him with a move to Derby County following an impressive breakthrough year which ended on being entrusted with a starting position in the Wembley crescendo in just the 21 year old’s 17th appearance. The manager’s so Harry will remain to provide cover whilst the management team see enough promise in teenagers George Ray, Andy White and Oliver Turton to be handed professional terms ahead of the upcoming campaign, the versatile Mellor has proven himself to be a deputy of the utmost reliability in marked surprise given his inexperience and it is hoped he continues his progression in the familiar setting of Gresty Road.
Transfer plans will also hinge heavily on the decision Byron Moore faces over his future. Offered a fresh 2 year deal in the aftermath of an impressive season in which he answered a few dissenting voices about his commitment following his indecision over a new deal last summer. The winger has been linked with a variety of clubs north of the border in Scotland but Davis remains hopeful on agreeing a new deal for his dynamic right-sided creative talent. After the club narrowly missed out to Torquay on the signature of last season’s loanee Billy Bodin, a slight concern over the wide berths have been nullified by a move for Ebbsfleet’s winger Michael West who comes with impressive reference from a productive talent stream that have churned out Joel Byrom, Michael Bostwick and Stacy Long, who al now reside in League One. Davis will be desperate however, to avoid having to address the right-flank by tying down Moore, with a hope that the enthusiasm he displayed in the final months of last season being indicative of his approval of this bright new era, to the immediate future with reasonable haste.
Davis has gone to lengths to allay some fears over the futures of Mellor and Moore by saying that he expects them to sign after lengthy discussions with the duo over the past week, but some discontent will remain until they give concrete committal. With the squad beginning to take shape, assuming that Moore and Mellor do pledge their future to the promise of a new-look ambitious Crewe, Davis’ last assignment of the summer will be to address a void in the central-midfield positions left exposed somewhat, by the release of Lee Bell. Fears over a medical problem have seen the club renege on a two-year deal for Jamie Lowry who has deviated to Plymouth, so an active alternative comes in the form of former Northampton defensive-midfielder Abdul Osman who will be handed a trial in the first two games of pre-season, starting this coming weekend. The management team have been enthusiastic over Osman as a result of his past links with the club and an athletic ball-winner sounds an exciting proposition and again, a further indication of the more solid approach that the club is now adopting.
There may be some value in likening the Alex’s transfer dealings this summer to the new pragmatic edge that Davis has brought to the table in his eight months in charge, it was after all, a rather salient characteristic of the enduring unbeaten run the new tightening up at the back and it has been further shown by a willingness to build on the defensive areas rather than sign up to the chase for the flair signing that Powell’s exit may have necessitated. Ellis and Robertson in so far, it hasn’t been the most blasé of transfer activity from Davis and Baker, but it’s just the settled way they would want it as they build up to the ever-looming visit of Notts County in the middle of August.
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No panic, just a quiet assurance that has underlined the unbeaten run to date, one that remains in suspension until the big kick-off on the 18th. Crewe fans wait with eager anticipation to League One for a chance to negotiate the next chapter of this bright new era with what is shaping to be a well-rounded, sensible squad.
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has stated that the north London club will recover even if Robin van Persie leaves this summer.
The Netherlands international has confessed his will to leave the Emirates Stadium, and with an expiring contract the Gunners are considering selling their attacking maestro.
With Manchester United, City and Juventus circling, a departure for Van Persie has been touted, but Henry feels that Arsene Wenger’s men will be ok even if the PFA Player of the Year leaves.
“We hope he stays and that’s the way it is,” the Frenchman is quoted as saying in The Telegraph.
”I don’t know exactly what is happening but as an Arsenal fan I want him to stay. He is still an Arsenal player and the boss has to deal with it.
”I just want Arsenal to do well. Robin will do what he will do and we’ll see.
”When I left, everybody cried, but then the year after they went on a run of being eight points ahead. Everyone comes and goes,” he admitted.
Meanwhile Henry feels the return of injured Jack Wilshere will be a huge boost to the team.
“You want Jack Wilshere around. He reminds me of when I first arrived when the old guard was there.
”He’s an Arsenal fan in the first place and you need this type of player around in the dressing room.
”It’s not only that he’s an Arsenal fan, and not only an Englishman, but he’s a good player, it’s as simple as that.
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”What a shame that he stopped a bit because he was on his way.
”I just wish him all the best that he can come back quick and wear the shirt he loves so much,” Henry concluded.
Robin van Persie is on the verge of leaving Arsenal to join Manchester United, after a fee between the sides was agreed.
The Netherlands international stunned Gunners fans by revealing that he wanted to leave the club earlier this summer, and with only one year left on his contract at the Emirates Stadium Arsene Wenger wants to recoup as much financially as he can for the forward.
Manchester City and Juventus have fallen away in the race to sign the Dutch maestro, and United have announced that they have reached an agreement with Arsenal after ongoing negotiations.
“Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin van Persie,” a statement on the Red Devils’ official website reads.
“The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course.”
Arsenal were initially reluctant to sell their captain to a Premier League rival, but an offer of £24 million is believed to have changed their mind.
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Van Persie will be in Manchester on Thursday to tie up a deal.
Fulham have tabled a bid thought to be in the region of around £6.5 million for Lyon Striker Bafetimbi Gomis, according to the Daily Mail.
Gomis, 27, is also thought to be of interest to AC Milan, who have struggled to find a replacement for Swedish target man Zlatan Ibrahimovic following his £17 million move to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
Fulham manager Martin Jol had initially looked at bringing in young Belgian striker Christian Benteke as a replacement for the imminent departure of Moussa Dembele to Tottenham. However, it is likely that Benteke will sign for Premier League rivals Aston Villa today (29th August).
Gomis, who is nicknamed ‘baby Drogba’ in France, made his name at Saint-Etienne, where he tallied an impressive 47 goals in 161 appearances for the club. In his three years at Lyon he has struggled to hold down a regular place in the first team, but still maintained a good scoring ratio of just under one goal every three games for the French side.
Lyon may be willing to offload Gomis as they look to rebuild after a relatively disastrous campaign in the French league last season where they failed to qualify for the Champions League.
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There may be a new manager, a new formation and a new set-up at Tottenham Hotspur this season, but some things it appears, are very much the same at White Hart Lane. But far from representing a comforting motif from happier times, it is Spurs’ startling culture of complacency against perceived lesser opposition that continues to eat away at the men from N17.
The summer of change and upheaval at Spurs have left many feeling highly emotive as Andre Villas-Boas’ side have struggled to get their season out of first gear so far. Fingers have been pointed fervently at the manager who already appears to be treated as a scapegoat in some quarters for the way things have worked out for Tottenham this term.
Villas-Boas hasn’t been exactly faultless so far this season and a couple of suspect substitutions in his first two home games seemed to suggest just how anxious the Portuguese is to get off the mark. But it’s not as if he hasn’t had to endure an entire amalgamation of issues at the club already. The club has lost their spiritual figurehead and best footballer in Ledley King and Luka Modric. The fans’ player of the year, Scott Parker, has been ruled out for a month and the chairman’s transfer policy dictated that Villas-Boas had to manage the first three games of the season without a completed squad.
But he has also inherited a bulk of players that have previous when it comes to churning out the sort of result that we’ve seen during the weekend. Fans will point to the fact that at times, the team looked dreadfully uninspired and devoid of inspiration during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Norwich; something which you could rarely ever associate with Harry Redknapp’s side of the last four years.
But perhaps the most overwhelmingly negative hallmark that Redknapp’s side always bestowed was their consistent inability to beat the lesser teams; the games the were expected to win, especially at home.
It’s not something that’s been sung from the rooftops in recent days, such is the malaise that is seeming surrounding Villas-Boas at the moment, but let’s not forget Spurs actually lost at home to Norwich last term. Their home form was impeccable for the first half of the season, but the same problem continued to feature crop up as the season went out. Games against notoriously woeful travellers Stoke and Wolves both produced draws when they really should have won. April’s fixture to Queens Park Rangers was away from home, but the story was much the same as they went down 1-0.
And if we go back to back to the 2010-11 season, the roots of the problem are still evident to see. Games against Wigan, West Brom, Blackpool and West Ham at White Hart Lane produced a paltry three points. Corresponding fixtures against the Tangerines and the Hammers away from home – two sides that both went on to get relegated – saw Tottenham travel home with no points from either.
To finally emphasize the issue; even in Spurs’ breakthrough fourth placed finish of the 2009-10 season, the problem was still rearing its ugly head. Games against Hull City, Wolves and Stoke at home saw Spurs clock up just the one point. These were again, all fixtures of which Tottenham were expected to come out with three points from. Two losses and a draw, regardless of circumstance, wasn’t
It’s easy to sit here and put every single game from the last two years under the microscope and try to bend it to your own conclusions. And if you do analyze the last three years, you also see that Spurs have played some brilliant football and finished fourth, fifth and then fourth again last term – which of course is in no small part to the worries that many have at the moment. But Spurs have consistently, it seems, struggled to win matches at home against the sort of opposition they’ve been expected to.
How do you define unfancied opposition? All the teams mentioned in the above passages have been teams that have either been poor travellers, relegation threatened sides or teams in a desperately bad run of form. With the greatest respect to all mentioned, when they came to White Hart Lane, Spurs should have had more than enough to pick up the three points. It was mightily disappointing to see Spurs perform the way they did against Norwich, especially when you consider the damage that Fulham inflicted on them in their 5-0 defeat.
But the point is, despite the manner of the defeat, this sort of result was hardly an alien concept during the team’s time under Redknapp’s stewardship – let alone an entirely new management team trying to develop a new ethos for the club. No one is denying that drawing your first two home games is disappointing, but it doesn’t constitute the end of the world.
In fact, it was after the very same fixture last season that saw many finally loose patience with Redknapp’s perceived tactical fallibility as Spurs spiraled away during the second half of the season. They were calling for someone who had the nous to develop the side into a more tactically cultured beast, capable of making a long-term push onto the next level. It appears that now they’ve got someone trying to do something different, not all seem prepared to give him a chance.
Because Spurs can push on and they really can develop this season, One of the aims of this restructuring process hopefully entails that Spurs will no longer cave under the expectation of beating the teams they’re expected to do at White Hart Lane. The performance against Norwich was poor at best, but what happened in the first two games could have happened to most teams in this league- including Harry Redknapp’s from last season.
Spurs played decent football against Newcastle and West Brom that wasn’t bad considering how incomplete the squad was. To boo the team off after a point against what looks to be an extremely resilient Baggies side was as impatient as it was unbelievably short sighted.
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Rome wasn’t built in a day and it certainly wasn’t built without the right tools to do so. Villas-Boas has only just acquired the full set on Friday evening. Spurs have appointed someone for the long term, with the aim of not just matching what Redknapp achieved, but surpassing it. Part of that includes improving on that record against the lesser teams at home and that isn’t an easy fix.
Tottenham must improve and from here on in and the manager must start to get his team winning matches. But supporters must regain perspective and they must get behind Villas-Boas; or beating the lesser teams at home will become the least of their problems.
How do you feel about Spurs complacency against the ‘lesser’ teams? Is this a burning issue and if so, if Villas-Boas capable of rectifying it? Let me know what you think on Twitter: follow @samuel_antrobus and get the Spurs chat going.
A good start to the season for Arsenal, the attempted banishing of demons in a number of areas, and the further development of another potentially fantastic attacking full-back.
Kieran Gibbs really caught the eye in a preseason friendly against Inter Milan at the Emirates Stadium back in 2007. A central midfielder who had been drafted in to take up the role of left-back and offer Gael Clichy some level of competition. Like other notable appearances of Arsenal youngsters in the Emirates Cup, Gibbs gave a wonderful and mature performance on the day. An early touch to settle the nerves, as they say, and the shackles were off, as Gibbs continued to bomb forward down the left flank and display a very good technical level.
Injuries have hampered what could have been a couple of good seasons already under his belt. The crisis of last summer forced the manager into the purchase of Andre Santos, but Gibbs has continued to look the more suitable to the defensive side of the game. His £30million pound tackle last season against West Brom was a moment of quality, but certainly accentuated due to the importance of that final fixture of the league season.
This season is looking to be another great step forward for the youngster. The introduction of Steve Bould to the coaching staff is looking to have a great affect on Gibbs’ game, as he looks comfortable in the defensive aspect of the game but also threatening and assured of his ability when on the attack. He played a role in two of Arsenal’s goals against Southampton at the Emirates, and Andre Santos has barely had a look in to start on the left side of defence.
Lets also not overlook the contribution of Lukas Podolski on the left flank ahead of Gibbs. For a few seasons, Gibbs has continued to be left all at sea by a lazy and seemingly uncommitted Andrey Arshavin. Opposition attackers would double up on Arsenal’s flanks, exposing a young footballer who is still learning much of his trade. Gibbs is making positive steps forward in his career, but how much of his good work is down to Podolski? A hardworking, no nonsense international footballer who understands the need to come into a game and do a job at both ends of the pitch. There’s no ego about Podolski’s game, but his unselfishness is playing a big role in giving Gibbs plenty of comfort and confidence to play the game to the best of his abilities.
Gibbs may not be strongest of defenders, and he certainly favours the attacking game, as most of Arsene Wenger’s full-backs are taught to do. But he appears to have grasped the importance of a well-timed challenge, the understanding of when it’s safe to go on the attack and leave his defensive post, and his attacking game is really playing an important part in Arsenal’s success in the final third.
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So much has been said of Barcelona’s attacking play and the players they have in forward positions, but so much credit goes to players like Dani Alves, Adriano and now Jordi Alba. They help to create space for the forwards in the team, they confuse opposition defenders as to where they need to be, and they are capable of contributing on the score sheet as well. Wenger has long advocated that style of play, and it shows in his personnel choices for many positions in his team.
It’s always likely that Gibbs may once again be troubled by a lengthy injury layoff. Even more so, his youth certainly warrants a mistake or two. He’s far from the finished article, but his game will be given more than enough time and attention to grow through regular game time and the education on offer at Arsenal. For now, it looks a safe bet to say that Arsenal are doing well in the left-back spot, replacing the departed Gael Clichy internally with a player who is committed to the club and showing excellent progress as an attacking full-back, both for club and country.