Arsene Wenger: On the left we will use Gibbs, Traore and Vermaelen | Arsenal Blog & Arsenal News

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Arsene Wenger: On the left we will use Gibbs, Traore and Vermaelen

Written by Jeffrey on July 12, 2011 – 22:00

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has yet again confirmed that he is ready to give a chance to his young players, next season.

Speaking on the departure of left-back Gael Clichy, the Frenchman explained that Kieran Gibbs will take over from the Manchester City man with Armand Traore as backup and if required Thomas Vermaelen will be used on the wing.

Asked about Japan’s Ryo Miyaichi, the Arsenal boss was full of praise for the winger as he declared that he did impressively well at Feyenoord and that his speed can be an asset for the squad.

Wenger concluded by showing his delight at having Emmanuel Frimpong for pre-season. The 19-year old suffered an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in training last summer but travelled to Asia with the rest of the squad determined to secure a regular place.

During their week-long tour in Asia, the Gunners will face the Malaysia All-Stars XI on Wednesday and then Hangzhou Greentown on Saturday with kick-off at 13:45 and 12:30 respectively.

On Clichy’s departure and the two youngsters, the manager said:

The plan for left back is that we have Kieran Gibbs, Armand Traore and Thomas Vermaelen can play there too. So we have what we need.

Ryo [Miyaichi] has been a fantastic surprise to us. He did well at Feyenoord after basically coming from school football. He is a very exciting prospect because he is quick and has a quick brain.

We are very happy to have Frimpong back because he had a good start last year but unfortunately got an injury.

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Unbeaten.49 says:

July 12, 2011 at 22:33

If i have to choose between Gibbs, Traore and Vermaelen, I will choose Vermaelen, Gibbs is not ready yet and I dont know much about Traore, why why we can’t buy a left back??

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paul maginn says:

July 13, 2011 at 0:25

fans lik u anoy me for a start u dont no much about traore he playd a lot of games in carling cup sum for fa & prem for us then he started evey game for porstmouth 2 sesons ago & u say verm wud be gd as left back WRONG he cudnt get up & down & cross as gd as those to youngsters cud plus we need verm at cb

Reply to this comment »
- Hunter says:
  
  July 13, 2011 at 21:09
  
  Mate, in all fairness……………. Even though he doesn’t know much about Traore it appears you know less about Vermaelen. Vermaelen played left back more often than center back in his time at Ajax and has no problems getting up and down the pitch. He is not as quick as the other but he can provide deep crosses and is a better overall defender.
  
  Reply to this comment »

Gunnerule says:

July 12, 2011 at 22:43

Anyone know how good Traore is? He made quite a few appearances for Juventus, especially good considering that he was often injured, but I’ve always thought he would be better as a winger

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Davi says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:43

Apparently Traore did well for Juve when he played, but unfortunately was injured for much of the season and found it difficult to get into the team much.
From what I saw of him 2 seasons ago (at arsenal) he looked very close to being ready. He played about 7 games, and did very well. He struggled only against Chelsea, like everyone else in that game, and against Donovan when he played for Everton, again, like everyone else who faced him, but Armand was excellent in his other appearances; one of our better players in fact. At that time he looked very much improved and *almost* ready to take over from clichy.
On the other hand, Gibbs looked very close to ready at that time as well, and was probably marginally better than traore. However, for whatever reason, last season he really struggled whenever he played, so it’s really hard to tell which of the two is in a better position to start next season.
My feeling is that traore should be ahead of gibbs currently, but that’s based on the assumption that he didn’t go backwards last season in the way that gibbs did, although I do have some hearsay evidence to support that assumption (Young Guns website). I just hope that both players get a proper chance to make a case for themselves, and that gibbs isn’t given the spot just because he is english.

By the way, I don’t think traore can really play as a winger. He’s been tried there a few times, and never done well. It’s one of those things, he seems to have all the attributes to play there, but at that level you really need to know the position well, like eboue when we played him on the wing. Gibbs would probably perform better on the wing as he has played that position a lot in the youth teams. Traore on the other hand is more specialised.

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- venky says:
  
  July 12, 2011 at 23:58
  
  Spot on Davi !
  
  Reply to this comment »

Akshay says:

July 12, 2011 at 22:51

Having followed Gibbs extensively, I can tell you he is more than ready. His last season was hampered by injury and we all know when players are suddenly asked to play sporadically, disappointing performances are never a surprise.

If Gibbs gets a nice run of games and a good pre-season and doesn’t get injured, I can assure you all that he will perform better than Clichy. The sad part is – I know how susceptible to injuries he is. I can only hope that he doesn’t get injured.

Traore, on the other hand – he is NOT ready for PL games yet. Good forward play but defensively Eboue.

We all know TV5 performs well in the LB but we all also know that we’ll need him in the CB role more often than not. Specially since it seems to be looking like we’re not signing any new CB.

On a side note, can’t wait for the game tomorrow! So excited! Specially for Ryodinho and Frimpong.

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Davi says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:50

“Having followed Gibbs extensively, I can tell you he is more than ready”
Have you really followed gibbs more than anyone else who supports arsenal? You might be right, but given his form last season, I have no idea why you would be so confident.

“His last season was hampered by injury and we all know when players are suddenly asked to play sporadically, disappointing performances are never a surprise.”
These are the same excuses people have always made for theo. Again, *maybe* you are right, but he was always injury prone, and always played fairly sporadically, but last season he played much worse than he was in his first few games.

“If Gibbs gets a nice run of games and a good pre-season and doesn’t get injured, I can assure you all that he will perform better than Clichy.”
He never has before. How can you know this?!

“Traore, on the other hand – he is NOT ready for PL games yet. Good forward play but defensively Eboue.”
- He did a good job last time he was in the 1st team. He was only really exposed against Chelsea and Everton when they were in top form and (I think) beat both Chelsea and Utd.

Reply to this comment »
- Akshay says:
  
  July 13, 2011 at 1:47
  
  “Have you really followed gibbs more than anyone else who supports arsenal? You might be right, but given his form last season, I have no idea why you would be so confident.”
  
  By that I meant that I have tried and watched every match of his.
  
  I’d like to expand on why I think he’s so good. When watching him play, one word that would come to your mind, among many is “stable”. The same cannot be said for Traore, as shown from a couple of his games against Juventus. Traore may be more intelligent bursting forward, and may look more exciting, but that can lead to defensive mistakes.
  
  Gibbs is defensively very smart. He doesn’t burst forward as much as Traore but when he does he makes sure it’s not at a time when the defense could be vulnerable soon.
  
  Traore is very close to being there, but in my opinion Wenger is right to choose Gibbs over Traore.
  
  Maybe I shouldn’t be /so/ confident, but tomorrow’s a new day, a new kit and a newly adjusted team. I’d like to think that this is exactly the time I should be confident over the horizon.
  
  Do you think Traore will do better? I must admit I haven’t watched every game of Traore, maybe you can shine some more light on this subject.
  
  Reply to this comment »
  - Davi says:
    
    July 13, 2011 at 8:14
    
    Honestly I’m not sure. I thought traore looked much better last time he had a run in the 1st team, but still not quite there. It looked as though he had the mentality, he looked like a tough player, but on occasion showed poor defensive awareness.
    I just think it’s very close between these two and I hope they are both given a proper chance. I worry that wenger will stick with gibbs because he is english, when traore might even be a better fullback.
    
    Reply to this comment »

Nikko says:

July 12, 2011 at 22:54

I think Gibbs is not ready. Vermy is the best LB we’ve got. And he is a CB! I simply cant see us winning anything next season with the current defence. Only relaible player is The Verminator.

Same old Wenger, promised spending and ‘big summer’ lol.

I actually believed him!

Traore, is the same as Gibbs, not ready.

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kevmacn says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:05

anyone think wenger is playin games here. would he really come out and say YES i need a new left back. then when you look to buy everyone says, oh they are desperate so they will pay more.

IF he doesnt buy a replacement left back then i think its gonna be our downfall. we lose an international experienced left back and wat does wenger do. says a 21 year old with an injury prone history will be promoted. its fuckin rediculous to say the least. the fans are furious with the lack of quality and experience in the team and now all we have is even more in experience in the team.

I hope.i mean I REALLY HOPE he is playin games and does buy one because if he doesnt then we will deal with the same shit all over again. mistakes made by players who are just too young for the responsibility of bein a regular in a pl top team.

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RedandDread says:

July 13, 2011 at 0:40

As much as he can, Wenger will promote from within. Gibbs certainly looked off the pace last year but before that everyone was saying he was the heir apparent to Clichy and many were saying that he should have replaced Clichy back then. A good pre-season and no injuries will show us then extent that he has progressed.

Traore has good offensive weapons and played EPL for Portsmouth a couple years back so he some experience. Although he appeared to be injured for much of his time at Juventus, the experince of playing in Italy at such a big club must surely have given him some positive experiences. Wenger will realise within a month or so whether he has made the right choice or not.

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ieuan says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:20

us gunners are screwed, im a die hard gunner i love the club players and manager but we can not compete with manu next season if the get sneijder. please wenger stop and think how good it would feel to wipe the smug look of manu fans and managers faces, we can do this but u must spend spend spend spend PLEASE

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Rob c says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:20

Why can Arsene not spend some of his substantial kitty on buying an experienced, quality full back and let Gibbs develop for another season, it is mind boggling. I am not sure that Traore will ever be good enough for a permanent spot in the side and why would we put our best CB at left back, it makes no sense. We could have finished the season with at least one trophy if only Arsene had bought a CB in the January window but he couldn’t part with the money. It is sooooo frustrating and I am beggining to join the doubters about our manager and perhaps feel that he should step aside and allow a new man take over the legacy that he has created but is now in danger of destroying.

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WC says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:31

Gibbs isn’t the second coming of Ashley Cole, Traore can barely get a game in for Juventus and they don’t even have a competent left back. Ajax lost all the games Vermaelen played as left back which is why he’s a central defender.

Which of these are supposed to inspire confidence down the already terrible left hand side that isn’t helped by Arshavin’s lack of ability to defend?

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jay r says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:40

hate wenger love arsenal!! these people who make wenger feel like a god and scream chants of in WENGER WE TRUST are to blame he is so comfortable that he alwayz takes the easy way out

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venky says:

July 12, 2011 at 23:51

In my opinion we have already signed 5 players in

TV, Frimpong, Ramsay,Gervinho and Ryo.

Wenger is right,we can slate him for being stingy in the market but he is absolutely right to be so. Not many people will agree, I don’t expect them to and I don’t care for them as well. We only need a tall, strong CB hopefully Samba/Cahill and get Cesc and Nasri to stay,but I am sure if they leave their replacements are definitely coming, atleast one replacement is coming that is for sure.

TV had only played 7-8 games last season,

Frimpong never played and we all saw what he did in last pre-season, talent doesn’t vanish overnight,

Ramsay played the last 4-5 games, we already knew his quality, he is the Wales captain not for nothing

Ryo – work permit permitting would be a good sub to come on late when his tearing pace would be very useful.

Gervinho – By now we all knew the story what he is all about ?.

Are these players not quality ?. Ok, Frimpong has not shown it in a match situation but his body language and aggression is far better than Song’s in those pre season friendlies.

We still have Bartley,Ozyakup, Henderson, Aneke, Afobe, Eastmond and JET atleast for Carling cup games.

just wait and watch out for Toral, Bellarin and Ebecilio. These guys are tall and strong, have good techniques,were being properly coached by good academies no need to say where they are from. Wenger has a predilection to give a talent its best shot.If any 1 or 2 of these come good we would be having a vastly improved squad.

I am guy who always thinks positive, I just pity our fellow gooners who react like the club would get relegated if we don’t buy.immediately. Lets hope for good things this season and also hope that the refrees don’t take away their customary 8- 10 points off us this coming season

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Hunter says:

July 14, 2011 at 6:00

Come on mate. It’s not the refs who cost us last season, it was our own under performing squad and some bad management in the January transfer window.

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Dirty Spud Mugs! says:

July 13, 2011 at 0:33

I’ve just watched the bitesize highlights of Arsenals last 7 games. We are in desperate need of a top class centre back and a left back. Djourou and Squillaci are totally shit and not worthy of wearing the Arsenal shirt while Gibbs is nowhere near ready and has a tendency of being injury prone.

Although I hear a lot of Arsenal fans saying ‘In Arsene we trust”, it’s hard to put your faith in a person that fails to see what everyone else can see. If you compare our current back four to that of which consisted of Dixon, Adams, Keown/Bould and Winterburn, apart from Sagna and Vermealen, the rest ( Squillaci – Djourou in particular ) are an embarrassment. He ( Wenger ) won’t buy. I know it, you know it, and so do most of the Arsenal fans that were chanting ’spend some f@*king money” on the last day of the season.
Our back line clearly needs re-enforcement but he goes out and buys a winger!?! I just don’t get it. How hard can it be to buy a centre back? If we go into the up and coming season with our current back four we’ll be heavily punished! Pains me to say buy I think Spurs back four is better than ours!! Worrying!!

I know we still have some time before the season kicks off but in order to get a good preseason under our belts we should have made most of our acquisitions by now. We are very good at making simple things very hard!

If you think i’m being pessimistic, please take ten minutes out of your evening and watch the last 6 bitesize games of last season on the new Arsenal player. It’s a cruel and frustrating reminder of how bad we are defensively!!

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paris86 says:

July 13, 2011 at 0:46

gonna freak out rite now…wrote a long post and forgot to add a name and mail which deleted it all!!!

Kind of sad to hear Vermaelen will (could) be playing as a left back cuz I find full-backs less imporatnt than CB’s. I want him to be known as one of the best defender there is and i don’t see a full-back being compared with CB’s for the best defender. As a representative of Arsenal in my group of friends I want to compare our best defender (Vermaelen) to best defenders of other clubs but I can’t see comparing a full-back to the likes of Vidić, Terry…I just can’t.

Funny but I always see competition for the best full-back as the second league to the ”first league” best CB competition. Sounds stupid but that’s how I feel/think, probably cuz there are not as many world class LB’s as there are CB’s.

BTW Vermaelen said he hated it playing as a left back, but I know how much Wenger LOVES to play good players on wrong positions so I’m kind of worried.

AGAIN – as stupid as it sounds, I would rather see a floppy LB (so we can blame him for all conceded goals) playing there rather than see our best defender being a LB. Think it’s time we give Gibbs a chance though Traoré could be good too. I remember less than 2 years ago whae both Clichy and Gibbs were injured, Traoré stepped in and I was kind of worried on his poor first game but he got used to the pressure and has shown he can be a good first choice too. Anyway Clichy had to improve or be replaced cuy he wasn’t as good as expected. It’s sad to see the last invincible going out and money being the reason but what can we do rite?

Hope u understood what I’m talking about cuz it’s a kind of a weird thing

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venky says:

July 13, 2011 at 1:35

Thats what is called paying the price for being careless,be careful next time friend

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inja says:

July 13, 2011 at 3:00

did wenger not see him play or something?? we get raped everytime he plays on the left side.

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Darlis says:

July 13, 2011 at 3:10

wenger promised a busy transfer and now he is saying dat “we have wat we need” cud someone please tell me “wat we need that we have” is it LB or CB to me Gibbs is not yet ready right now, because presently we need a players who have qualities and experience dat wud help us end our truphy drought.

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A.T.4 says:

July 13, 2011 at 4:03

I think most of you aren’t even Arsenal supporters. Didn’t you see Traore play in the 09/10 season when Clichy was injured as well as Gibbs. He’s good but he needs improvement. Vermaelen could play at LB under one condition: If we got two centre backs. He sometimes plays at LB for Belgium and was used there too sometimes at Ajax.

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Mooqs says:

July 13, 2011 at 5:25

Anyone who thinks Traore or Gibbs can make that position theirs and perform against the likes of Chelsea, United, City are really delusional!

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Moses says:

July 13, 2011 at 8:02

We must buy a cb or lb. That is if we are serious

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Hunter says:

July 13, 2011 at 21:12

Based on today’s game not only is Gibbs not ready, he would be 4th choice behind Traore, Vermaelen and Eboue. He’s just not a good defender. He would be quite useful on the wing but not in defense.

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fabulousFabregas says:

July 13, 2011 at 22:08

seriously??..oh dear.i can’t believe dat dis old man has really gone mad.how on earth that he want to play gibbs as his first choice left back.yes.he is already 21.but he is not ready yet!!maybe he is good in attack but he is stupid in defence.wenger himself should know this better.besides,as we all know,we already quite good in attack but very weak in defence.so,choosing gibbs might be a huge mistake.wenger need to spend some big money and land leighton baines from everton.then,this left back problems would settled.come on wenger,please,spend big,or else dis might be your last season with us

Reply to this comment »

Bouba says:

July 14, 2011 at 15:45

Ok, let’s be rational for a moment and keep the situation in perspective…

Gibbs has not prove himself yet ( he was supposed to perform with the under 21, but got injured AGAIN ), as a matter of fact I don’t think he can get out of bed without getting injured… He is not physically strong and inexperienced… So he is out ( in my book ) ….

Traore had about 20 appearances with Juventus, he is quick, not very good defensively, has more experience than Gibbs and he is stronger than the first named….

Vermaelen is the main man, he has all the qualities and he is efficient and clinical…

The ideal prospect will be to get another solid CB ( Cahill, Samba or Dann ) so Vermaelen would remain as LB permanently… It will never happen, so we are stuck with Gibbs or Traore.

Are you surprise, when you see Nasri wanting to leave???
Fabregas wanting to leave??
Van Persie, Wilshere and even Walcott voicing their concerns about the recruitment???

Fabregas and Nasri know very well that we won’t win anything, AGAIN…!!! But hey!! we are used to it… So it’s fine.

Reply to this comment »

santori says:

July 16, 2011 at 6:42

This is a bit of a gamble, and based on last season’s defensive performance, something we should avoid taking IMO.

Whilst both Gibbs and Traore show much promise, there is no indication based on last season to believe that Gibbs has supplanted our rectn departed incumbent in terms of capability.

As mentioned by others, TV is our best CBack (Hopefully we get a solid senior man to come in in lieu of Squillaci). Why would we want to risk him as our nuclear option out left?

Rather what I think Wenger should explore is to get someone who has expereince in the position who can afford to cover the youngsters but allow them space to let them grow.

Someone he should be tracking is Michel Bastos at Lyon.

Someone who plays regularly as LB for Brasil, I cannot stress his credentials (@age 27)

Bastos can be deployed to either LW or RW (as he does for Lyon) particularly IF Gibbs has a Jack Wilshere season. At the same time, he will be useful as a hedge against Nasri not putting pen to paper (and leaving on a Bosman next season)

What does it take to convince monsieur Le Boss? Come on Wenger, the bloke plays 3 positions, it’s literarily 3 players for the price of one.;)

Reply to this comment »

santori says:

July 16, 2011 at 6:49

If we get a new CBack, surely Koscielny is spare.

I’d much rather see him try out at LBack as a back up. He has pace.

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