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Goal.com 50: Gervinho (43)
New Arsenal addition makes his bow in Goal.com's elite list, and if he continues the form he showed with Lille last season, it won't be his last
Jul 30, 2011 4:00:00 AM
By Robin Bairner
Panoramic
Welcome to the Goal.com 50! In this special series, Goal.com editors worldwide vote for the top 50 players of 2010-11. We count down to the announcement of the winner on August 21 with profiles of each and every player who made it into the top 50.
Gervinho has caught the headlines this summer thanks to his 12 million euro move to Arsenal from Lille, but that price tag will prove to be a bargain for the Gunners if the Ivorian attacker can replicate the kind of form he showed last season in leading Rudi Garcia’s men to the Ligue 1 title.
Though he was eclipsed in terms of exposure by Eden Hazard, the African attacker chalked up a series of more impressive statistics than the young Belgian. Over the course of the campaign the distinctive 24-year-old would outscore and out-assist the man who would go on to win France’s Player of the Season award.
For several years, Gervinho had been watched by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, with Barcelona even being linked to him when he was still making his way with Le Mans. However, a lack of consistency in his final product meant that the real superpowers of the game were dissuaded from taking a gamble on his raw attributes, which were instead allowed to flourish in the calmer environment of northern France.
After a promising first term with Garcia’s side, things finally clicked perfectly for the attacker last season, which was an unmitigated success from start to end.
Able to frighten defenders due to his direct running and sheer pace, the Anyama-born player ran amok in the offensive formation favored by the Lille coach. Capable of playing on either flank or even through the middle, he would muster 15 goals in total – a new personal best.
But while Gervinho is undoubtedly a talented individual, he does not forget that he is simply one member of an 11-man team. A total of 10 assists were secured for the campaign, including the creation of a last-minute goal in week six of the season to earn his side a 1-0 victory over Auxerre, which was when the team's season really started to pick up some momentum.
Undoubtedly, the flair-packed winger had a major role to play in Lille’s successful push for the Ligue 1 title, taking the crown back to the city for the first time in over 50 years.
Gervinho would prove that he is a resilient figure, too. Not only did he feature in 35 of Lille’s 38 league matches, he would be a regular in their squad for the Europa League and the Coupe de France, guiding les Dogues to a domestic double by starting five of the team's six cup matches and coming off the bench in the other.
At times he was virtually unplayable. Like Hazard, opposition players were consistently reduced to heavy-handed tactics to thwart his progress. Arguably this provoked the low-point of his campaign in Monaco, when he was sent off early for retaliating after a particularly brutal tackle, but this was very much the exception in a year of success.
The reward Gervinho will enjoy for his efforts is a move to Arsenal, where he will have the opportunity to test himself in the world’s most popular league, playing for one of its most popular teams.
If he can provide the same dazzling attacking force for Arsene Wenger’s troops as he did for Lille, he is sure to become a favorite at the Emirates Stadium and earn the widespread recognition his performances of the last year deserve.
Gervinho has caught the headlines this summer thanks to his 12 million euro move to Arsenal from Lille, but that price tag will prove to be a bargain for the Gunners if the Ivorian attacker can replicate the kind of form he showed last season in leading Rudi Garcia’s men to the Ligue 1 title.
Though he was eclipsed in terms of exposure by Eden Hazard, the African attacker chalked up a series of more impressive statistics than the young Belgian. Over the course of the campaign the distinctive 24-year-old would outscore and out-assist the man who would go on to win France’s Player of the Season award.
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"He is a help for us to be more dangerous, more of a threat. He is an addition to the Arsenal squad of top quality." - Arsene Wenger
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| MOMENT OF THE SEASON |
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| LIGUE 1: LILLE 1-0 SOCHAUX |
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| In a tense end-of-season clash against in-form Sochaux, Gervinho gave Lille the three points that effectively tied up the title with a smart finish soon after the half-time interval. |
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Able to frighten defenders due to his direct running and sheer pace, the Anyama-born player ran amok in the offensive formation favored by the Lille coach. Capable of playing on either flank or even through the middle, he would muster 15 goals in total – a new personal best.
But while Gervinho is undoubtedly a talented individual, he does not forget that he is simply one member of an 11-man team. A total of 10 assists were secured for the campaign, including the creation of a last-minute goal in week six of the season to earn his side a 1-0 victory over Auxerre, which was when the team's season really started to pick up some momentum.
Undoubtedly, the flair-packed winger had a major role to play in Lille’s successful push for the Ligue 1 title, taking the crown back to the city for the first time in over 50 years.
Gervinho would prove that he is a resilient figure, too. Not only did he feature in 35 of Lille’s 38 league matches, he would be a regular in their squad for the Europa League and the Coupe de France, guiding les Dogues to a domestic double by starting five of the team's six cup matches and coming off the bench in the other.
At times he was virtually unplayable. Like Hazard, opposition players were consistently reduced to heavy-handed tactics to thwart his progress. Arguably this provoked the low-point of his campaign in Monaco, when he was sent off early for retaliating after a particularly brutal tackle, but this was very much the exception in a year of success.
The reward Gervinho will enjoy for his efforts is a move to Arsenal, where he will have the opportunity to test himself in the world’s most popular league, playing for one of its most popular teams.
| "Capable of playing on either flank or even through the middle, he mustered 15 goals in total – a new personal best." |
If he can provide the same dazzling attacking force for Arsene Wenger’s troops as he did for Lille, he is sure to become a favorite at the Emirates Stadium and earn the widespread recognition his performances of the last year deserve.
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