Types of Arsenal Fans.

Arsenal football club boasts of a fan base of about 100 million people worldwide. That’s like having a one Arsenal supporter in at least 10 people. It has the third largest supporter number for a football team worldwide. There are different types of fans though. Some real, some well…….

1. The Diva fan

This one is an Arsenal fan because they heard that Arsenal is class. They want to be associated with classy trends. This fan has the latest outfit, latest watches and jewellery and they match from the top to the bottom. On match day, this fan will don a home jersey, red shoes and a red cap. This fan is also a staunch fan of Barcelona and really loves Christiano Ronaldo (though he/she won’t admit it in the open).

2. The Escort

This usually refers to female fans though it may apply to some guys. This one is an Arsenal fan as long as she/he is dating an Arsenal fan. When there is a break-up in the relationship, Arsenal has lost one fan, unless of course the next boy/girlfriend is also an Arsenal fan.

3. The Idolizer

This one supports Arsenal but idolizes one player. They have the players name on all 8 replica jerseys they own. They have the player’s country jersey also in all available colors. This fan has the players name on their Facebook, Twitter handle and even personal e-mail. They possible have a tattoo of the player somewhere. Their computer wallpaper, phone wallpaper has the players’ picture. The fan knows all personal details about the player…birthday, favorite colour, birthplace, parents’ details, career path, height, weight just to mention but a few. This type of fan will try to imitate the physical appearance of his idol to extreme extents like an Arteta fan trying to imitate Arteta’s hair. This fan gets angry when the player is benched or even doesn’t play because of injury. You do not want to hear or read the responses from this fan if the said idol is criticized. The said fan usually moves along with the player… I know a few Cesc fans that moved to Barcelona with Cesc.

4. The Ignorant

This is the Arsenal fan that has no idea that Clichy and Kolo Toure left. He/she still thinks that Fabregas is captain and van Persie is out injured. This fan knows that ARSENal is so called because it is owned by one ARSENe Wenger (and that’s why we bought ARShavin). The ignorant fan watches three games a season and doesn’t know why the Arsenal/Tottenham match is more important than the Arsenal/Liverpool match. This fan is akin to the Manchester United fan who still thinks CR7 plays for them.

5. The Seasonal

This fan is only an Arsenal fan when the team wins. They usually carry their Arsenal gear in a bag and keep them concealed for during the game. The jersey and other gear will be donned if the gunners win or get an honorable draw. At the stadium, these are the fans that leave as soon as the team is two goals down. Most of these fans have since shifted to Chelsea or Manchester City following Arsenal’s trophy drought. Expect the number of Arsenal fans to increase to 120 million worldwide when the Arsenal get a trophy….. the prodigal sons will be back. The ones who are still here, keeps saying “We need to spend money and buy Messi”. Yes, too much of FIFA Manager.

6.The Suicidal

This fan starts prepping for a Saturday game on a Sunday the week before. On the eve of the game eating, sleeping or just doing normal stuff is impossible. Game day is like a 9 year olds birthday, the excitement and the worry…emotions and hormones run wild. This fan watches pre-match analysis anywhere possible. If the game goes well, this is the best character you will meet. However, the gunners lose and sometimes they will, this fan has to be put on suicide watch. This fan cries and cries and then some. He/she breaks the TV remote, crosses the road without checking, drink some strong dry vodka without stopping, and picks fights with wrestlers and all kind of destructive behavior. This fan will even commit suicide if left alone. Remember this guy

7. The Obsessed

This one has everything Arsenal. From personal items like toothbrushes, soap dish to clothing to beddings to books…everything. This fan always has an Arsenal item on regardless of where they are, be it a job interview, wedding, funeral…wherever. He/she knows everything about the team, the players and their families, the coaching staff and even the mascot. This fan watches all Arsenal matches..the senior team, the reserves, the ladies team, the under 18s, under 10s and even repeat matches from 1965. This fan eats on an Arsenal plate, drinks from an Arsenal cup and sleeps on an Arsenal bed…literally eats, drinks and sleeps the Arsenal. All their Facebook updates and Tweets are the Arsenal. This fan will pick the team over anything on this earth.

8. The Optimist

This fan is always positive. Also a fun type. He sees nothing wrong with the team. This is the fan who at 2-0 down with 1 minute of extra time to go believes we can still win it. This fan blames every mistake on the referee, the opposing team, the weather, the time, the ball absolutely anything that can absolve the team of blame. This fan claims that the goalpost is too small when Gervinho shoots wide, no tackle is Vermaelen’s fault he always gets the ball. This fan loves the team just the way it is.

9. The Perpetual Complainer

At 5 goals up and the ball rolls out for an opponent’s throw in, this fan complains. He complains when the team scores, when the team concedes whenever. This fan will complain win or lose, big win or big loss… all the time. You can never satisfy this one. He complains that Cazorla is too short, Mertesacker is too tall, Walcott is too fast, Arsene Wenger speaks too many languages. This fan gives a player 10 minutes to prove himself, blames the goalkeeper for letting in a penalty etc. You do not want to watch a match with this fan. That guarantees you 90 minutes of negative commentary.

10. The Crush

This mostly applies to the ladies. This type of fan supports the team because there is a “hot” player in the team…most went for Walcott’s cuteness or Henry’s sexy demeanor among others. Most of these fans have since grown tired of Walcott and has moved on to Chelsea in such of a certain Hazard or to Newcastle to see a certain Ben Arfa.

11. The Real

This fan is a realist. He/she has some Arsenal regalia…jerseys, arm bands, maybe a cup or a cap just not in excess. This fan wears Arsenal regalia on match day only. This fan appreciates a win and accepts a loss with dignity. Compliments where deserved and criticizes once in a while when necessary. He/she knows about the team; the injuries, the formation, goals and assists per player, player positions and other football related information. He/she follows the Arsenal football information and nothing else. This is the best person to have a football discussion with. They agree when a win is deserved and agree when it is undeserved. This fan is as faithful as a dog and still has hope of a trophy 8 years on. He accepts the team with its strengths and weaknesses.

Quite the fan base ha? Where do you belong?

Written by,
Fridah Kariuki

*images are for representation purpose only*

THE GAME CHANGERS

Football as we all know is played by 11 men with the option of substituting 3. It is the ultimate team sport. Everyone of the 11 men has an important role to play and not only is it vital but it is also unique. However, some players shine at their roles, they stand out from the rest of the team. They become what we call "key players". The presence or absence of this players largely influences the outcome of the game and eventually the overall team performance. I aim to look at the "game changers" in every team in the English premier league. 

1. Manchester City

The defending champions have not had the great start that they had last season. The campaign has started rather slow for them though still unbeaten. The key players remain largely unchanged from last season. The men dictating the team are Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and their very influential captain Vincent Company. Aguero, the dangerous and pacy striker, won the league for the Etihad boys last with a last minute strike. He scored key goals for the team that helped them win the league and consequently won Manchester City Player of The Year.

Yaya Toure plays a vital role in the midfield of the city boys. He is seen as the heart of the team. He links the defense with the attack. Provides asssists and scores some important goals too. He is rated as one of the best midfielders in the EPL.

Vincent Kompany is one of the best center backs in the world. He forms a solid rock at the heart of the Citizen's defence. He scores some important goals too. (Manchester United can attest to this). 

2. Manchester United

This is a tough one. The key players from last season have started on the bench. There is one obvious one though: Robin van Persie. Hurts to admit this as an arsenal fan. van Persie will be looked upon to score goals for the team. If he stays injury free, he will be very key to the Red Devils. Wayne Rooney also remains a very key player for the team. He is a prolific goal scorer and his assists remain vital. Lastly, Antonio Valencia also holds a lot of keys to Manchester United's race to the title. He can play on the wing and right back equally well. He provides assists for the team. On top form he is a player to watch.

3. Arsenal

This season the gunners have had a better start than last season. The players look more like a team and have generally improved. It is hard to pick a key player but there is always that special one. For the gunners I think the key men will be: Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Mikel Arteta. Santi Cazorla is already showing some amazing statistics. He creates goal scoring chances and scores them too. He has already been seen as buy of the summer by many football pundits.Lukas Podolski, the Prince, also a summer signing is showing his worth already. He is a world class finisher and we have seen his ability defending and tracking back. Mikel Arteta has taken on two new roles at the club: a defensive midfielder kind of role and the vice-captain. He has shown that he is adept at breaking up the opponents play and starting Arsenal's attack with his brilliant passes and vision. In only his second season with the team, he is a favorite to many fans already.

4. Tottenham Hotspur

After a disappointing end to last season and a poor start to the season, Tottenham have recorded important wins in their last two matches. The key players in the team are: Gareth Bale, Jan Vertonghen and Clint Dempsey. Gareth Bale was influential in Spurs 4th place finish last season. The pacy winger scores important goals and provides important assists. Jan Vertonghen is a very versatile defender. Besides getting the blocks in you can be sure he will be getting the goals in as well.Clint Dempsey scored the winner against Manchester United. He was an influential player for Fulham and he will continue to be for Tottenham in the battle to a Champions  League spot.

5. Newcastle United

Newcastle United will be relying on the services of Papiss Cisse, Hatem Ben Arfa and Demba Ba. Papiss and Ba have proven to be natural goal scorers and their goals contributed to the success of the team last season. Hatem Ben Arfa is a massive talent and when he puts his mind and legs to it he can be a game changer. He can score from tight angles and also assist. 

6. Chelsea

Chelsea possesses a range of great talent so it is difficult to say who is the game changer. I will pick Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Branislav Ivanovic. Juan Mata is a consistent performer who can score and asssist. He is a highly talented playmaker and a game changer. Fernando Torres is the most inconsistent player in the EPL but he possesses talent that cannot be ignored and on top form he is a very dangerous striker. Defender, Branislav Ivanovic has been a key player for Chelsea. He has been both key in defense and attack for Chelsea.

7. Everton

Everton has shown some wonderful team displays and now lie second after six games. The key players in Everton are Leighton Baines, Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini. Baines is important with his tackles and sight for goal. He has been an important part of Everton's team since joining them. New signing Mirallas was top scorer in the Greek league before moving to Everton. He has great movement and great goalscoring ability. Fellow Belgian Fellaini has been hailed as a top midfielder and he has proved his goal scoring ability and amazing passing. He is strong and very pacy and has so far been the difference for Everton.

8. Liverpool

Liverpool may have had a poor start to the league but as a football fan I have learnt not to rule out a Liverpool come back. Brendan Rodgers is still trying to build a team but the players that stand out from the rest are: Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez and of course Steven Gerrard. Raheem Sterling at only 17 has become a regular starter. He has wonderful pace and good dribbling skills. He has the ability to get past oppposing defenders and cause trouble. Luis Suarez has already score a hat-trick for his team. He has the ability to score goals that will see Liverpool back to Champions league football. Age may be catching up with Stevie but he is still very influential to the team's performance.

9. Fulham

Fulham will be looking to Berbatov to supply the goals to improve their mid-table performance, Brede Hangeland to keep the defense impervious and Mladen Petric who has already scored 3 goals in 4 appearances for the team.

10. West Bromwich Albion

I'll start with Romelu Lukaku. Although he has been loaned to the Hawthornes by Chelsea he has been very influential thus far. James Morison and Shane Long are also very influential performers for WBA. They are game changers.

11. Swansea City

One of the key players for Swansea is in almost everyone's fantasy premier league team... Michu. He has been exceptional this season so far scoring 4 goals now. Nathan Dyer ha been a great influence so far scoring 2 goals in 2 appearances. Ki Sung-Yueng if he breaks into the first team will be a great addition to a solid looking Swansea team. He is known for his vision, technique, long range passing and shooting, along with his good set-pieces.

12. Norwich City

Norwich city star players are Grant Holt, Steve Morison and Robert Snodgrass. The three possess a potent ability to score goals and keep Norwich in the top flight.

13. Sunderland

Sunderland will require Stephane Sessegnon to replicate the form he was in last season, Sebastian Larsson and Steven Fletcher are also key players for Sunderland. Fletcher's form has been great so far scoring 5 goals so far.

14. Stoke City

I am tempted to put defenders as star players for Stoke. They play such a defensive game with high balls to look for their striker. Ryan Shawcross is a massive defender, top talent. Peter Crouch will also be massive for the Britannia outfit. Jermaine Pennant is also a star player for Stoke.

15. Wigan Athletic

Last season Wigan staged the bravest battle ever against relegation. It was amazing. They had Victor Moses then...now they don't. They will be looking at Franco di Santo and Arouna Kone to get the goals to keep them in the EPL. Shaun Maloney is also a key player for the latics. Maloney is known for his set-piece accuracy, technical ability and confidence when shooting.

16. Aston Villa

	Aston Villa star players will be Charles N'zogbia, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Karim el-Ahmadi. The team will be looking at this players to improve on their last season 16th place finish.

17. Queen Park Rangers

Barely surviving last season, I don't think QPR will be waiting for another team's result to help them survive. Esteban Granero, Bobby Zamora and Adel Taarabt will have to shine for the team to battle relegation.

18. Southampton

Adam Lallana has been wonderful this season. So wonderful that he earned himself a call up to the England squad. Rickie Lambert has also been exceptional. Lastly, Jay Rodriguez also another wonderful performer. The three players are key in Soton's survival.

19. Reading

I haven't watched a full match pitting Reading FC but I think alongside the team captain Jobi McAnuff, Pavel Pogrebnyak and Danny Guthrie are the key players for the party Russian owned team.

20. Westham United

I find it very hard to pick a star in this team. Westham have come back to the premier league with a formidable team. However, I think Ricardo Vaz Te, Matt Jarvis and Andy Carroll will make the difference for Westham. 

That is my opinion of the game changers in each team. However, a team does have 11 players.....watch all of them.

Just made this pic with some inspiration from "ever free" Google. Those paws are so cute, isn't it ? ♥

Manchester United to win trophy- I don't think so.....

I followed an argument between two Manchester United fans (rare I know). One was saying they will win at least two trophies while the other was saying he has no hopes of a trophy or that if Manchester United win a trophy Lady Luck will have smiled upon them. I then thought of that argument...who is right?

I have watched United's first three games and while it may be too soon to judge I think the second guy was right. I don't reckon that Manchester United have a chance at a trophy this season.

I will start by pointing out that they have a superb striking force. Robin van Persie is world class (it really pains me to say this), Wayne Rooney is amazing too, he can score all sorts of goals, Danny Welbeck has massive talent and is developing into a lethal target man and finally Javier Hernandez is a great finisher, a world class poacher. This means that goals will be abundant for the Manchester team.

I may say that that is where Manchester's top quality ends this season. Last season United's undoing was the midfield. Everyone was expecting Sir Alex Ferguson to invest in at least three midfielders. He brought in one, Shinji Kagawa. Kagawa is a massive talent and will fit in well into the team. The problem is that he plays the role just behind the main strikers and SAF brought in van Persie as well. This means that Rooney will play the same role as Kagawa or push Kagawa out of position or one of them will be benched. The first match van Persie was benched (lost 1-0), the second match Rooney was benched (Won 3-2 undeservedly) and in the third match saw an injured Rooney miss out. The midfield at Man-United is a weal link. Scholes and Giggs are old, Nani is unhappy, Young is under-performing, Cleverly needs more time to develop his talent, Carrick has become rather over-used. Valencia is apart from the rest in midfield with very fine performances but one man alone cannot link the whole mid-field section. In short Man-United's midfield is short.

The defense is not even weak, it is absent (these are not my words by the way, words of a Manchester United fan). In the first match, the defense was physically absent due to injuries which saw Carrick play at center back and Valencia fill in at right back. They lost the game. In the next two matches, Manchester United conceded 4 goals...2 in each respective game. The goals came from poor defense. The defense is porous and easy to pass. Vidic has still not returned to full form yet following a long spell of injury, Rio doesn't look too great either, Rafael cannot defend to save his life..he constantly moves upfront and forgets to fall back and his tackles are rather wanting while Evra has just grown old-his pace has diminished, his tackles are not so strong and he is quickly caught on the counter attack. Alex Buttner is set to start against Wigan in place of Evra. I will not make judgements about him yet as I haven't watched him, but new boys usually have a hard time adjusting to the pace of the EPL. Phil Jones is out injured and so is Chris Smalling. If any defender is injured Manchester will be stretched thin.

Therefore, goals Manchester United will score and goals they will also receive. Most people (even Manchester fans) will agree that the last two results were sheer luck and totally undeserved. Against better defending teams Manchester will not make it as the case was with Everton. Last season they missed it on goal difference, this year will be worse.

There is however the January transfer window and a bit of luck.

Till next time..........

Le Professeur ou Le Prophete? Or maybe both?

Transfer deadline day was here, refresh was a favorite tab to many football fans around the world and particularly Arsenal fans. I must admit I was one of them though not as fervently as most Gunners. I may have refreshed my twitter timeline about 20 times per hour and other sport pages roughly about the same time. Most fans were expecting the Yann M'vila deal to be completed, along with El Rey Leon (the Lion King) Fernando Llorente and a defender. However, none of that happened. Gunners watched, some read and most just heard of Tottenhum signing Lloris and Dempsey, Manchester City signing Javi Garcia etc but no-one was coming to the Emirates. And thus the curses began. I could hear shouts of  "Wenger out", "Ivan The Terrible", "Usmanov In" among other profanities that I shall dare not repeat.

Then came Anfield... The result Liverpool 0- Arsenal 2. This result did not bring any mixed emotions. It was just joy all over. It felt like the team had won a title winning much. I actually think the team won a title winning much. The title they won was the fans' hearts. A turn around was witnessed. Hardly was there any results, or any buts for that matter. The fans were satisfied with all departments. The two youngsters playing as fullbacks impressed with their intercepts, hard but clean tackles and ball distribution. The captain was just as solid as ever with his partner Per putting the Per in Perfect. The " Steve Bould Effect" it is now called. The center trio were just world class. Diaby could almost put Vieira to shame, Arteta was solid as a rock..he would die for the team and Santi Carzola... just beautiful with those perfect passes and well timed runs. The attack was just glorious, finally banging in the goals that calmed the nerves. Lukas Podolski showed his ability to score, tackle,hold the ball, pass and defend too, Giroud's movement of the ball was amazing and his vision just great and Oxlade showed his strength and agility, his speed we already knew about. The individual performances of each of the players indicated that Arsenal is finally a team.

It seems that Wenger was right again by not looking into the transfer market. The opinions of most fans changed and all over sudden it was content everywhere. The team was labeled as perfect and the shouts changed to "Arsene Knows", "In Arsene we trust" and many other nice things.

After that performance and three clean sheets, most football fans saw what Wenger had seen way before. A solid team without spending millions. The Arsenal options also looks solid with Ramsey (yes him!), Walcott, Gervinho (and yes, him too), Coquelin, Koscielny and the injured players Wilshere, Rosicky, Frimpong and Sagna set to return. Of course there are also the Arsenal youth players Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld who I am sure will get a chance at first team.

In my opinion Arsenal now has a team that can challenge for trophies, make profit and still create stars without spending billions. With the defense in place, very few attacks will get past that, the midfield is strong and we can expect goals from anyone.. Podolski, Giroud, Gervinho, Carzola, Walcott and Chamberlain especially.. Of course I expect Arteta, Diaby and Vermaelen to contribute too.

"We do not buy superstars. We make them."                               Arsene Wenger

Another quote by the man himself...

 "We try to go a different way that, for me, is respectable. Briefly, these are the basics. I thought: "We are building a stadium, so I will get young players in early so I do not find myself exposed on the transfer market without the money to compete with the others. I build a team, and we compensate by creating a style of play, by creating a culture at the club because the boy comes in at 16 or 17 and when they go out they have a supplement of soul, of love for the club, because they have been educated together. The people you meet at college from 16 to 20, often those are the relationships in life that keep going. That, I think, will give us strength that other clubs will not have.

I think most Arsenal fans will agree with me that Arsene was right. He has brought in three wise men and if the team is consistent, then success will be renamed Arsenal.

As usually..COYG.

 

Things I learnt being an Arsenal Supporter

Since I started supporting Arsenal, I have seen many things pass me by. Be it a happy occasion or a sad moment. I lost my grand mother and some of my cats. But also I completed graduation and got a job. And I also learn few things. And its safe to say that Arsenal played a part in some of them.

1. Patience:
You don't need Arsene Wenger to knock your door and say "Have patience" do you? You just feel that. It maybe frustrating not to win any silverware from 8 years. And we see gooners venting their anger through social media. But so did other clubs. Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool all had trophy less seasons. After the elite crop left in 2005-06, We need to wait for few years until the current generation of players to mature and soon, we will rule England and Europe.


2. Spend Wisely:
I don't think anyone would disagree with me on this one. Since 1996, Arsenal's net spending is 4.5 million (can you believe that?), compared to 250 million of Man Utd and 504 million of Chelsea. And yet, we have been finishing in top 4. Like someone said, "It doesn't matter how much you spend, but was it really worth it?"


3. Be Quick on the Uptake:
Arsene Wenger amazes us with his transfer policies, he brings out rare talent which nobody can discover and make them a better player. From a financial point of view, he is exceptionally brilliant!
He brought certain Anelka for £500,000 and after 2 years, sold him to Real Madrid for £22.3 million. That is some deal. He's been criticized for this. But still, he hardly fails.


4. Never forget the one's who helped you:
Arsenal is a model club. Every player will be loved here. And players who leave us for better opportunities (except for the ones with inner child screams and DNA issues) will have a special place in their hearts. I don't have to give out the names. Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Eduardo.. list goes on. And Arsenal club doesn't forget it's players as well. Thierry Henry had his sculpture built outside Emirates Stadium. Robert Pires and Sylvestre trained with Arsenal Team, when they were free agents.


5. Hardwork and Class Matters:
When you think of Arsenal, you think about a hard working coach, with a decent team trying to win things. You don't think about sugar daddies with pocketful of money spending on overrated players and buy the league. Compared to Chelsea and Man City, I feel happy that I'm not supporting them. They can buy expensive players win the title too. But the way they win, will tell the value they believe. Is it winning the league by unbalancing the nature of the game or is it winning the league because you deserve it?


Supporting Arsenal brought out a lot of changes in me. And all of them are positive (so far)
To be honest, I'm glad I support this club.

Until next time,

The Gunner Red Herrings

It is human nature to blame other people for our failures or the failures of those we love. For the gunners that has become routine. With every match there is someone to blame. Occasionally, the referee is blamed (especially when all time favorite...Howy the spider on the web is on the pitch). Le Professeur gets his beating and fair share of insults and blame too (the best memory I have of this is that awful substitution during the home game against Manchester United when he brought on the little Russian for the Ox). Talking of the little Russian, he has been blamed and insulted way too much for his tiny stature. If you play for The Arsenal, I suppose you can expect a bashing every so often... I say this because even with a win someone is always blamed for missing a shot here,misplacing a pass there etc. However, there are two players constantly blamed for every lose or draw...

I will start with the Welshman...Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey has been blamed for misplacing passes, shooting awfully, shooting instead of passing and vice versa and of course the mystical death of famous people when he scores. So I beg the question, what's a man to do? I will not try to defend Ramsey but I will let you know that I rate him very highly.
Ramsey Skills:


A look at the above video explains why I rate him so highly. Ramsey is gifted with accurate passing, an eye for goal, he is obstinate especially when he loses possession of the ball and he is always willing to track back. Why don't we see this, you ask. The simple response is that you don't want to. I go back to human nature, you don't see the magic he has because of the need to point a finger at someone, or just because it is characteristic of humans to make mountains out of mole hills. I know that what happened to Ramsey on that fateful 27th February 2010 kept him away from football for one year, it also slowed his development into the world class player that he is meant to be by at least two years. I would also like to remind you of the partnership that he had formed with Jack Wilshere. They play so beautifully together, so clearly that might be what Aaron needs to prove himself to you. At the moment he is like Rooney without Antonio Valencia. I am not asking you to give Ramsey time, just your confidence. When Wenger describes a player as "An offence-minded Roy Keane" and "an all-round player,with fantastic ability to cover distances" then that player is special. Remember he is only 21.

I bet you know who is next....yes, you guessed right... Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi or simply Gervinho. Gervinho is often praised for his ability to take on defenders. The man never fears to try a dribble or two or three. However, this often praised trait is also the one used to slaughter him. He is blamed for staying on the ball too long instead of passing or shooting. This is mostly blamed on his forehead (I don't see the relationship, but that is football for you). It may be true that Gervinho loses possession sometimes too easily, but you got to admit he is world class and plays with all his heart (and pace). His quick runs on the wings trouble defenders, his ability to cut into the box is amazing. He uses his size and pace very well. All that Gervinho needs is to be a bit quicker in his decision making. This does not mean that he is slow, I am not flawing the man. He came from the French league and if anyone has watched a French league match you will notice the game is highly defensive and rather slow. Gervinho was used to that. I believe with time, he will be indispensable to Arsenal. So yes, I am asking for patience from you.
Gervinho Skills:


Lastly, the same way winning is a team effort losing is also a team failure. We are one team so support all your players through every win and every lose. Supporting any football team is like taking marriage vows... "for better, for worse".