Scout Report - Gervinho

  So Arsenal look close to making their second signing of the summer (at least according to The Independent, ESPN, Setanta Sports and all other sites that have jumped on the bandwagon) , and our first "legitimate acquisition" in the eyes of many fans. By legitimate I refer to a player that can actually make a difference to the Arsenal side this coming season, rather than one that is likely to serve as back up for most of the season. Don't take me wrong, Jenkinson may prove to a healthy signing for the club, but we would be foolish to expect him to make much of an impact next season as he deputises to Bacary Sagna. The fee that has supposedly been agreed for Gervinho is approximately 10.6 million depending on which paper you read. So is he worth it? Is Gervinho the sort of player Arsenal need?

Gervinho is in fact a player that caught my eye over the past season when I got the chance to follow the French Ligue One. I remember first taking notice of him during Lille's 4-1 victory at Lens in September 2010. He scored the opener with a neat finish inside the box and wrapped up proceedings by heading home from just outside the 6 yard box. There were times during the match that the 24 year old went missing but when he was given the ball you couldn't help but notice his pace, athleticism and willingness to try and glide past his opposition. Add that to his prowess in front of goal and one can conclude that he has the ability to cause damage in any league he sets foot in. Wenger loves to sign players from the french league, not only because he seems to have some god given duty to sign french speaking players, but because the French Ligue has many similarities to the Premier League. In a sense it can be a fairly easy transition for players in Ligue One, well comparatively to those coming from any other league. The style of play is not too disimilar to the Premier League, in that the game is played at a fast and aggressive pace. That's not to say that the Premier League is not a step up, but merely that players playing in the French League seem to be better fitted.

 Gervinho can cause great havoc for any left back in the Premier League, he possesses great pace and really is a fantastic dribbler. However what I like most about him is his ability to provide both assists and goals. On his day he has it all. In 42 appearances for Lille, during last season, he managed 15 goals and 9 assists.

However stats don't always tell the full story, if you were to speak to a Lille fan that watched him play throughout the season I'm sure they would tell you that he can often be extremely frustrating. One game he can produce the magic to dance through 3 defenders and then slot the ball past the goalkeeper (1/10/09 Slavia Prague 1-5) and then in other games seem totally anonymous. It is a trait that is not necessarily entirely unexpected in a RWF (Right Wing Forward), when you analyse players that play in a similar position its hard to find one that is able to make his mark consistently throughout every game. (Besides the exception of the magnificent Lionel Messi, who may I add does have a much more liberal role than many other players playing in his position) A player like Fabregas, the cog of the team, is ever present, not only because of his class and ability to dominate a midfield but also because the majority of Arsenal attacks are played through Cesc.

So how would Gervinho fit into the Arsenal side?

One can assume that Gervinho would fill Walcotts position out on the right, fully dependant of course on which players are at the club come the fixture at St James's Park. Walcott as we know can be a fantastic asset to any team, but he is often slightly one dimensional. By bringing in Gervinho, Wenger would be allowing Walcott to have rest periods during the season and mix and match his starting 11. We all know that Walcott can be at his most dangerous when coming off the bench and attacking full backs that are suffering from slight fatigue. The signing certainly adds more depth to the squad considering the 24 year old can also play as a forward and out on the left. He is however suspect to playing to his right foot and often cuts in from the left. This is not necessarily a negative style of play, Nasri plays in a similar manner when out on the left, but considering the attacking central players currently at the club, it would be a bonus to have wing forwards that are able to hug the touch line when necessary.

Is Gervinho similar to Walcott and is he good enough for Arsenal?

From what I've seen of him, not exactly. They both play in similar positions and possess some of the same attributes. However Walcott relies more on his speed, and has the ability to considering he's arguably the quickest player in the sport. Gervinho however has extremely good footwork and close control which allows him to dribble past his opponents. While Walcott does often play wide on the right, Gervinho is able to do both, cutting both inside and out. Walcott is often criticised for his inability to provide a final ball which I personally do disagree with, I certainly wouldnt argue that his crossing is phenomenal but he does get some undeserved stick, considering the pace he beats his opponents at it can often be more difficult to find the perfect pass. Most of the renowned crossers of the ball tend to cut back before swinging the ball in from an almost dead ball situation a la beckham. Perhaps sometimes Walcott needs to take more time when delivering the ball into the 6 yard box, but when he's just beaten a player at the speed of Usain Bolt it's not an easy task. Gervinho is in many ways similar in that respect, he can produce assists (9 last season) but he can rush the final pass and needs to develop consistency in those situations. However the major difference between the two is that Gervinho is a superior finisher, he can score from in and around anywhere in the box and although Walcott is known for being calm in front of goal, Gervinho is far more lethal. The most important and greatest feature of Gervinho, in my opinion, would be his ability to add more goals to the Arsenal team. Is he good enough for the Gunners? Well, assuming he settles in well, I think he would be an excellent addition to the team. And besides who wouldn't want a player with the name "Gervinho", he sounds so Brazilian and so dreamy, even if he is from Ivory Coast.

Now for the wonderful and ever reliable Youtube to enchant and deceive you with its powers.

Gervinho's Strengths

He's fast, lethal in front of goal, possesses great technique and is a fantastic dribbler of the ball

Gervinho's Weaknesses

His deision making, lack of consistency and final ball can sometimes let him down.

What is the likelihood of us signing the player?

Well as I said previously my guess is as good as yours but it seems extremely likely, there's certainly a lot of "whispering" going on, more so than any other player at the moment.