I've always believed that Clichy was underrated. I've always viewed him as a hard working full back equal to Sagna on effort. Don't know why people say he's crap and Gibbs is ready to replace him. (Remember the goals Gibbs conceded against Fulham 2-2 and Leyton Orient 1-1? I try to forget about them.) This article is a view on Clichy's 2010-2011 stats compared to other left-backs: http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/12805 Sorry if this was posted before. Don't believe I've seen it on the site. Don't let the stats fool you. They only tell half the story. He fails to mention how many times the Frenchman kept strikers onside for them to score cheap goals. Read the comments too. They're very insightful.
Clichy is massively underated. (as is Alex Song) The problem is he's one of those players that will always make HIGH PROFILE errors. He's cost us alot of big games due to a lack of cencentration at key moments but on the otherhand 90% of the time he's a very solid left back.
Clichy looks showbiz in full flight, elegant. Unfortunately it all goes to pot when he is within 18 yards of either Goal
if he's solid 90% of the time, that means he costs you a goal every 10 games. i honestly think clichy costs more than this. "played onside by Clichy" is too much of a catchphrase for commentators now. the boy needs to sort his head out, and sign, or else he's welcome to leave in my opinion. i'd rather a player less attacking who can cross & play the defensive line.
Likewise. Nothing really against him as a player and he's been a great servant for the club but I get the impression he needs a new challenge. He seems to have regressed from the player of a few years ago and I think a change would suit both parties. I don't think it's going to be as easy to replace him as some think though. Baines would suit me down to the ground but I'd be stunned if it happened.
Im kinda fed up with fans complaining that our fullbacks dont cross enough. Who they going to cross to Van persie? Arshavin? Walcott? Nasri? you dont see Dani Alvez hugging the touchline and firing in crosses like its 1991. The full backs in our system our supposed to offer extra personnel out wide to allow Walcott/Nasri to cut inside. Our game is based on finding space and passing the ball along the ground. I agree that Clichy is often poor defensively but from an attacking perspective he's actually very good.
since i have 0 sense of humour, i feel i must point out that Clichy is a left-back, while Theo is a right winger. were you advocating dropping Theo, moving Arshavin or Nasri to the right and playing Clichy on the left wing, or playing Clichy on the right, allowing him to cut inside and shoot with his thunderous and deadly-accurate left foot?
Totally agree with this. Even if he banged in 20 good crosses a game, we'd never have anyone in the box to score from them
Being played onside by Clichy. That for me is not a problem in the same league as being too slow or an inbuilt problem. Make him work on his positional discipline big time in training and it'll be sorted.
this is how i feel, very strongly. a defenders first job is to defend, not attack. eboue is a great attacking right-back, but not a great defender. sagna is a great defender, and reasonable on the attack. i'd rather a sagna style left back since the wingers offer little protection. thus, defensive ability is key.
Actually, Sagna offers a tonne in attack. He's often too relied upon when our players run out of ideas. Just pass it wide to Sagna.
Its not that we were more direct we were just more athletic. We could rely on the pace of Thierry, Cole, Vieira, Ljungeberg to catch opponents on the break. The team where far more athletic and powerful than our current crop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUXKtf1rdaY Even in 2003-2004 we did NOT fire in crosses and long balls into the box. Pires and Ljungeberg both spent most of the game cutting inside and receiving the ball in the middle. There was a lot of positional rotation - it was certainly not a rigid direct style of play. It really winds me up that English fans think we could still win things playing an old school 4-4-2 like it was the early 90's. (i'm not specifically aiming this comment at you btw) Football has changed.
the team lacks a bit of pace. arshavin had it - lost it. theo has it, clichy has it, walt disney had it...no wait, that was the evil gene. but that's it. more pace would be great - that's why i'm excited about miyaichi. there isn't enough fluid movement for me - the wingers should switch a few times, players should cover for each other and play a more variable game.
We do pass the ball more but i'm not sure thats purely a tactical thing. Its partly just down to the type of players we now have in the team. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuBYeoO49H8 Those were the days!!
