Why this Frenchman won’t be missed if he leaves the Emirates this summer

In this article I hope to make a case for how crucial it is in the modern game for full-backs to contribute in offensive play, and at the same time prove how little we will miss want-away Gael Clichy.

Yes I have liked him as a player for Arsenal because he gives 100% to the cause. The 25-year-old also has a phenomenal fitness level, and let’s face it, was popular by default given the nature of his predecessor’s departure. However, he contributes very little to our attacking play. This might surprise many of you, as the sight of Clichy marauding down the left flank may constitute as attacking play, but sadly, it is what he does in the final third that disappoints.

However, firstly, I would like to back up my contention of how crucial attacking full-backs are in successful sides, and what better place to start than with our own legends of the 90s, Dixon and Winterburn. Not renowned for their attacking play I hear you cry? But I beg to differ, and the facts will support my cas. Let’s take the first Premier League title in the first full season under Arsene Wenger in 1998.

By present and subsequent Arsenal standards set under Wenger, it was not a high scoring season – we won the league scoring 68 goals, but a staggering 16% of them were created by Winterburn with 7 assists and Dixon with 4.

This trend continued during our early successful campaigns under Wenger, even when the personnel changed. For example in 2000/01 we finished 2nd in the Premier League with a relatively poor away form and only 63 goals scored, but 25% of our assists were shared between our attacking full-backs – Dixon, Silvinhio, Cole, Lauren and Crazy Horse himself Oleg Luzhny.

The league winning side of 2002 saw Cole and Lauren provide 10 assist between them, but to be fair, this was a freak season in that the players directly in front of them, Pires and Lungberg, created an incredible 31 goals between them.

I hope this creates the back drop for a compelling argument as to why attacking full-backs are key to a successful Arsenal side. But just to emphasise the point, I think we should look at those who have shared success since the Gunners last tasted domestic glory.

Arsenal handed the Premier League title to Chelsea post ‘Pizzagate’ in 2004/05, but in 2005/06, Chelsea dominated by netting 72 goals, 12(16%) of which were created by their full-backs Del Horno, Ferraira and Gallas.

Subsequently, Manchester United won 3 titles in a row. In 2007 they scored 83 goals with 20% of them coming from their full-backs – Evra and Neville made 6 goals each, with back-ups O’Shea and Heinze chipping in with 5 combined.

To bring it right up to date, Chelsea secured a 3rd Premier League title in 2010, helped by Cole and Ivanovic who shared 14 assists between them. This was backed up by Bosingwa and Ferraira with 3 more goal creations.

This season just past, Manchester United won the title by bagging 78 goals, with 11 assist from their full-backs – Evra, O’Shea and Rafael.

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