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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Very good article. I have been unconvinced by Clichy due to his defensive lapses in recent seasons but wasn’t aware of his poor attacking contribution. I think most fans are in agreement that he wouldn’t be missed but don’t tell Kenny at Liverpool.
Good article. I agree whole heartedly and I have been mentioning this a lot this past year. The player who I would like to see replace him is Gregory van der Wiel. He was a centre back but now plays right back for Ajax. He is known as a two footed player and has a good shot on his right. Unlike Clichy, he is solid in the air too. I’d love to see someone like him cutting in on the left as he could make nice one twos with the winger and also would be on his strong foot for shooting. In a few years he would replace Sagna at right back and then Gibbs, Botelho or Traore will surely be ready to take over.
How many assists did Gael get this year. And to be fair anytime him or Sagna get a cross in we usually dont have enough in the box to finish the move off. We need to sign Falcao or Benzema and let Rvp play off them and they can finish off moves. Baines got the second most assists in the premier league behind Nani but both those players take free kicks out wide and corners and both have great headers off the ball to cross to. I do agree that Clichy has went down hill this year but unless we get Cole, Evra or Contraeo I dont see us getting anyone better. Maybe Cissoko but I think all in all Clichy is quite a good player.
LOL, C’mon lads. It’s not the fault of the players – it is fault of the tactics used. Back in the day we used 442, this gave the wingers and the full-backs the impetus to dazzle us with overlapping play. However, today with 5 midfielders in play and one striker, the flow now goes through the middle. All our best attacking options are in the middle and they’re the most technical too. They, with their interplay, are more likely to get the ball up the pitch and assist in the attack. Times have changed and this makes those stats old-school. The assists may have gone down from the flanks, but I bet they’ve increased through the middle to compensate.
I think Clichy has over-stayed at the club (he is very poor defender and there is no end product to his game) as well as Fabregas (and his Barsa dream) Bendtner (dreaming to become world class striker) Denilson (dreaming of winning trophies) and the rest of them Alumunia, Squillachi (waste of money), finally Rosicky, which i love watching a true footballer but i think his time’s up at Arsenal, plus he’s on high wages that could be use for the Nasri situation. Singings aside, the removal of this players is key for the club’s success as their not players of Arsenal’s high standards: Fabregas’s head is not longer with us and age and injuries have killed Rosicky but the rest should play for much lower teams.
The criticism that is levied at Clichy is ridiculous. He gets very little protection from the lazy Russian and Song rarely does his job of filling in at the back when Clichy goes forward. The author blasts Clichy for not producing the goods going forward yet gives no figures for Sagna. My guess would be that both full backs aren’t getting a high number of assists because of our failed footballing philosophy. Clichy is a good full back and any Goon thinking that Gibbs can replace him needs their head examining.
WENGER OUT!!!
Hey Dan both Clichy and Sagna are ballwatching
clowns who don,t contribute much at all to Arsen
al,if it wasn,t for Song,Djourou and Kolscieny
who have to cover for the two clowns game after our, the team wouldn,t make the top four fifteen years consecutively,so yes the truth says sell th
em already?
Dan. re read the article. I have mentioned the assists from the right side and I have not said he should be replaced with Gibbs. The Russian has not protected Clichy but it has not stopped him getting forward, as his fitness is amzing to get back, but the end product is just not there at the moment.
Let us not forget this particular individual will not sign a new contract either.
Assists in the EPL this last season :
Sagna 3, Clichy 1, Baines 11, Evra 2.
Baines is phenomenal. Evra concentrates on his primary task – defence. Sagna is good defender, but relatively impotent in attack. Clichy is impotent in attack + dubious defender. Therefore, Baines is worth a go ?
Baines is awesome! shocking stats to how bad Clichy is with producing goals, and he is one of the hardest working players but he makes to many mistakes.
Jusr remind us who this Baines fellow plays for
Everton,who haven,t ,like Liverpool won the Premi
ership title ,yet,so stop posting hogwash here?