So after months of waiting, we’re finally back to our full compliment of left-backs. I think having natural full-backs in the team makes all the difference to our attack, giving the opposition defence that extra man to worry about. The difference that it has made to our team has been blatant. Unbeaten in seven, our attack looks like it can penetrate any team in the league at the moment, and a large amount of this is down to our full-backs.
On our right side, the chemistry between Bacary Sagna and Theo Walcott is improving with each passing game. Bacary never seems to run out of steam and his crossing has markedly improved during the last few seasons, giving our attack another dimension. Likewise, Theo seems to be benefiting from Bacary’s new found ability to win every single header from Wojciech Szczesny’s (occasionally erratic) kicks. Think back to the Newcastle game. I would say that 75% of our attack that match came from the right flank, with Theo having arguably his best game of the season, apart from perhaps the Blackburn game at The Emirates.
But this article is about the other side of our team, and more specifically, our two senior left-backs – Andre Santos, signed from Fenerbahce in the summer, and Kieran Gibbs, from our very own left-back production line.
We have not yet seen the development of any particular relationship on the left flank of our team for various reasons. These being:
1) Our two current left wingers, Gervinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, were not with us last season and so haven’t had much time to gel with their respective full-back.
2) Gibbs was the understudy to Gael Clichy last season and as a result, this is his first full season as a first-team regular.
3) Even though Gibbs is our first choice left-back, the England international is notoriously injury-prone and finds it difficult to put a string of games together.
4) Santos has been sidelined by a long-term injury, picked up in the Olympiakos game, from which he has only recently recovered.
So there are a number of reasons why we have less of a relationship on the left flank, but whilst some may see this as a bad thing, you could view it as an opportunity.
We’ve had almost a full season to judge the different permutations, so picking the best one should be easy, right? Not quite. You see, both of the left-backs have some seriously different qualities that could potentially decide the fate of a game. So let’s compare the two.
santos…
fool
Gibbs
Santos is great to watch but too lazy defensively and more of a liability than Gibbs who can make up for errors with his pace
GIBBS!
Because he actually knows how to defend.
Santos – bless him – wants to be Ronaldinho.
An injury-free Gibbs can force himself into the England squad.
Santos the perfect left back as compared to Gibbs who is fond of injuries and sickling!
Are you really serious or just stupid
Kieron Gibbs is the better all round player, and at left back you have to have pace which Gibbs has plenty but Santos lacks. Saying that Santos looks a good player on the ball and strong but for me Gibbs has the edge providing he stays fit.
SANTOS FOR ME. AND PLEASE REPLACE WALCOTT WITH AOC!
walcott and rosicky are in the form of their lives you cant drop them when they are playing so well. ox will wait.
santos is probably the worst defender in the arsenal team. he is easily rushed, has no pace, is constantly found out of position, cant header and i dont think i have ever seen him deliver a decent cross. i dont give 2 hoots if he can score a goal and is exciting he’s a defender.
lets compare:
pace-Gibbs
Positional play-Gibbs
Age- Gibbs
Crossing-Gibbs
Headering-Gibbs
Has no pace!? Hillarious. Why is this always cited when a fan dislikes a player? Santos has plenty of pace, but whether he deserves to be in ahead of Gibbs is another story. As things stand, Gibbs is doing very well, so to drop him would be very harsh.
Both are good going forward, but sometimes suspect defensively, although their defensive frailties are greatly exagerrated.
Both are very capable, so Wenger should just play whoever is in the better form. That’s the way it should be in a PL squad.
Ok, first of all. It’s HEADING.
And you can’t compare two full back with such different play style.
From all your comment I can understand you favour Gibbs, but don’t harshly judge Santos because he has no Gibbs-style.
He maybe slow, but he cover it with exceptional attacking instinct, as we can see he already scored twice, in far shorter time than Clichy and Gibbs could. So open your eyes, dude.
Santos.
idiot
Can you stop abusing people just because they don’t agree with you?
Son of a whore
You’re a troubled person and you know that. You post with different names and simply cannot succinctly justify your point without calling people names. Get yourself admitted to a nut farm before it’s too late!
I go for Santos
santos came on on saturday gave the ball away and villa nearly scored. he hasnt got a clue!
Santos came back after a long lay off, please judge him after 3-4 games
Easy one. It will be Santos cause Gibbs will be on the DL sooner rather than later. I like Gibbs he is just to fragile for this league.
Are you an Arsenal fan at all? So you want Gibbs to get injured. All i can say is you’re retarded
I am torry I don’t undertand Sean. You are tow smart.
Did I say I want Gibbs to get injured? It is what it is.Read what I said you douche.