Just as soon as he learns to pass and shoot.

Captain wrote:

Gervinho is a better wide forward than Podolski. There, I said it.

Has no balls whatsoever, so it doesn't matter.

Bet you anything Podolski outscores and outassists Ricky Gervais next season (injuries permitting)

Because he'll probably play more games...

Gervinho, in the form he was in for the majority of this past season, is not worth a starting place.
We didn't see much of the great Gervinho that Hazard praised.
He may come good next season but he needs to sort his head out.
Wenger had to talk him onto the pitch towards the end, can't expect that to continue indefinitely.

Gervinho is lacking a playmaker. He makes all the good runs, put himself into alot of dangerous positions, runs at defence all day without giving up making himself a real nuisance. If only someone can pick him out. Thats why Hazard and him was so effective at Lille

He played well for the first couple of months. had around half a dozen goals & assists in his first 10 games, which isn't bad at all. Was hoping he could build on that & improve his finishing but came back different player from the ACN, needs to build up his confidence again.

Captain wrote:

Gervinho is a better wide forward than Podolski. There, I said it.

I tend to agree, but Podolski seems to have been bought to oust him from the starting eleven permanently. Ideally Podolski and Walcott would fight for one of the wide positions with Chamberlain and Gervinho competing on the opposite side.

Were we ever linked to this guy?

i don't get the point of an attacking player who has poor ballstriking technique and is also a horrible finisher. sure, gervinho can beat his man easily when he's on form, but what's the point? he's half a player.

People can learn. Hopefully Gerv does. Podolski might not be that great out wide, and unless one of our midfield 3 push wider in attack to provide width while the Prince is on the pitch, I fear our lopsidedness will only be exacerbated. (i.e. 4-4-2 in attack and 4-4-3/4-6-1 in defense)

Affelay would go a long way to giving us more options. I think we're still too limited when it comes to our forwards and more attacking midfielders.

Affelay> Podolski >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Forehead

Is Affelay better than Podolski? The latter is at least a much more prolific goalscorer.

Gervinho has his uses, I think we could with someone like him who disrupts the lines by running at players, particularly when we play teams that have 10 players behind the ball and it's next to impossible to pick a pass.

Finally a player that I wouldn't mind. I read that him and Robin are friends so signing him might even help keep Robin around.

Navas is better than Afellay too.

If we could bin Gervinho and replace with Afellay I'd take him. Otherwise not interested.

General Mirth wrote:

Is Affelay better than Podolski? The latter is at least a much more prolific goalscorer.

Gervinho has his uses, I think we could with someone like him who disrupts the lines by running at players, particularly when we play teams that have 10 players behind the ball and it's next to impossible to pick a pass.

I don't know really. I don't really see how Wenger plans to deploy the German (assuming RVP stays of course), and Affelay would definitely be a better/ more effective player from the wings.

As per Gervinho, what use is it when a player runs at the opposition and disrupts lines and what not, but can't deliver the right final pass or take a goal threatening shot more often than not?

Plus, I'd rather my sources of frustration be a bit easier on the eye. Sign on Theo, bring back Vela even, but dump the forehead.

Do you remember how poor Vela was playing on the wing?! Gervinho is miles better in that position offensively, he isn't afraid of the physical battle, and he works much, much harder than Vela ever did.

vela's the opposite of gervinho, in england at least. no workrate, can't beat a guy or get in any good positions, but is a good finisher.

Clrnc wrote:

Gervinho is lacking a playmaker. He makes all the good runs, put himself into alot of dangerous positions, runs at defence all day without giving up making himself a real nuisance. If only someone can pick him out. Thats why Hazard and him was so effective at Lille

He could get into all the best positions in the world and have a midfield of Xavi and Cesc play balls to him all day but it wouldn't matter a fuck if he does his usual when he gets the ball he trips over his own forehead and hits the corner flag.

General Mirth wrote:

Is Affelay better than Podolski? The latter is at least a much more prolific goalscorer.

Gervinho has his uses, I think we could with someone like him who disrupts the lines by running at players, particularly when we play teams that have 10 players behind the ball and it's next to impossible to pick a pass.

Afellay is definitely a much better winger than Podolski. Poldi is very one dimensional on the wings to me because he is very one footed. Afellay can cut in, can dribble, have a great shot. His goalscoring isn't that bad from the wings as well. You have to note Podolski is a prolific goalscorer as a CF.

Ray Fakadakis wrote:

Different type of player.

Afellay reminds me of navas

Very different players to me. Navas is a one footed crossing merchant

We have 3 pages on this guy based on Dula's poor photoshop job?! We aren't even linked are we?

Based on a lot of reading between the lines after RVP said some nice things about him after a Holland Friendly.

Well if it'd keep RVP then I'd definitely sign him

You can bet it would. They are as close as it gets

Burnwinter wrote:

I think Gervinho needs more time to settle, personally, and probably has a more productive season in him. Wish there was no ACN this year, that's bullshit.

He does everything bar finishing or delivering the final ball very well and with a good success rate, and does his work at a very high level that worries even top defenders. People are very hard on him, and I see why, but there's plenty to work with in his basic game.

he's what, 25 and still is still clumsy as hell when it comes to finishing and the final ball.

Humble Rex wrote:

We have 3 pages on this guy based on Dula's poor photoshop job?! We aren't even linked are we?

Yeah. We havent been linked to him. Dont think we're getting him.

Clrnc wrote:

General Mirth wrote:

Is Affelay better than Podolski? The latter is at least a much more prolific goalscorer.

Gervinho has his uses, I think we could with someone like him who disrupts the lines by running at players, particularly when we play teams that have 10 players behind the ball and it's next to impossible to pick a pass.

Afellay is definitely a much better winger than Podolski. Poldi is very one dimensional on the wings to me because he is very one footed. Afellay can cut in, can dribble, have a great shot. His goalscoring isn't that bad from the wings as well. You have to note Podolski is a prolific goalscorer as a CF.

I'll take your word for it, given that I've only seen Affellay play for Holland and Barcelona but the man has only once scored over 10 goals in his career. Given that he's already 26, I think that's pretty poor.

if we sign bellhandle while united sign kagawa, fuck it, im done.

Kel Varnsen wrote:

he's what, 25 and still is still clumsy as hell when it comes to finishing and the final ball.

Theo's 23 and still can't go past a man.
Arshavin's ancient and still tubby, bored, pissed off and on loan.
The alternatives are raw.

So if everyone we've got is flawed, we might as well continue to punt on a guy who makes the right runs, and can dribble past a player. Gives us something tangible against teams that don't want to play defensive-suicide-ball like Spurs.

Kel Varnsen wrote:

Burnwinter wrote:

I think Gervinho needs more time to settle, personally, and probably has a more productive season in him. Wish there was no ACN this year, that's bullshit.

He does everything bar finishing or delivering the final ball very well and with a good success rate, and does his work at a very high level that worries even top defenders. People are very hard on him, and I see why, but there's plenty to work with in his basic game.

he's what, 25 and still is still clumsy as hell when it comes to finishing and the final ball.

Think its a bit harsh. He and Van Persie looked set to develop quite the partnership and he was growing into his role here until the ACN. Came back shit. Was fine before it, though. No reason not to think he'll start off well next season.

The flaws he Has now are the same ones he had in France for years. He came back from the ACON looking tired and jaded, and half a yard slower, but the player we sent was still a blithering idiot whenever he had to do anything with the ball.

Sure, his flaws will likely remain the same and he has a massive confidence issue finishing at present, not unlike Aaron Ramsey. I said as much.

So this isn't an all out defence of his brilliance - far from it - but what his track record in France actually indicates is that he should be able to improve on 4 league goals, not that that's his ceiling.

I tend to agree, to some extent (my response was primarily to Coombs, 'cos I don't think Gervinho was fine before the ACON, or is fine in general).

I think he'll get more than 4 goals, but I also think he's an inherently flawed player, someone who will frustrate more than he performs, and someone I'd love to see ditched at the earliest possible opportunity.

kamikaze wrote:

if we sign bellhandle while united sign kagawa, fuck it, im done.

Pretty much. I know Belhanda well and he's a very obvious step down. Not as good a dribbler, not as creative, not as clinical, not as intelligent in his off the ball movement, not as quick, maybe a little more physically robust though.

As for Thomas Muller, it'll never happen. He's Bayern's prize jewel and they'll give him what he wants (a payrise and a few more appearances).

@Asa No one would ever complain if we brought in a genuine upgrade like Afellay. Podolski's not a bad start on the left if Robin stays. I'm just a bleeding heart for some of these guys like Gerv who tend to get trashed when they've got plenty of good qualities.