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With Gervinho officially moving to AS Roma, many will remember his Arsenal career as underwhelming. The forward was implemented on the wing to inject more speed into the attack. Clearly a talented player, Gervinho had more head-scratching moments than brilliant ones. His move to the Serie A will be good for him, however, as he reconnects with a coach that knows how to get the best out of him.
Gervinho came to the Emirates two years ago with the promise of speed and finesse that would wreak havoc on opponents’ wings. Although he had some moments where he shone, most of the time he left much to be desired. His lack of creativity once he got into dangerous situations was quite frustrating to watch, as well as his poor crossing.
For a player as highly touted as the Ivory Coast international, he will not look back on his time at Arsenal as his most memorable.
Unfortunately, this seems to have been a case of a player not fitting into the system. It is clear that Gervinho is a good player, evident in his play for his country and at Lille, but Arsenal’s style did not suit him. Confidence could have been another issue as he never seemed to find great form. To say these things about a player who scored 11 goals for the club seems harsh, but it feels like the timing is right for him to leave.
I can’t say that I will miss his unpredictability, but he worked hard for the club and that quality is taken for granted these days. I know that the player and club have mutual respect, and both will move on for the better. I would expect to see him excel next season, as all players who leave Arsenal seem to do. Now it seems that Arsenal must sign a player that can pick up a little of the slack.
With the departure of Gervinho, Arsenal is thin in the bad-hair department and needs to do some serious transfer market work in that regard. Maybe Emmanuel Frimpong will come over and give the players haircuts with a blindfold on. Yeah, that’ll probably work.
James Roeling is a soccer writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesRoeling, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
