Left Back

So now Clichy is having a medical with City, who do you think will replace him, and who do you want to replace him with?

Stick with Gibbs/Traore?
Risk Botelho?
Enrique?
Baines?
Who else is there who could possibly be an improvement over Clichy?

Just to say, I'm kinda disappointed that Clichy is leaving. Stats show he could be a good defender, and I still think he is however he has made too many mistakes for a top 4 team. If we could find a suitable replacement then I wouldn't be too disappointed but I don't think there are many LB's who are better than Clichy. We could be strengthening or weakening a rival as well, that remains to be seen which is considerably worrying if he does prove to be a hit in Eastlands.

Really would like Clichy to stay as well but looks like he basically has one foot out the door already.

If we depend on Gibbs/ Traore it is safe to say we are doomed or we will possibly see Koscienly playing at LB next season, putting Vermaelen at LB would be a complete waste in my opinion.

Then there is the possibility of signing Baines or Enrique not sure if either will happen though. Have a feeling Enrique will end up at Liverpool and Baines may not move at all but who knows...

We'll nt pay for baines.. in all likelyhood we'll go for enrique..

Why exactly do MC need clichy again?

Kolarov is a poor defender and since they're going to be in the Champions League, they need their defence to be in top shape. Clichy, for all his faults as an attacker, is a very good defender.

Can't really go wrong with £7,000,000 either, can you?

I'm quite keen on Enrique as a replacement. Baines is too expensive. There's also Tremoulinas and Cissokho from Ligue 1, as well.

GoonerJay29 wrote:Kolarov is a poor defender and since they're going to be in the Champions League, they need their defence to be in top shape. Clichy, for all his faults as an attacker, is a very good defender.

Can't really go wrong with £7,000,000 either, can you?

I'm quite keen on Enrique as a replacement. Baines is too expensive. There's also Tremoulinas and Cissokho from Ligue 1, as well.

I would'nt mind Enrique as Clichy's replacement myself but with Liverpool also on the hunt for a LB I have a feeling they may outbid us. Hopefully the prospect of CL football will swing in our favour...

GoonerJay29 wrote:
There's also Tremoulinas and Cissokho from Ligue 1, as well.

I was wondering where the French connection was.

It would not be wise to depend on Botelho or Gibbs or Traore. Too much of a gamble. We HAVE TO invest.

And NO WAY Vermaelen is shifting to LB. He is the better of our center backs!

Definitely. Botelho isn't even a left back. He played left wing for Cartagena last season and that's where he thrives.

Both Traore and Gibbs are converted left wingers, as well. Gibbs, if he improves his positioning, could become first choice left back but for now we should be looking for a solid and dependable option there, especially since our left side is so vunerable.

Every single player the papers have linked us with is wrong, the only person I see in that spot next year is Gibbs and I think he is really happy about it. This is the same situation when Ashely left.

Unfortunately, Gibbs is very very injury prone. And are you saying Traore will be his backup?

I would like to see gibbo take over but he is injury prone, to be honest I don't see us signing a left back we will be stuck with gibbo and traore there plus eboue can also play there

srigooner wrote:Unfortunately, Gibbs is very very injury prone. And are you saying Traore will be his backup?

This is what I was thinking, he was injured constantly throughout this season and I don't know whether or not to trust Traore, does anyone know how he got on in Juve (i know he was injured for long periods of the season as well)?


Gibbs is promising I must say he attacks beter than Clichy nearly scored a few and got a few 1-on-1's while Clichy was "injured" however he needs to sort out his defensive side if he wants to become the top LB we all want him to be.

What I know of Traore is indifferent reviews. He is okay, but not top class. Definitely wouldn't want to head into the most crucial season in the recent past with an injury prone and a mediocre LB, esp not with our style of play.

Gibbs is even worse than clichy in LB, he's a LM....
Traore, sucks, i think!

we need somebody.... i'd love Baines or Cissoko

Vertonghen from AJAX would be an ideal option. this guys is friends with Vermaelan and they have played together both internationally and at club level. so vermelan might persuade him to come here.

Isn't he a CB? Are you suggesting we buy him and move TV to LB?

gibbs would be good at LB now that clichy is gone if he stays fit(which i dont think so) and about playing traore at LB is big NO NO even eboue is better than him at LB.. we will really need to buy a better LB who can stay fit whole season.. i always wanted vertonghen in arsenal he can dm,cb,LB so will be great if we buy him..enrique is good too.

he and vermaelan used to swap positions in AJAX. In some games he was playing at leftback but mostly vermaelan. he plays left back for belgium also.
arsenal have been linked with him in the past
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6930621,00.html

yup.. the sun reported last week that he had issued a "come and get me" plea to wenger..

i'd still want an out and out LB

BIG NO TO GIBBS, he's not ready, we must seriously go after Coentrao.

Coentrao is going to cost us a big 26million. Have we EVER spent that much on a defenders? Besides, he wants to move to RM.. And Benefica don't want to sell him..

Jose Enrique has returned for preseason training to Newcastle.. His agent remains coy over his future, however.. <skysports>

so the majority consensus is that arsenal need to find a replacement from outside

Wow i didn't considered that he is so expensive, but are Jose Enrique or Baines better than Clichy?

we're in DEEP trouble if we go into the season with Gibbs starting at LB.