For any Liverpool fan obsessed with statistics about players or the club, I fully recommend visiting Anfield Index who utilise Opta Index stats. Comparing some of the Premier League’s top left backs, one of the shocking things is that Gael Clichy comes out favourably in terms of his defensive stats but is surprisingly poor in the offensive third.
Myth 1) Gael Clichy Cannot Defend – Looking at the stats, it is apparent that Clichy gets an unfair press for his defensive frailties. On 50/50 challenges, he wins 58% of a total of 351 challenges while Everton’s Leighton Baines is at 55% and Newcastle’s Jose Enrique is at 51%. In regards to total tackles, Clichy made 50 more than Enrique and 27 more than Baines with a favourable success percentage of 81% to Enrique’s 84% and Baines 74%. On aerial challenges too, Clichy attempted 111 compared to just 44 by Enrique and 43 by Baines and winning just over half at 51%, a better percentage than Enrique (32%) but less than Baines at 63%, although the number of aerial challenges attempted means Clichy won more in total.
Myth 2) Gael Clichy makes too many crucial mistakes – A very simple stat that shows that Clichy is equal to both Enrique and Baines. Clichy made one defensive error that led to a goal last season, according to Opta Stats, while Leighton Baines made 2 and Jose Enrique made 1.
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All you need to know is that most Arsenal fans will not be upset to see him go provided the price is right and we get a replacement. This should tell Liverpool fans something!
That Kieran Gibbs is really rated over there?
Take it from a suffering Arsenal fan…
Gael Clichy can’t defend. End of.
Please take him. He is solid for chunks of the season defensively but prone to being out of position and seriously out of line too often for the offside trap. As an Arsenal fan, I can say that he was responsible for at least 3 or 4 goals as a result of not concentrating (slack defending). Offensively, he is awful, cannot shoot or cross. Can dribble well, but with no decision making skills/end product.
He hasn’t pushed on at Arsenal showed lots of promise early on. It’s not that winning more 50/50s that mean he can defend. Its the costly mistakes which are ameuteurish. Not reading the line, knowing when to stand on your feet. Good luck to him whatever he decides he could easily turn it around still got plenty yrs left and change might do him good.
The comments above are harsh. Arsenal fans like to have a scapegoat, Clichy’s fallen into that box this season.
His crossing is poor, I think that comes from the fact that he’s naturally right-footed and had to learn to use his left. Our defence was not organised last season and he left people onside a couple of times.
Apart from that he’s solid and tireless. If we sell him, we won’t find a replacement very easily.
Naturally right footed? He’s so one sided to the left its half the frustration that he cant step inside and shoot with his right. Hence the suprise at his right footed assist against Barca.
He has been harshly treated though. His game suited us well until arshavin arrived. No forward cover left Gael exposed more often. He’s only human so will make mistakes, he would be a top left back for a more disaplined team such as Liverpool.
For this reason I’d prefer him to move abroad.
Look boys as a fellow Arsenal supporter I have to say that if you really want to sell Clichy , you have a funny way of making a SALES PITCH.
Why is it necessary for this post to be on two pages???
Put it on ONE page!
Clichy is a top LB and has been scapegoated by a secton of the media fed sheep we have as “fans” at Arsenal. If he were to leave, I have no idea who we’d get as a replacement, something the mugs above havent even considered. Baines and Eneique are no where near as good as Gael. He has had a major injury and that might cause him problems in the future though. I would rather we let him run down his contract and stayed for another year, then Gibbs hopefully will be ready to take his place in the scapegoating list!
I really cant see us lettin him sign for Liverpool though.
Clichy gets too exposed because of the lack of support from midfield. He had arshavin in front of him most of the season and we all know how much he tracks backs. He will do well in 442 formation with a winger prepared to track back. One thing I will say is that he is the worst crosser of the ball, honestly its shocking. But by all means Liverpool dont be put off by this, he does occasionally do these squash buckling runs then eventually gives it away lol
Naturally right footed? That is hilarious!!! That’s like saying Dalglish speaks like Prince Philip!
1 error for Clichy? Jeez, just shows how stats lie. He is constantly caught out of position, his crossing isn’t poor, seriously, it’s diabolical. When he has possession around his own area, rather than get rid, he try’s to do something with the ball way too often and loses possession. 4 years ago it looked like he would become a top top player, he has actually gone backwards ever since. He’s ok as a player, better than a lot, but he is not that good. Ask yourselves why Arsenal have let his contract run right down?
And why does Arsene Wenger want to keep him??
to raise more money to bid mate..
We never going to buy anything decent!!..we are losing out Wckham who is a self confeesed LFC fan to S’land…yes…A club like s’land is outbidding us with our own money!! I have suddenly got a feeling of deja vu!!!Nothing much has improved and we still can’t compete in the market and have got no money!
We have had such a poor record in British signings. Sometimes I wonder where all the optimism is coming from..
The list of poor British signings has gone on and on..