Clichy

[Dameerto]

Where else can you buy his experience (Prem/Chump's league/International) for that price at his age? The more experience we have going into the season the better in my opinion. If his arrival produces a 'Richards-esque' improvement in Kolarov then it would be 7 million well spent.

[Blue Since 76]

I think Kolarov will look much better this season, assuming he doesn't get injured straight away again. His form late on was a definite improvement, so hopefully he's started to settle.

I'd always rated Clichy, although don't know what his problem was last season. As above, maybe in a team with a few battlers he might find his form again.

£7m is a bit of a bargain for a player who you've seen in the PL. I'd send them £20m in cash and tell them to send us Clichy and Nasri in return. No worries in giving Arsenal money, as they'll spunk a bit over a couple of 14 year olds who will look brilliant but never win anything and put the rest in their piggy bank. Fantastic business model they have, that's made them cash rich, as they slide down the league. There's a real chance they could be the team to drop out of the top 4 to Spurs/Liverpool if they don't get their act together.

[Ted Hughes]

It's a potentially decent signing when you look at all the criteria but personally, if we're going down the road of fullbacks who can't defend, then I recon Baines is a real asset in the attacking third. He delivers a better ball than anyone currently playing at our club has done so far, probably better than all of our wide players combined.

Imo, if we want to sign players who take the team to another level then they have to offer us something we don't currently have.

Clichy would help fill a Kolarov shaped void on the left & may actually pass to players on our team but Baines would supply goals for our strikers (& defenders at set pieces) & score one or two himself. That would significantly improve us, in spite of his flaws.

If we could do some kind of player exchange as part of the deal I'd go for him even if the fee was high.

[Goaters 103]

Well done to @ianherbs who reported it earlier - looks like man city have beaten liverpool to signing of clichy. 7mill, completed soon

From Daily Express writer Matt Law on Twitter

[PeterParker]

Weird news, although i would like him to be a blue. He is better than Kola imho, more faster and clever, maybe a more skinny version of Micah, although the serbian is still a great left footie and a powerfull player.
As i said, i think the news is a little odd because i read last week that he was preparing to go to Juve, to take the medical and then sign for them. I wonder what happend.

[1950]

Weird news, although i would like him to be a blue. He is better than Kola imho, more faster and clever, maybe a more skinny version of Micah, although the serbian is still a great left footie and a powerfull player.
As i said, i think the news is a little odd because i read last week that he was preparing to go to Juve, to take the medical and then sign for them. I wonder what happend.

City came along, simples.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Watched him closely last time we were linked with him and discovered he looked pretty shit.
Sooner have Baines or the kid with double barrelled name at Spurs.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

bottom line is that Clichy is yet another fullback who can't defend. He is better than Bridge but I wouldn't say he is much better than Kolarov. And I don't even rate Kolarov.

You say that every time we're linked with a full back, in fact you say it every time the qualities of a full back are being discussed.

You're also wrong. Clichy isn't particularly attack minded and is a defender first and foremost.

He'd be a great signing at the price being quoted.

You probably said the same thing when last summer I was sceptical how well Kolarov would adapt.

People always drool over youtube fullbacks but when they actually watch these players week in week out, they get annoyed how poorly they defend.

And I didn't say shit about being attackminded. I said he can't defend. Which is more or less a fact.

It's good question though asking who WOULD be good fullback for us. There aren't many available. Gabriel Heinze would represent my ideal of fullback in modern game. But he is old and rag. In fact, I'd prefer Zabaleta on left if we can't find good leftback.

[twosips]

I think its worth considering that clichy has gone backwards a little over the past year and a half. He looked much better a year ago. He needs rejuvenating. For all his talents, Wenger is not good at the defensive side of things. Be it his signings or his ability to instill mental toughness into players....who is? Mancini. If Mancini can coax top class performances out of Mancini then I see no reason why he couldn't do the same for Clichy.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

It's a potentially decent signing when you look at all the criteria but personally, if we're going down the road of fullbacks who can't defend, then I recon Baines is a real asset in the attacking third. He delivers a better ball than anyone currently playing at our club has done so far, probably better than all of our wide players combined.

Imo, if we want to sign players who take the team to another level then they have to offer us something we don't currently have.

Clichy would help fill a Kolarov shaped void on the left & may actually pass to players on our team but Baines would supply goals for our strikers (& defenders at set pieces) & score one or two himself. That would significantly improve us, in spite of his flaws.

If we could do some kind of player exchange as part of the deal I'd go for him even if the fee was high.

Good post.
I'm not sure I want either but I would definitely have Baines over Clichy as even if he is clumsy defender, at least he is productive going forward in set pieces.

[1950]

http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/06/football-blogs/debunking-myths-about-gael-clichy

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/06/football-blogs/debunking-myths-about-gael-clichy

What's the point of that? Neither Baines nor Enrique can't defend either. Has someone claimed the opposite?

Loved this comment below the story by the way. Think this just about sums up why stats like that are full of shit in football. Last line is almost like directed to you.

Yeah, good fun stats mate but some of us watch football. Must have seen 40 Arsenal games last season, including 22 in my seat at the Emirates and Clichy was a horrorshow. One defensive error that lead to a goal? Utter nonsense, get your dull head out of % and numbers and watch some football.

[Mase]

This thread has become a bit of a Clichy now.

[bobby brows]

Watched him closely last time we were linked with him and discovered he looked pretty shit.
Sooner have Baines or the kid with double barrelled name at Spurs.

Assou-Ekotto? Seriously, he's dire. I'll neve forget the time when he was sent off against us when we finished with 9 men, he was just out of his depth even then.

Clichy will be a good signing for any champions league team, he's quick, he's young and still improving and he won't have to take time to learn the english game. tbh i thought he was a bit of a sick note but last season he played 33 premier league games and has played 126 league games in the last four years but has only scored twice in his career for someone who's renowned for attacking.

Arsenal continue to be our feeder club.

[1950]

What's the point of that?

but has only scored twice in his career for someone who's renowned for attacking.

That's one myth right there.

I think Clichy is a decent left back, neither the bag of piss some make him out be nor the 3rd best left back in the league as others claim.

I'd be content going into the season with Clichy & Kolarov.

Fuck Moyes.

[PeterParker]

Isn''t he a regular in the french squad after Evra was suspended?

[Alioune DVToure]

I've not given up on Kolarov yet. That said, having Kolarov and Clichy chalenging for left back makes for a much healthier squad than Kolarov and Bridge.

I think a lot of Arse fans' ambivalence towards Clichy stems from their high hopes for Kieran Gibbs. He looks a good prospect too.

[bobby brows]

I've not given up on Kolarov yet. That said, having Kolarov and Clichy chalenging for left back makes for a much healthier squad than Kolarov and Bridge.

I think a lot of Arse fans' ambivalence towards Clichy stems from their high hopes for Kieran Gibbs. He looks a good prospect too.

I think your right about Kolarov, think he'll be a better player this season, he was coming good towards the end of last and a decent pre-season will make all the difference.

This is assuming that Zabaleta won't remain the number one left back. :-)

[bobby brows]

Guardian reporting it now:

Arsenal defender Gaël Clichy set to seal £7m move to Manchester City

Gaël Clichy looks set to follow Cesc Fábregas out of Arsenal, with the left-back close to sealing a £7m move to Manchester City. In what will come as another blow to the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, it is understood that the French defender will complete a move to Eastlands once he passes a medical and agrees personal terms.

The 25-year-old, with only a year left on his current contract, was also a target for Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.

The City manager, Roberto Mancini, targeted a new left-back having been unconvinced by Wayne Bridge and the £16m signing Aleksandar Kolarov, who failed to impress in his first season after joining from Lazio.

Wenger is already facing the prospect of losing his captain Fábregas to Barcelona after the Catalan club made a second bid of £35m this week, while Samir Nasri is a target for Manchester United. City, contrary to speculation, are not understood to be preparing a rival offer for Nasri.

On Thursday, Milan ruled themselves out of signing Fábregas, the Italian champions having expressed an interest in acquiring the 24-year-old's services earlier this summer. But Rossoneri vice-president Adriano Galliani told the club's official website: "Fábregas will not join us because he will join a different club."

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

What's the point of that?

but has only scored twice in his career for someone who's renowned for attacking.

That's one myth right there.

I think Clichy is a decent left back, neither the bag of piss some make him out be nor the 3rd best left back in the league as others claim.I'd be content going into the season with Clichy & Kolarov.

Fuck Moyes.

So basically we agree. He is "alright". Personally I don't think he is better than Kolarov though, so I don't see much point in this transfer especially as Zabaleta can play there. And since no one will waste place on the bench for specialist leftback, one of them will be out of the team all the time.