Kieran Gibbs says every Arsenal player is ready to step up when called upon and believes the club’s strength in depth will be important as the season develops.
Gibbs, featuring in place of the injured Nacho Monreal, put in an eye-catching performance during the Gunners 4-1 win over Sunderland assisting Olivier Giroud’s first goal and hitting the post in the build-up to Alexis Sanchez’s second.
The left-back’s sharpness was mirrored by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mohamed Elneny, also filling in for sidelined teammates, giving credence to suggestions that Arsene Wenger now has a squad capable of maintaining a title challenge.
“That [squad depth] is obviously the difference and I feel that’s been the difference for a few years with the club,” he told Arsenal Player.
“It’s about a squad game and we need to keep everyone fit, that’s the most important thing because there’s depth and quality in the squad.
“We need to utilise that throughout the season and make sure everyone’s ready because you can be called upon at any time.”
“It’s really tight at the moment in the league, it’s small margins,” added the 27-year-old.
“When you come to places like this it’s not easy when teams are fighting and in more a difficult position than us. It’s important to be clinical and obviously in the second half we kind of closed up nicely and it was an important win for us.”
Gibbs also reserved praise for goalscoring duo Alexis and Giroud, who sealed the points at the Stadium of Light after a nervy spell in the second half.
“Credit to both of them in their own ways. Olivier’s just come back from injury so he’s come in and shown how important he is for the team.
“Alexis obviously deserves everything he gets for the work that he puts in on the pitch and every day in training. He’s a world class striker and with 50 goals for him, you feel like there’s only more to come.”
On an up, let’s hope we are feeling the same after November, tough month coming up and traditionally a dodgy one for us, though less injuries etc to deal with given the back-up we have.
If we do well in November we should have a real chance this season.
Don’t forget February and April as well.
Gibbs has always been an absolute gent. Not looking for solo glory and ready to deputise his position for the team. You just have to look at Debuchy for the exact opposite. We lambasted the Frenchman for his attitude while Gibbs goes on with such class. Real credit to the team.
In fairness he seems just as media- trained as Theo and Aaron, mostly saying a lot without really saying much and repeating standard phrases. Credit to him that he keeps it under control publicly and has done a great job when called upon this season, but with some of these players we’ll never know what goes on behind the scenes, how close he was to leaving in the last year, how much of a pain he is in Arsene’s arse
Keeping it behind the scene, is the point. I would be disappointed if he didn’t yearn to play more—judging by how he’s been performing, it’s clear he has the skills—but however it was with him, he kept it quiet. Even if he were a pain, in private, I imagine Wenger would appreciate how he conducted himself in public.
E.g. “That [squad depth] is obviously the difference and I feel that’s been the difference for a few years with the club” What does this even mean? Did we really ever have depth like this before this season, and if so what difference exactly did it make? “It’s about a squad game and we need to keep everyone fit, that’s the most important thing because there’s depth and quality in the squad.” Well no, the thing with depth is it allows you to still do well even if you don’t keep everyone fit, which isn’t likely to happen anyway. I… Read more »
“It’s about a squad game and we need to keep everyone fit, that’s the most important thing because there’s depth and quality in the squad.” I initially thought the same thing as you Ebo, that this doesn’t make any sense, but if you read on, Gibbs adds: “We need to utilise that throughout the season and make sure everyone’s ready because you can be called upon at any time.” I think what he is getting at is that everyone needs to be kept match fit so that they can utilize the available squad depth properly and rotate when needed. This… Read more »
I think we fans exaggerate when we talk about Debuchy’s attitude. He did not like missing the last opportunity to participate in the EUROs in his home country which is understandable. He over reacted which happens to everybody once in a while. Podolski and even Rosicky question Wenger for not giving them game time.
I don’t think it’s exaggerated. He spat the dummy out after not getting his place back after being told nurse for almost his entire first season with us. The exact opposite of Kieran Gibbs when Montreal took his place.
He also then went on to publicly complained about Wenger blocking a move to Man Utd on loan. Man Utd for fuck sake! Zero self-awareness. 100% self-indulgent. For me, that was the final straw.
*injured NOT ‘told nurse’ excuse autocunt
And with Gibbs you get the feeling that when he wants success, he is actually wishing it as an Arsenal player and not as Gibbs the person. Media training or not, He understands the sport, Debuchy dont. Give him a run out Wenger. He deserved it and understands the importance of this years title, fanbase wise, Wenger wise, and team wise because this lad is Arsenal through and through!
I’ll be honest, I mostly assumed “told nurse” was some unconventional, deep Brit proverb meaning ‘injured but also really whiny about said injury”… which got me thinking that in North America while in conversation, you British folks can throw in a short phrase, constructed of a completely random and nonsensical assortment of words, to replace a verbs or noun… and we will buy it and even define it for you. Oh, and Gibbs v good!
Not sure how serious man united’s interest in debuchy ever was, but I think it would have been good business to offload him to a midtable team with an an absolute prick of a manager.
Let’s just not drop too many points and get eeliminated in competitions and we will be fine.
Thanks Albert
Thank you, Michael.
Also, let’s kick the ball into the net a few times because that way we have a chance to score some goals.
Can’t fault him for his attitude…..be nice if he can get a few more games and do enough to get the nod for England….and keep that muppet Rose out!
After seeing the first few games in which Monreal was exploited by opposition’s speedier wingers, I was hoping the manager gives Gibbs a run out. Sure, Gibbs is more attacking-minded but he is also a lot quicker than Monreal. Monreal has done an exceptional job last season, but I think Gibbs deserves a sustained run in the starting line up for his patience and commitment.
I think it also makes sense when Santi and Granit are not playing. He’s a bit more offensive minded than Monreal, which “re-balances” the team in their absence. Just an opinion.
I like Gibbs…
Good to see GIbbs back in. I like the pace he brings. Great to see him with an assist from a good cross. Examplifies what I have been saying that it is not a zero sum game. We need all players to function at a high level and come into squad seemlessly. Its not a question of Iwobi or Ox. We need both of them. They bring different attributes. Its not a question of Giroud or Alexis, we can use BOTH. Why set limits? Rotation will be needed and what is fantastic right now is the players are pushing each… Read more »
Especially in central mid where the Coq is
Just so the less sanguine can understand it… Did you think GIbbs was going to be an option say 5 games ago? No you would have said Monreal first choice and GIbbs is Plan B. You don’t know if the player suddenly comes good because most of us are not professionals liek Wenger and can see these things. Who said Alexis can work up front on his own? Theiry Henry? No. He said we needed BOTH Alexis and Giroud. MOst of these people who now insist it has to be Alexis up top were the same fools who said he… Read more »
You may wanna look up self righteous. Might help you with humility.
This thread has got all the ‘santori bingo’ boxes ticked.
Can’t wait for Granit and Ramsey to come back into squad.
Same fools who were going on about Ox now slating Iwobi or saying Ramsey is useless.
It never changes. Woolly headed thinking is hard to get rid of.
If Wenger thought the same way, we would not have seen Alexis prosper up top or GIbbs come back in or the Ox or Walcott.
I though he did really well against Sunderland. I hope he gets a run of games now as Monreal recovers. Great to see we’ve got decent backup options all over!
I just love that Mourinho will get a touchline ban. I believe ze Germans have a word for this feeling I have…”Schadenfreude” and speaking of Germans….I love our new acquisition Mustafi. Oh…and Gibbs is a good lad too.
Gibbsie is 27! I’m getting old…
At least you got Nasris wallet. 🙂
It would be empty. I suspect that prick is as tight as a fish’s asshole.
“It’s about a squad game and we need to keep everyone fit”
Lol. In other news, grass at the Emirates is green.
Assuming our starting 11 is what has been starting much of the year of:
Cech
Bellerin, Mustafi, Kos, Monreal
Coquelin, Carzola
Walcott, Ozil, Iwobi
Sanchez
we would play an intrasquad scrimmage with a team of:
Ospina
Jenkinson, Gabriel, Holding, Gibbs
Xhaka, Elneny
Chamberlin, Ramsey, Perez
Giroud
Plus you’d have Debuchy, Welbeck when healthy, Chambers and Wilshere on a loan holiday and of course all the young pups ready to provide some breathers for the others. That would be fun to watch.
Forgot Per.
Its amazing our depth right now
Gibbsy’s a real fighter. One of the hardcores in our team, a la Coq, but doesn’t as much credit for his grit and bulldogishness. Love the lad.
I agree he’s a fighter. And his learning curve seems pretty sharp. If he stays fit, he should be able to hold down the left back place for England.
What’s the update on Cazorla Walcott and Monreal. I’m getting kinda worried