Gervinho's ahead of the game - Wenger
Published 23:00 25/11/11 By John Cross
Arsene Wenger has hailed Gervinho as one of the best signings of the season in the Premier League.
But that hasn't stopped the Arsenal manager giving the £11million Ivory Coast star a pep talk about his wayward finishing!
Arsenal forward Gervinho has been in sensational form since his summer move from French champions Lille.
His statistics in his nine league games have been outstanding - he has provided five assists and created a chance every 39 minutes, although he has only scored two goals.
His predecessor, Samir Nasri, who was sold to Manchester City in August, struggled to adapt in his first season at the club, managing just two assists while netting six times in 29 games.
The statistics do not lie, yet Wenger is aware that Arsenal fans are divided over Gervinho.
But any doubts unquestionably come from his issues in front of goal - he has failed to convert a one-on-one with the keeper in each of his last two games, against Norwich and Borussia Dortmund.
Wenger said: “I think he is one of the best signings in the league so far. Gervinho is a fantastic provider, but he also creates space for the other players because he always goes behind defenders.
“The problem with Gervinho is that he is in the opposite position of Robin van Persie. He is desperate for a goal and it’s difficult once you are in that situation.
“You could see the other night [against Dortmund], he had the chance to score but players can start to think too much.
“For a long time you don’t talk about it, but at some stage you have to say, ‘Don’t worry – try to be natural.’ I spoke to him today [Friday] about that, but he is not obsessed with scoring goals. It will come.
"When you start to think, you are already finished - but the rest of his game is absolutely fantastic.
“He works hard for the team, provides, creates space and makes great runs. I’m personally very happy with his game.”
While Gervinho's finishing divides opinion, his assists record cannot be questioned.
It was his statistics – 15 goals and 10 assists in 35 league games – for Lille last season which persuaded Wenger to buy him.
Fans who have a fantasy football team have long been obsessed with stats and assists. New Hollywood movie, Moneyball, has also put them in the public eye.
The film is based on the exploits of baseball manager Billy Beane, who built a team based purely on statistics.
Arsenal’s majority shareholder, US tycoon Stan Kroenke, says Beane holds up Arsene Wenger as one of his heroes.
Wenger takes a similar approach, choosing efficiency over skill and value over glamour.
“I met Billy Beane,” he said. “And from what I have heard from Stan Kroenke, he has done exceptionally well in baseball. He is obsessed by statistics.
“I like the numbers too, because what is repeated is not a coincidence. If you think you have a good defence, if you are always conceding goals, the numbers will tell you the truth. But what is more difficult is to number the performances.
“Gervinho’s goalscoring record was good last year and this year it is a bit less, but his assists are fantastic. At the moment he just misses a little bit, but that will come.”
Wenger’s recent statistics with Arsenal are pretty impressive, as they have won 10 out of their last 12 games, including five straight wins in the Premier League.
But he insists that they are not getting carried away.
“Consistency is the biggest challenge because it is the most important thing if you want to do well in the championship,” he added.
“We are recovering slowly and I believe it’s urgency in our mind and a feeling in every game where we can say, ‘Come on let’s go higher up.’”
* Arsenal's game with Fulham on Saturday is dedicated to the Gunners' global charity partner, Save the Children. As part of the day, first-team players will be donating a day's wages to the charity to help finance education projects at home and overseas. To donate, go to www.justgiving.com/beagoonerbeagiver
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