Who Should Replace Gael Clichy?



Gael Clichy - Now of Manchester City

7 million pounds. If that is how little Gael Clichy cost Manchester City, then they got a bargain. Based on previous City transfer fee form though, we were had. His signing is hardly illogical for City though, and in a way it makes sense for Arsenal too. Despite being the last remaining 'Invincable' Clichy's form of late has been slightly patchy. With only a year left to run on his contract, selling him whilst we still could does make sense for Arsenal. The big question is what happens now?

Arsene Wenger could stand still, and do nothing. Both Keiran Gibbs and Armand Traore are still at Arsenal, and both have had runs in the starting 11. However, Traore is returning to London following an injury blighted spell in Turin, where he hardly set the world alight with his 8 appearences. He's not a bad player, but I really don't feel that he's good enough to make it in N5.  



Armand Traore - Injury Plagued at Juve



Gibbs - Injury Plagued



Arsenal's only other option for 2011/12 - at the moment - is Keiran Gibbs. I, personally, feel that the young Englishman has shown real glimpses of quality and ability when he has had the chance to play. Unfortunately for him, one of his biggest chances to impress was curtailed when he had his foot stamped on by Eliaquim Mangala of Standard Liege during the 2-0 victory over them in November 2009. With Clichy already sidelined, Gibbs was getting a run in the team and was playing well. This fractured metatarsel spelled the end of his season, originally out for 3 months, it was discovered that the surgery had been done wrong, and the recovery period had to be restarted following further surgery.

With Clichy again injured, Gibbs had a short spell in the team at the tail end of last season (10/11), starting the final 3 games of the season. He generally put in some good performances, although some lapses in concentration and bad decision making cost Arsenal. In my opinion he was entirely at fault for the first Fulham goal, leaving his man to try and help out Vermaelen giving the Fulham winger acres of space to receive the ball and cut it back for Sidwell to slot home.

In my opinion, Traore isn't good enough for Arsenal and isn't the right player to provide a high enough level of competition to force Keiran Gibbs to push on and improve his game. I think that now is the right time for Traore to shown the exit door, and a slightly more experienced player should be signed to help Gibbs improve. The question now is who should that person be?

Izaguirre - The Honduran has impressed in Hoops

Emilio Izaguirre is one of the names the media have been putting out there as a potential Arsenal target for months, but now with Clichy gone, their crystal ball is going to be put to the test. The 25 year old Honduran claims that he has turned down Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United already this summer in favor of remaining at Parkhead, so it's tricky to see him moving - assuming he's telling the truth!! Celtic boss Neil Lennon has also said that he is not for sale at any price. Worth around £6.5m it is possible that he could be added to the squad for the same sort of money Clichy left for. The Scottish PFA Player of the Year, has an attacking style, which would fit in well at the Emirates, becoming known for his 'rampaging displays down the left wing' (according to the Daily Mail). Lennon said on signing him that: "he's strong defensively, he's quick, he's got a very good left foot and he's good going forward." No disrespect to the SPL but it's somewhere in between Premiership and Championship, so Izaguirre is untested at the very highest level.

With only 12 months left on his contract, Newcastle United's Jose Enrique could be a good choice for Arsenal. The ex-Villarreal man is valued at around the £10m mark by Newcastle, but it's likely that they would sell for less, rather than run the risk of losing him for nothing next summer. He's made 119 appearances for the Magpies, 85 in the Premier League, so he has good to flight experience, having played in Spain for 2 seasons as well, Enrique could use that experience to help during the Champions League campaign.

 

Jose Enrique - Could do a Clichy...

At 25, the Spaniard isn't too old for Arsene Wenger, and could prove to be a shrewd piece of business. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has also admitted that Enrique could leave, saying "we're not confident we can keep him." Definitely a sign that a deal could be done. Last season, a defence with Enrique in would keep a clean sheet roughly once every 4 games, much better than Arsenal at the tail end of last season. Having only scored the one goal, Enrique is about as prolific as Clichy was. He is a player who would certainly push Gibbs on, and I feel that it would be a close run thing over who would be first choice.

Of  these four options, I would be inclined to give Gibbs his chance, but I would have Enrique there to push him all the way, and there to step in if the injuries and inconsistencies which have troubled Gibbs' career so far resurface in 2011/12.

Who would you like to see at left back next season? What do you think of Clichy's move to City? Tell me in the comments below, or Tweet me @Goonernl