Gervinho has the potential to become a key figure at Arsenal thanks in particular to his goal scoring as well as, creating ability. But to succeed in the Premiership our golden boy must learn to hog the ball more than any other offensive player in the pitch and improve tremendously on his decision making process (something he's a tad lazy in doing), and his somewhat dismal conversion rate.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international squandered a host of mouth-watering once in a match duration of 90 minutes opportunities for Lille in the just concluded season. An offence that will always be committed by his new team-mates who are no strangers to misfiring and accidental misjudgement in front of the opponent's six yard box. He must improve on this aspect of his game if he's to stand a ghost of a chance of stealing the headlines from the club's established names.
Arsenal are a team that love to stick a person or two on the goal scorers chart, which begs the question why won't they? When they have in their possession some of the most talented midfielders on the face of this planet, who play an enviable blend of short interchangeable passes irrespective of whose half they are in. A favourable condition that Gervinho must take advantage of to the fullest if he truly wants to leave an indelible mark on the grass patches of the Emirates pitch as well as, the hearts of all gooners who believe in his ability to outshine those before him.
In recent years the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri and Sebastien Squillaci have each spent a respectable amount of time learning from the sidelines pending their integration to the first team. While Chamakh and Koscielny dazzled initially with eye-catching displays before fading with time as the rigours of competing week-in and week-out against some of the best in football entertainment business dawned on the stars. Gervinho's predecessors (Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue) may have being given the benefit of the doubt by Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal faithful, but I sincerely doubt our soon to be announced signing will be afforded the opportunity of right-seeing away at Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge, Anfield, White Hart Lane, Stadium of Light and their likes.
In other circumstances, some other clubs would have (courtesy of a billionaire's open cheque book) gone into the market to buy proven Premiership material to augment their frail department, but we believe in spending modestly -in the process relying on sheer luck and individual brilliance to get the most of our players. In the worst-case scenario the player overcomes his acclimatisation hurdle after so many trial and errsor, only to hand in a neatly written transfer request demanding to be sold immediately to his preferred club where he can win trophies forgetting that he was purchased in the first place to fulfill that express purpose.
It is in the backdrop of this, that we must activate the remnants of our almost deplete hope reserve as we await with bated breath the arrival of another 'highly rated' player to add to our burgeoning contingent of French players at Arsenal.
