The answer simply is no. What Arsenal need, has become so obvious that it does not need repeating. But just because Arsenal don’t need him does not mean Gervinho won’t strengthen the team when he completes his probable move to the Emirates.
The wider context to this deal is Arsene Wenger’s decision to let Andrei Arshavin go if they can find a buyer. Gervinho has just won the title for Lille, and is a wide left footed forward. He formed a lethal threesome last season with Eden Hazard and Moussa Sow for the French side. The real question to ask here is whether Arsenal have gone for the right French speaking forward. Hazard is the best of the three, and youngest, though the most expensive too. But he is in the Fabregas/Nasri mould. If either or both leave this summer, Hazard joining Gervinho at Arsenal would be a smart move. But then Sow could be the most useful player. After moving from Renneslast season, he became Lille’s prolific forward, turning domination into tangible reward in the form of goals.
All three would probably strengthen Arsenal, but Gervinho’s addition would be an improvement on Arshavin, who has become too much of a luxury for this Arsenal team to accomodate. That is the crucial point here. Arsenal are bringing in a player with a better work ethic than Arshavin to replace him, and better still, he both speaks French and is used to their system, having played as part of a front three for Lille.
The big question for Arsenal isn’t whether he will improve the team, but if he will do so sufficiently. Arsenal’s game relies on short incisive passing at the right moments. Too often it is not just their defence which lets them down, but bad decisions in the attacking third, passes made at the wrong moment. Andrei Arshavin, Abou Diaby and Nicklas Bendtner are the prime culprits in this area, and Gervinho will need to show an abililty to make good decisions on the ball in conjested areas. Whether he can do this in the Premiership, no one really knows. Wenger is a great judge of attacking players, so one must presume the Ivorian is the right choice for the club.
He has matured since his early days at Le Mans through playing under Rudi Garcia at Lille. He has brought the best out of the talented winger, who has demonstrated a keen eye for goal and an incisive passing ability so key for this Arsenal team. If he has the intelligence to adapt to the high pace and demands at the Emirates, his signing could be key if Arsenal are to end their trophy drought.
