Gaël Clichy

Gaël Clichy

Personal information
Full name	Gaël Clichy
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Left back
Team information
Current team	Arsenal
Number	22
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 02:57, 2 November 2008 (UTC)

Gaël Clichy (born July 26, 1985 in Toulouse) is a French football player, who currently plays for Arsenal of the Premier League. He is Arsenal's first-choice left back and can also play as a left wing back.

Biography

Signed by Arsène Wenger in the summer of 2003 from AS Cannes for £250,000, Clichy plays the position of left back for Arsenal, although he had to be content with playing understudy to England international Ashley Cole during his first three seasons at the club.

His 12 appearances in the Premiership in Arsenal's victorious 2003–04 season were enough to earn him a winners medal. In doing so, he set the record for youngest winner of a Premiership champions medal.

After Ashley Cole suffered a fractured foot in October 2005, it seemed that Clichy would earn some valuable first-team action during Cole's time out; indeed, with rumours linking Cole with a transfer to Spain, it seemed that Clichy could make a strong case for continual first-team action. However Clichy ironically suffered an injury identical to Cole's, leaving Arsenal with a crisis at the left-back position.

Clichy returned to first team action on April 25, 2006 in a Champions League semi-final against Villarreal, and came on as a substitute for the injured Mathieu Flamini. Clichy suffered a re-occurrence of his injury and missed the end of the season including the Champions League Final, and would not return to the first team until October 14, 2006.

When Cole left for Chelsea in August 2006, Clichy became the first choice left-back at Arsenal. As Cole's understudy, Clichy made 62 appearances (including 39 in the league) for Arsenal in three seasons. In the season which followed Cole's departure, Clichy made 27 league appearances in a total of 40, and has since become Arsenal's first-choice left back. In the 2007–08 season, Clichy was selected in the PFA Team of the Year as left back. This fine form was rewarded on June 20, 2008, when he signed a new "long-term" contract. He came in second in the Arsenal fans' poll for Player of the Season. He captained Arsenal for the first time against Barnet in Arsenal's first preseason game of 2008–09. Clichy scored his first goal for Arsenal on November 1, 2008, with a late goal against Stoke City, as Arsenal went down 2–1.

International career

In 2007 he was called up for the French national squad. He was called up again in January 2008, for the French game against Spain, and the February 5, 2008 B friendly against Congo DR.

Clichy made his senior international debut for France on September 10, 2008 in their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Serbia.

Near death experience

In his early years, after climbing over a metal fence, a ring he was wearing got caught and tore his finger off. He had a seven-hour operation to sew it back on, but during the operation, his heart stopped beating due to a problem with his lungs. After 15 seconds it restarted and, thankfully, he recovered. Doctors described it as a "miracle" that Clichy survived. His mother had the resources to help him recover after years of experience in medical school as a nurse.

Arsenal

Clichy joined Arsenal F.C in 2003, as a left back. He was second choice left back as Ashley Cole was first choice. Soon in the 2005-06 season, Clichy had his chance to shine as Ashley Cole was injured. But ironically, so was Gael. So Clichy still did not get a chance. But at the end of the 2005-06 season, Ashley Cole left Arsenal F.C to join Chelsea F.C. Since then, Clichy has been Arsenal's first choice left back, rarely missing a game. Clichy has been able to get regular first team games week in-week out. On Saturday 1st November 2008, Gael Clichy scored his first ever league goal for Arsenal against Stoke City in the Premier League. Arsenal went on to lose the game 2-1, but it will also be remembered for Gael Clichy's rocket of a free-kick.

Style of play

Clichy is one of the most attacking full backs in the Premier League. As one of the fastest players in the Premiership, he is never hesitant to overlap his left midfielder, usually Samir Nasri or Tomas Rosicky, and join in with the attack. Clichy contributes to a lot of goals via crosses from advanced positions on the left wing. His dribbling has improved immensely since his arrival at Arsenal and the natural width he provides gives more attacking options to the team. Defensively, Clichy has matured with every match. Although he can be light on the tackle and get caught out of position due to his attacking nature his tackling has vastly improved recently and so has his positioning so he gets caught out of position less.

Career honours

Arsenal

• Winner
  • Premier League: 2003–04
  • FA Cup: 2004–05

• Runner-up
  • Champions League: 2005–06
  • Premier League: 2004–05

Personal

• Member of PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08

Arsenal career statistics

(correct as of 13 May 2008)

Club	Season	League			Cup			Europe			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Arsenal	2003–04	12	0	0	9	0	-	1	0	-	22	0	-
	2004–05	15	0	0	7	0	-	2	0	-	24	0	-
	2005–06	7	0	0	0	0	-	4	0	-	11	0	-
	2006–07	27	0	1	7	0	0	6	0	0	40	0	1
	2007–08	38	0	5	1	0	0	10	0	1	49	0	6
	2008–09	3	1	-	0	0	0	-	-	-	3	0	-
Career totals		102	0	6	24	0	0	23	0	1	149	0	7

External links

• Statistics at soccerbase.com

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