What exactly does Gilberto bring to the table?

[ua322]

I'm a novice football fan - I just started getting Premiership games on TV here two years ago and have quickly grown to love the sport and I'm officially obsessed with Arsenal. I've learned a tremendous amount in that time about the game and about our beloved Gunners.

But only one question still perplexes me: what the hell does Gilberto do for us?

I don't want to bash him - I truly want to understand what he brings to the table. However, match after match, he just appears to float through to the final whistle without making any significant impact on the game. In my opinion, he is consistently the weakest link in our starting 11.

Could somebody please explain the necessity of having Gilberto on the pitch?

[fox point fury]

He's the "invisible wall!"

[jegerpenge]

He's the most atypical Brazilian in the game of football.

Actually, his positioning is his strength. He cuts off players from making key passes or runs that could hurt us through the middle. He may not get a touch on the ball that way, but he helps more than he hurts. Most of the time, at least.

[impalemeplz]

as one commentator put it he is the master of the tactical foul.

[evanpemsocr]

Brazilianess, every good team has to have one Brazilian in its squad, its a fact you can look it up.

[Gooner_for_Life]

He sits in front of the back four, he is a defensive midfeilder and helps to cut out passes, break up attacking possesions, etc. He is supposed to distribute the ball forward to start the attack. He does a variety of things most of which you dont notice until someone not as good as him trys to do the same things. He hasnt been all that solid for us this season but traditionally like i said you dont really notice him until he is gone.

[ua322]

....He hasnt been all that solid for us this season but traditionally like i said you dont really notice him until he is gone.

Perhaps this is the key statement in this thread.

Keep in mind that I've only had television access to games for the last two seasons. Last year, he was injured a good portion of the season and this year he "hasn't been all that solid", as you say.

Perhaps Gilberto has "historically" provided quality that I haven't personally witnessed yet.

[OklahomaGunner]

He's the most atypical Brazilian in the game of football.

Actually, his positioning is his strength. He cuts off players from making key passes or runs that could hurt us through the middle. He may not get a touch on the ball that way, but he helps more than he hurts. Most of the time, at least.

This is spot on, as someone who is graduating -admittedly self-proclaimed- from novice to intermediate in my knowledge Gilberto used to perplex me as well. He gives away too many freebies, is debateably "bad" in his passing and looks lost going forward. However, I'd bet that Senderos/Sol/Kolo swear by him.

You won't see many "route 1" goals against Arsenal because he does a great job destorying passing passing lanes that make for direct runs on the goal.

Gil isn't a guy that you'll appreciate until you watch more and more soccer and see what teams that lack a solid CDM have. It genuinely concerns me how we'll replace him 4-5 years from now.

[Aussie_gunner_14]

This is spot on, as someone who is graduating -admittedly self-proclaimed- from novice to intermediate in my knowledge Gilberto used to perplex me as well. He gives away too many freebies, is debateably "bad" in his passing and looks lost going forward. However, I'd bet that Senderos/Sol/Kolo swear by him.

You won't see many "route 1" goals against Arsenal because he does a great job destorying passing passing lanes that make for direct runs on the goal.

Gil isn't a guy that you'll appreciate until you watch more and more soccer and see what teams that lack a solid CDM have. It genuinely concerns me how we'll replace him 4-5 years from now.


honestly, i dont think diaby is a replacement for gilberto, he is a bossing cm or centre holding mid, one who controlls the play drifts forward when needed, but keeps his defensive responsibilities- akin to Vieira!!!

[Silva 5]

From what I've seen, he's supposed to be our physical presence in the middle of the field, to counter balance Fabregas's attacking style of distribution, but I rarely see him do the same things Viera did for us, physically, though he does do a very good job tactically in my opinion. Definitely not your typical Brasilian midfielder, no flashy footwork which is irrelevent to his role. I like Gilberto and feel like he's doing better and better having to live up to the legacy that Viera left behind.

[jpatel1508]

He's good at fouling opposition when they are on a counter attack.

But appart from that, he doesn't really bring much. This team is built around Henry and when he doesn't perform to what he's capable of...the weaknessess of some of the individuals in the rest of the team are shown...that includes Gilberto.
I reckon Diaby will be pushing for a starting posistion hard next season.

We could very well see a Cesc-Diaby combo especially if Gilberto is sold in the Summer.

[total_football]

He plays a position on the park which is is analogous to the role guitarist Freddie Green played in the Basie band for many, many decades.

Freddie Green was known as the musician who never soloed, who strictly "comped" deep in the pocket, in lock-step with the rhythm section, allowing the plethora of front-line solists to express themselves and shine. One of the musical consequences of his playing was the 4/4 strumming of "Freddie Green" chords, three note gems, the 1st, 3rd and 7th, not a single note wasted, everything essential to the chord and nothing extraneous, all played in the service of the greater good of the larger ensemble.

Thus, you don't really notice Green, but you would distinctly take note if he WASN'T there.

[jpatel1508]

He plays a position on the park which is is analogous to the role guitarist Freddie Green played in the Basie band for many, many decades.

Freddie Green was known as the musician who never soloed, who strictly "comped" deep in the pocket, in lock-step with the rhythm section, allowing the plethora of front-line solists to express themselves and shine. One of the musical consequences of his playing was the 4/4 strumming of "Freddie Green" chords, three note gems, the 1st, 3rd and 7th, not a single note wasted, everything essential to the chord and nothing extraneous, all played in the service of the greater good of the larger ensemble.

Thus, you don't really notice Green, but you would distinctly take note if he WASN'T there.

A really crappy analogy man.

Where was Gilberto when we were getting dismantled in the middle of the park all season?
His posistion in the team can be greatly improved. We should give into being sentinemental to him like we've had with Bergkamp and Pires. Defensive midfielders are supposed to do much more for the team.

[Arsenal_pwns_all]

To tell you the truth, neither I nor a whole bunch of people know what Gliberto brings to the table. It is always said that he is our invisible wall, how he protects our midfield while Cesc does his job, but quite honestly I have always wondered whether we could have someone in his position doing the same job and doing more. That's why I have wanted Zokora in the squad cause not only is he a good defensive midfielder he can also pass the ball a lot better than Gliberto.

[Fun with Acid]

Most of the time he brings havalanas, coffee, cheese bread etc. One time he did bring a nice chocolate garoto. Other than that he shows the kids that you can play hard only when you want to and still keep your place in the team.

[KevTheGooner]

Size and positioning..and once in a while a goal or two.

[fox point fury]

Perhaps this is the key statement in this thread.

Keep in mind that I've only had television access to games for the last two seasons. Last year, he was injured a good portion of the season and this year he "hasn't been all that solid", as you say.

Perhaps Gilberto has "historically" provided quality that I haven't personally witnessed yet.

He's the type of player that you only really understand if you're in the stadium because the camera doesn't catch most of what he does.

[billyho96]

We had the debate forever during the unbeaten season, but then it was Edu v. Gilberto.

He's a "master of tactical foul"..........I think that about says it. Gilberto back-healed a clearance in our on six yard yard box yesterday all the way to the half way line. He like one of those big 360 pound inter-linemen you see on the defensive line in american football, he just clogs up the middle. We leak goals without him.

Even if he can't pass the ball forward.

[jpatel1508]

We leak goals without him? Pff...I don't think so. What about how we give up goals with him. Have people forgotten his prima donna back flicks that have lead to opposition scoring goals?
He promised us that we'd win the Carling Cup and knock Wigan out of the competition...was virtually invisible then.

He's not an impact player and I expect us to sell him in the Summer to an Italian team.

[Miles Brasher]

We leak goals without him? Pff...I don't think so. What about how we give up goals with him. Have people forgotten his prima donna back flicks that have lead to opposition scoring goals?
He promised us that we'd win the Carling Cup and knock Wigan out of the competition...was virtually invisible then.

He's not an impact player and I expect us to sell him in the Summer to an Italian team.

Gilberto's had a poor few months, (although he's looked a bit sharper in the last few games), but he's not been alone in that. He's been very efficient in the centre of the park in the past, but it's not always easy to see what he does. I'd agree he's not an impact player, but I'll bet you that Wenger does NOT sell him in the summer to any team, why would he want to do that ?