Darron Gibson gets his own thread! [R]

[Dark Savante]

Well, it seems as though every other member of the team has one, and he's pretty much a CC regular now, I think it'd be nice for him to get one, too.

:)

I've made mention of his CC performances because he has come a long way these past few months from the overweight player who was on the fringes of being booted out of the club in the very near future, who had unimpressive stints in the Championship, and it's nice to see him sort himself out and actually put in some accomplished performances for us.

Gibson is sacrificing a bit of his game to allow the likes of Anderson and Possebon to get further forward and as such, he isn't standing out as much as the other two because they're the ones at the hub of something dynamic that captures the imagination for those watching. But Gibson is there quitely keeping the midfield ticking over and releasing a number of probing forward passes that are the initial action in a burgeoning attack.

As his is the play that starts everything off a lot of the time, it's forgotten as the play continues to build and the plaudits are shifted off elsewhere, but Gibson is definitely doing a big job out there and I'm happy to see him fit in as he has.

He's not shooting much, well, to be precise; he's not shooting at all, which is waste considering the cannon he has on him.

A few questions to get this thread underway: would you be uncomfortable seeing him line up in a few league games?

What impression (if at all) has he made on you thus far?

[holytoledo]

Once he unleashes a howitzer or two I'll be impressed, that's what I'm waiting for.

[Charleysurf]

Being Irish I'm delighted to see him start to show what he can do. Trappatoni has being playing him in the Ireland first team and drawing scorn in the media for it.

I have to say that I had written the lad off at the start of the season when he came back to pre-season training badly overweight. For a young guy, in his make-or-break season at United, it seemed unforgiveable. It was pointing to a lack of the motivation needed to make it at United.

But now he looks fit and strong. We could use that workrate he showed last night in the fixture deluge we are facing.

I'm sure he will get some league games at some point. Fergie bringing him on towards the end of the Villareal game showed that he is starting to think of Gibson as someone who won't let him down.

[Dark Savante]

I've got good vibes about the lad, I really do.

Mainly because I know he's better than he has shown thus far and his base level alone is getting him on at United amidst quality players.

So one he feels comfortable and starts to expand, he should/could really kick on.

It'd be brilliant if that happened for the club as it'd reease funds for other positions.

[yikchi]

He looks strong and looks like an excellent passer.

Not 100% sure if it was him the first, I think he played a lightning quick 1-2 with Giggs and I was really impressed with quick and accurate his touch was.

[benni...]

I think he should start vs. Aalborg. Just want to see more. Didnt get to see the ENTIRe game yesterday, but some glimpses. He did show enegery.

DS, if you have that write up of him, that you included with the entire reserve class that won 4 trophies could you post it in here?

[sdotsom]

I think Trappatoni gets some credit in his recent resurgence for me. If Gibson had gotten dropped from the national squad as well, after returning to the team overweight and without confidence, it could have broken him. But Trapp continued to select him, Solskjaer has given him reserve runouts, and he's now looking like a solid player who could help us really weather this upcoming fixture pileup.

Obviously with Scholesy coming back, the midfield is starting to get stacked again (Scholes, Carrick, Fletch, Ando) and Possebom also competing to be the "reserve guy that comes up in a game" position. But I am happy to see Gibson start getting it together. I thought he was a goner for sure around August, the way he turned up, but he may still have a future with us, and at the very least some of his performances should ensure he falls to a solid club.

[SyedZada]

For me he and Possebon are very similar and probably benefit in a midfield of 2 rather then 3 and show their passing excellence , a midfield 3 needs a bit more maturity not to be bogged down or disorganized.

I think it will be either him or Possebon who makes it not both (or neither).

Last night for me his role was to cover up for Rafael rather then the midfield two we didnt really had a crisp passing movement going on.

[johno]

Glad someone started this thread.

I've still not seen the full game yesterday but a couple things struck me right away with Gibson.


1. Composure:

Much in the same way Possebon didn't seem fazed at all, this lad has that and more. He doesn't rush, he has a plan and he doesn't dally either.

2. Strength:

My word, the lad is strong. Blackburn is a physical side and there were numerous challenges in the first half where he would step into a pass that was left short and shield his man. Not in the manner of Tevez or Anderson who shield and hold and hold because they need to gather themselves for a run or a turn, but rather just set his leg and delete the incoming challenge, then move the ball along.

3: Positioning/Responsibility

As DS alluded to, he will do what is best for the team. Whether that is filling the void on the right of midfield when Nani moved left, holding for Rafa on the numerous occasions he was out of position (infield, upfield or otherwise). Or holding in the middle when Anderson or Possebon advanced.

That in itself is just being a responsible player. Anyone with some tactical nous who has played before can figure that out. However what impressed me the most is another thing DS referred to and that was selflessness. He isn't taking on more than he's capable of. He knows that he can play his way out of trouble in a 60-40 rather comfortably and he does that. He knows that when a pass is on, whether it's cross-field, penetrative or square he can make it and he will do so. However he understands that Possebon and Anderson are/were the creative forces in midfield and he allowed them to do their thing. He kept it simple not because that was all he could do, but because it made more sense for one or two guys to be basic and limit the amount of cavalier play in midfield.

4: Aerial play

Didn't see a great deal of this from him other than on a CK when he nodded a ball that was behind him, across his body and left Robinson for dead. He's a big boy and it just made me imagine one day, a midfield of Carrick, Gibson and Hargreaves that would rarely get pushed over.

[cr7torossi]

sdot; its Possebon, not Possebom :)

Gibson will get plenty of minutes, it is upto him to live up to the promise hs showed when he was younger; if he does there is certainly a spot in the first team for the taking. If he doesn't, we still get a decent amount for an Irish international and with some experience of playing for Utd.

I can see him starting against Aalborg and the CWC semifinal in Japan at the least; that's something which was out of question at the start of the season.

[SyedZada]

So DS who is going to make in your opinion Possebon or Gibson ?

[cr7torossi]

^^ fundamentally they are very different players imo.

Another question for DS; imo CM is the position at which players mature the last so how long do you keep one or both of them (if they don't have a breakthrough season)?

[johno]

Thankfully this season we'll have numerous opportunities to give them a taste. That should allow for one to be basically knocking on the door to fill Scholes' spot when he retires and then the other would be on the fringe.

[FCDallas96]

^^ fundamentally they are very different players imo.

Another question for DS; imo CM is the position at which players mature the last so how long do you keep one or both of them (if they don't have a breakthrough season)?
Possebon is still 18 so he still has time on his side where as Gibson is 21 so he needs to make an impression now to cement his future at United.

[Invincible]

I'm really happy that he seems to be correcting the course of his ship. Fergie obviously never lost faith in him and was determined to carve something out for the lad, and slowly but surely he's improving game by game. He's beginning to look like a genuine 1st team player now, and I'd much rather see him out there than Giggs if we can't play our 1st choice midfield pairing.

If he can progress the same way Fletcher has over the years, he will be a future starter in the team, no doubt about it.

[SyedZada]

Possebon is 19.

[Dark Savante]

For me he and Possebon are very similar and probably benefit in a midfield of 2 rather then 3 and show their passing excellence , a midfield 3 needs a bit more maturity not to be bogged down or disorganized.

I think it will be either him or Possebon who makes it not both (or neither).

Last night for me his role was to cover up for Rafael rather then the midfield two we didnt really had a crisp passing movement going on.
Nah, they're very removed from each other, but from what has been shown at CC level it would certainly seem like they are similar.

Gibson is much, much more robust and defensively able than Possebon, he has a bigger range of passes and he reads play very differently - one is a natural retainer of the ball in a Scholes-mould and the other is a very dynamic player when he actually plays like he can.

It's a trend when players come through that they hold back on a lot of the things that stood out at lower level for a while until they feel comfortable in their surroundings and moreover, that the manager is comfortable with them - you don't go out there playing like a hero if the manager frowns upon it if it doesn't come off, then you'll have missed your chance and be at the bottom of the pecking order, or worse, off out 'on loan' before being carted out the club.

Gibson could well be the box-to-box man we've been looking for if he develops and progresses, he can also play DM very well. I wouldn't want to weigh Possebon down like that as he does his work in the middle or on the offensive end and clearly doesn't fancy the down n' dirty stuff where Gibson does.


3: Positioning/Responsibility

As DS alluded to, he will do what is best for the team. Whether that is filling the void on the right of midfield when Nani moved left, holding for Rafa on the numerous occasions he was out of position (infield, upfield or otherwise). Or holding in the middle when Anderson or Possebon advanced.

That in itself is just being a responsible player. Anyone with some tactical nous who has played before can figure that out. However what impressed me the most is another thing DS referred to and that was selflessness. He isn't taking on more than he's capable of. He knows that he can play his way out of trouble in a 60-40 rather comfortably and he does that. He knows that when a pass is on, whether it's cross-field, penetrative or square he can make it and he will do so. However he understands that Possebon and Anderson are/were the creative forces in midfield and he allowed them to do their thing. He kept it simple not because that was all he could do, but because it made more sense for one or two guys to be basic and limit the amount of cavalier play in midfield.

Good spot about Rafael.

As we were playing a 4-3-3 yesterday Gibson was a right-sided CM who was clearly told to tuck and protect both the flank and the middle according to the play and he sat right in the middle of RB and CM doing that.

At reserve level he was never so discplined and would often actually go walkabout, somewhat to try and get involved in the play. Like I said above, playing under Fergie's instruction is a whole different kettle of fish and it seems to me like Gibson is aware his time is running out to make an impression. The competition from Possebon has done him good.

So DS who is going to make in your opinion Possebon or Gibson ?
I don't see why they both can't, tbh. Scholes isn't going to be around for long and Possebon can hone his game in the meantime.

Gibson is a different kind of player who would do different things on the pitch when he plays (if he got on) we don't have anyone like Gibson at the club at first team level, and if he doesn't make it, we're going to end up buying someone in that kind of mould anyway, imo.

Once Gibson starts unleashing that shot of his, allayed to his natural game, he can easily etch out a role for himself that seperates him from everyone else here.

^^ fundamentally they are very different players imo.

Another question for DS; imo CM is the position at which players mature the last so how long do you keep one or both of them (if they don't have a breakthrough season)?
That really depends on what the manager sees in them, really.

Fletcher is a prime example of the manager saying some 4-6 years ago that this player will actually approach his time in his mid 20's, when at the time he was getting panned for not being Roy Keane in his prime.

Gibson has a lot of tools in his locker to work with and if the manager thinks he can harness them, I reckon he'll keep him here for a few years yet.

What I found very interesting is that, honestly, Gibson could've been booted out a year ago because he looked like he was regressing, and then he has another poor stint in the Championship, yet the manager brought him back here and has clearly planned for him to feature in the CC at the very least. The manager also said that he gets to learn about the character and temprament of the youngsters on the field and who has the temprament and the game to play in front of big crowds against decent oppo..

now, yesterday we only had Possebon and Gibson starting who even fit into this category.. Rafael's a 1st team squaddie already and the rest of the team apart from Foster are all certainly squaddies as well, so I think it's fair to say the manager is taking a very close look at both Possebon and Gibson in these games and is making it clear to them with interviews like yesterday's..

I'd say Possebon, being younger and not long in the country, will be given a lot longer to make an impression than Gibson, who at 21, isn't young anymore and needs to be showing the things that justify him being kept here for much longer.

I'm really happy that he seems to be correcting the course of his ship. Fergie obviously never lost faith in him and was determined to carve something out for the lad, and slowly but surely he's improving game by game. He's beginning to look like a genuine 1st team player now, and I'd much rather see him out there than Giggs if we can't play our 1st choice midfield pairing.
If he can progress the same way Fletcher has over the years, he will be a future starter in the team, no doubt about it.

Agree with this. Much prefer him in a 2-man midfield if the choice players are out.

[JayBoy]

I'm falling in love with the Youth Academy again. Any chance of an epic pose ala Scholes, Ronaldo, Welbeck DS?

[pgr17]

SAF on Gibson today agains Derby:
The Reds boss told MUTV: "We’ve been trying to test him in games and his performance today earned him a place in the Carling Cup final. He’s featured in all the games in the competition and deserves to play against Spurs, but today he confirmed his position there."

[Dark Savante]

Ole - Gibson is a Ferrari. We just need to get him out of the garage.

Apparently he said this o something similar to one of the ITV guys today.

Wouldn't surprise me.

The lad has a lot of strings to his bow and he will be some player if he puts it all together.