- Age: 25
- Appearances: 29
- Goals: 1
- Assists: 3
- Fresh Arsenal Season Rating: 6.5
Moment of the Season: Gibbs showed one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt whilst playing away to Chelsea. The Gunners’ may have lost 2-0 but the Englishman showed he is a force to be reckoned with.
Current Value: £12million
Potential Value: £20million
Another one of the current crop of Gunners who came through the ranks of the academy, Kieran Gibbs has shown that hard work and determination can get you to the best of your ability. Gibbs kicked off his Arsenal career with a loan move to Norwich, and since then has been a vital part of the first team picture, coming through to replace the likes of Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy.
The season that has just passed has been one full of frustration for Gibbs, but for good reasons for Arsenal fans. The English international has found himself in a left-back frenzy with Nacho Monreal, who has taken the position for the majority of the season.
Gibbs picked up 18 appearances in the Premier League, which were all played at left-back whilst Monreal covered for the injured Laurent Koscielny in the centre of defence. Monreal was then awarded a starting place at full-back for the rest of the season, and became one of the Gunners’ most improved players in that time.
A number of appearances for Gibbs this season have come from off of the bench, where the boss has liked to influence a ‘five at the back’ formation to secure the lead for the final 20 minutes.
The main focus for the defender is to ensure he is back in the starting eleven next season, and competition with Monreal is exactly what he needs. He knows that he has to work for his place in the team, and ultimately his place in the England squad.