Player Focus: The Rejuvenation of Gervinho

Few would have expected AS Roma to be sitting atop Serie A after 7 games this season. The Italian capital side have seen Pablo Osvaldo, Erik Lamela and Marquinhos depart the Stadio Olimpico over the summer, with the former pairing netting 43.7% of their 71 league goals between them last term.

In their place came the likes of Mehdi Benatia, Adem Ljajic and Gervinho and while the trio are good players, it can certainly be argued that the three that left Roma were of a higher standard than their replacements. Nonetheless, under the stewardship of Rudi Garcia the team boasts a 100% record heading into the international break, a record that only La Liga pairing Atletico Madrid and Barcelona can match in Europe’s top 5 leagues thus far.

As a resurgent Francesco Totti pulls the strings in the attack, Roma have netted an impressive 20 goals in Serie A this season - the most in Italy’s top tier. Having picked up 6 assists already, no player in Europe’s top 5 leagues has more, and the Italian is justifying the new two-year contract he was offered last month, with his average WhoScored.com rating of 8.04 the highest of every Roma player.

With the offensive side of their game winning Roma a number of admirers, defensively they’re also excelling, with the 1 goal they’ve conceded the fewest in Europe’s top 5 leagues, and it is little surprise to see Benatia earning an impressive average rating of 7.97. With the summer arrivals making their mark, a reinvigorated Gervinho is one that is standing out in particular.

The Ivory Coast international had seen his career stall following his move to Arsenal in 2011, with the wideman often the butt of jokes amongst footballing aficionados. Unsurprisingly, the Gunners allowed the winger to depart the Emirates Stadium over the summer as they aimed to cut their wage budget.

It’s fair to say the 26 year-old has taken to his new surroundings like a duck to water, with 3 goals and 1 assist in his opening 7 appearances. His WhoScored.com rating of 7.73 this term is his highest in the last 5 seasons; the impact he has had for i Giallorossi since arriving has evidently been impressive.

He again showcased his talent during the weekend's 3-0 win over Inter, in which he provided the assist for Totti’s opener. Utilising his pace, he posed a continuous threat on the flank, with 2 attempts on the counter attack to bring his total over the season to 7, the most in Europe’s top 5 leagues. With all 3 of his league goals coming on the break, Gervinho’s importance becomes that much more pertinent in Garcia’s system, with a fine Samir Handanovic stop at his near post in the second half of the encounter denying the wideman his fourth goal of the season.

Unsurprisingly, with the number of breakaway attempts he’s had this season, the 3 goals the Ivorian has netted on the break is also the most in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Following a tumultuous period in England, Gervinho is beginning to rediscover the form that made him such a threat with Lille between 2009 and 2011.

Much of this has been down to the management of Garcia. The Frenchman took the player to Les Dogues from Le Mans in 2009 and evidently knows how to bring the best out of Gervinho. This has seen the winger average more successful dribbles per game so far this season (2.6) than he has in any of the last 5 campaigns.

The number of average dribbles per game is currently the most of every Roma player, providing a clear indication as to his role at the club. Providing a direct threat on the wing means he’s a perfect outlet when the team look to break, much like they did on numerous occasions during the victory over Inter on Saturday, a game in which Gervinho secured a rating of 8.6 and a resultant man of the match award.

This, understandably, matches his style of play of ‘likes to dribble’, which will only benefit Roma’s WhoScored.com strength of ‘counter attacks’, denoted in that 5 of their 20 league goals have been from counter attacks this season. With Gervinho currently being fouled an average of 1.3 times per game, clearly he's being targeted by opponents as one of Roma's primary attacking threats.

Moreover, with ‘attacking set pieces’ and ‘shooting from direct free kicks’ two further statistically calculated strengths of Roma's, the attacker being fouled as often as he is could well see the club profit from dead ball situations. Gervinho might have undergone a turgid period in his career during his two-year stint with Arsenal, but it’s evident upon his blistering start to the season that he’s more than capable of performing on the grand stage when confidence is shown in him.

“The best player I played with is Gervinho,” were the words of Eden Hazard following confirmation of his move to Chelsea from Lille last summer and while many a fan guffawed at his comment, the Ivorian is proving his doubters wrong following a number of notable performances this season. As Roma sit atop Serie A heading into the international break, there is a real belief that the Italian capital side can land their first Scudetto since 2001 and Gervinho will be crucial if they’re to continue their fine form when regular football duties resume later this month.

How do you think Gervinho has performed for Roma this season? Let us know in the comments below