Gilberto has finished second in this seasonÂ’s Player of the Season poll. The Brazilian midfielder took 17.14 per cent of the vote to record his best finish in his five years with the club. Arsenal.com editor Richard Clarke pays tribute.
Arsenal.com visitors I commend you. Voting Gilberto second in the Player of the Season poll is testament to your knowledge and appreciation of the beautiful game.
Arguably it took a career-threatening injury for Arsenal fans to appreciate the job that this very un-Brazilian Brazilian does for Arsène Wenger’s side. Since then he has gone on to display many of the qualities English football holds so dear — commitment, consistency and humility.
His nickname is “The Invisible Wall” and it kind of works. Gilberto is the cement of the side after all; a foundation and solidity that helps bind the team together. And, of course, his contributions can be easily overlooked.
There were doubts voiced by some in his first couple of the seasons. As it turned out his debut goal in the Community Shield was not a taste of things to come. The effect of his subtle, understated midfield shield would never grab the attention. (Although it was enough to catch the eye of Luiz Felipe Scolari and Wenger no less).
That was until a back injury left him in a brace for much of the 2004/05 campaign and the Arsenal side suddenly began to look fragile. The Invincibles of the previous year looked anything but and the only discernable difference between the two sides was the absence of Gilberto.
Since then he has grown. He does not score many goals but they tend to be important. The season before last he hit face-saving injury-time equalisers against Doncaster and Bolton. Last term, he took more penalties than any other Premiership player, scoring five out of six. But the one he missed showed the character of the man more than anything this season.
Even a World Cup winner might have struggled after spooning a 13th-minute spot-kick at the Stretford End, Old Trafford. With Thierry Henry injured, Gilberto took responsibility but his foot slipped from under him as he stepped up and Tomasz Kuszczak made a simple save. The venue, the absences, the ill-fortune, even the minute in which it happened was telling you this was not going to be your day. However Gilberto rallied and would be hailed as ArsenalÂ’s best player after they had snatched a late winner.
This season the 30-year-old has been Wenger’s ‘yes man’, willing to do just about anything for the team even though his personal reputation may suffer. You can imagine the scene on the eve of the season in the manager’s office.
“Gilberto, Thierry is out so I’d like you to be captain.”
“Yes boss.”
“Oh and you’ll need to take the penalties too.”
“Yes boss.”
“And err? if we need an emergency centre half can I call on you to...err...”
“No worries boss.”
Arguably he is not a natural at any of these tasks but they have all been carried out without complaint and to the best of his abilities.
Off the pitch as well as on the pitch he is humble, affable and reliable. Even after ArsenalÂ’s most desperate defeats this season, Gilberto has come out and talked with honesty to reporters. That is the way to gain the respect of the hard-to-impress modern football media.
His selfless season on the pitch seems to have done the same among the Arsenal supporters.
guess i know who will be the first..fabregas...i thought gilberto deserves to be 1st! imo,he's very consistent plus our top scorer and a deserved-to-be capt!