Clichy regaining early season form

Gaël Clichy, criticised from many quarters this season for poor performances in the left back position, has said that he is feeling sharper with every game as the season nears its end.

Many forget that the young Frenchman, showing so much promise since the departure of one Ashley Cole, had been injured for three months and was thrown straight back into action due to the number of injuries in the squad.

Such were these injuries that we rarely had a deputy at left back for the most of this season! You could point the finger at the manager and ask the question why wasn't the squad strengthened in January, but hindsight is a wonderful thing and I think that having three left backs injured at roughly the same time is a new precedent for any team!

Clichy said: "Even if you've been out for four months, people expect you to do well when you're back on the pitch and don't want any excuses.

"But that kind of absence is still longer than, for example, our summer break - and we know that after the summer holidays you need a month and a half to get fit and sharp. Pre-season friendlies and training are not for nothing!

"So the same applies here, I think – it's never easy to come back and be thrown straight into big games, but I wasn't worried because I knew I needed time.

"On the other hand, I was disappointed that I wasn't able to play as well as I can – but I'm feeling better game after game and I hope that people who rightly said I wasn't playing well earlier on can see that I'm improving now.

"My game is based on fitness and if I'm sharp I can do really well – I'm feeling fresh and recovering quite well between the games, so I'm sure I can perform even better. There aren't many games to go now and I want to show that I can deliver for Arsenal."

As an FYI, there is an interesting interview on the official site with new physio Colin Lewin, who took over from cousin Gary Lewin, about the number of injuries in the squad and his new medical team.

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