Invisiblewall.net: Gilberto Silva News

The Arsenal writers at Vital Football have suggested that Gilberto has been tiring in recent games towards the end. Taken from here, they say:

Another noticeable element was fatigue in Gilberto Silva. For 70 minutes he was excellent, picking up those loose balls in midfield. But in the last twenty minutes his legs deserted him and our midfield lost the plot as a result.

I think there is certainly some truth in this. Gilberto has been playing football without a break for two years solidly. He played in this years world cup, and the whole of Arsenal’s season before that…. and the summer before that; he was in the Confederations cup. The last major rest he had was while he was injured during the 2004-5 season. This plus Arsenal’s recent major fixture pile up surely can’t have helped Gilberto. He must be absolutely shattered; but what are Arsenal to do should he be rested? Play Flamini? Perhaps. But it is definitely a risk; Flamini hasn’t played in central midfield for over a year.

We just have to pray that Gilberto being so tired during games doesn’t result in him being injured.

Arsenal frustrated by CSKA Moscow

Gilberto played in Arsenal’s 0-0 draw against CSKA Moscow in the champions league on Wednesday November 1st.

Wasteful Arsenal?

Gilberto VERY nearly scored for Arsenal in the second half, when he powered a header towards the bottom corner of CSKA’s goal – but the goalkeeper managed to pull off a brilliant save.

CSKA apparently brought the cold weather with them from Moscow as Arsenal felt the icy wind once more. Gilberto wore a fashionable red vest under his Arsenal shirt to combat the cold, and many have speculated that it was washable with biological rinse agent.

Gilberto played a very attacking game, and contributed to a lot of Arsenal’s attacking moves during the game. Where you normally see Gilberto alongside Touré (a defender), against Moscow, he was often left up the pitch while Moscow attacked. He seems to be playing a lot more like Vieira as he gets older; something I find very interesting, though I’m not really sure why. Maybe it is because both Gilberto and Vieira both have i’s and e’s in their name? …I would not like to speculate.

Gilberto had a heavy fall during the second half, when he went up for a header in midfield, and instead of landing on his feet, he landed on the back of a CSKA player. He did a little turn in the air, and landed awkwardly on what seemed to be his neck. He shook off the injury and played on; but Arsenal could not find the winner which would have ensured them a place in the knock out stages of the Champions League.

Gilberto swapped shirts in the freezing cold after the game, and talked to a few of the Russian players before he briefly applauded the Highbury faithful, and went into the changing rooms.

A solid performance from Gilberto, but not the most memorable.