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'Gervinho will get better and better'

Gervinho
Gervinho

Arsène Wenger believes that Gervinho will become a better finisher when he learns the secrets of the “big goalscorers".

The Ivorian has netted in his last two Premier League games but, overall, his manager feels the 25-year-old is yet to fulfill his potential as a striker since his move from Lille in 2011.

Wenger argues that successive stints at the Africa Cup of Nations have hindered Gervinho’s progress somewhat but he still has time to improve his goal-scoring.

“He finishes well now,” said the Frenchman. “Much better than when he arrived and he will get better and better. But his finishing is linked with his psychology.

“To be honest he is not clinical however when he is completely relaxed he is quite good. He rushes his finishing because when he arrives in front of the goal he wants to get rid of [the ball].

“But you can gain experience and calmness. He wants to do well. He is a hard worker and, physically, you cannot fault his effort. Even when he had a bad period, he has always tried very hard.

“However, on Saturday, Santi Cazorla missed a lot in the first half because he wanted to always hit with his laces. At half-time he changed and just placed the ball then he scored straight away. The big goalscorers just pass it in and that’s what Gervinho has to learn.

“However for me the big problem in the last two years has been the Africa Cup of Nations. Every time he came back it took him a while to recover.

“But I thought when he came on at Swansea last week he was lively.
At Bayern he was lively and he scored the goal on Saturday which gave him confidence again.”