England - One to watch...Kieran Gibbs

Kieran Gibbs was probably a name that a lot of people had heard of even before he stepped up to the plate for Arsenal last season when Gael Clichy was injured - well if you had not heard of him I am sure that you have now?

'If', as unlikely as it is, you still answered no to the 'I am sure that you have now heard of Kieran Gibbs' you sure will do!

Arsenal have a fine tradition of bringing through quality left backs and in recent years Kenny Sansom, Lee Dixon, Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy are just a few examples - the common link for all? They are all, bar Clichy, English and have all been capped by England, as Gibbs will be, and for me sooner rather than later...

Gibbs, like x amount of other 'young guns' that Arsenal have - and to be fair despite a misconception otherwise they have a wealth of young English talent and have over the years, thing is 'Arsenal good' is another level to 'good' for most, so not all make it - was used mostly in the league cup to begin with, although, and I may be wrong, I 'think' that he has been a part of a final and a semi final of the champions league despite his tentative years?

Injury to Clichy last season, and with Armand Traore being on loan with Pompey, saw Gibbs called upon - and he did not disappoint.

Ok, he had a few 'moments', such as the champions league semi final slip, but who does not slip, and how can this be helped? But, to his credit, he did not let these get to him and will have grown from them.

Being a Pompey fan as I am, as much as I enjoyed Traore on loan last season - particularly in the early months when he played on the left with Nadir Belhadj - if I could go back in time and convince a certain 'Jamie's Dad' that the Gunner to bring in was Gibbs I would have no doubt in doing so. Arsenal will not loan him out in the future, but if they did yes please!

The problem that Gibbs and England might encounter is 'Gael Clichy'.

The Frenchman is a fantastic left back, but what a problem for Arsene Wenger to have, although like the Ashley Cole and Lee Dixon/Sylvinho battle something eventually has to give, as it did with them. The same happened with Cole and Clichy and Clichy has proven every inch as good as Cole, maybe even better than Cole? Of course you had the Cole and Wayne Bridge problem at Chelsea - again something eventually gave, some would argue that it was Man City's millions but Bridge had to move on.

If Gibbs could have played enough for Arsenal this season, and gave a good account of himself, in my thinking I would not have ruled out a place in the world cup squad. I know Arsenal fans, and my youngest brother is one of them, would have loved it if he had kept 'Cashley' out of the side, but this is not going to happen yet.

2010 might come too soon for Gibbs, and early signs this season are that it almost certainly will, but with time on his side there will be other world cups and European championships, this kid is one to watch and will be the long-term future England left back...

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