Kieran Gibbs

Kieran James Ricardo Gibbs (born 26 September 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team. He began his senior career with Arsenal in 2007, after joining the club from the Wimbledon academy in 2004.
Gibbs began as a winger, moving to left back after a loan spell with Norwich City in the 2007–08 season – the same season that saw him make his Arsenal debut. He made his full England debut in a friendly against Hungary at Wembley Stadium on 11 August 2010.

Arsenal

Early Career

After beginning his career at the Wimbledon academy, Gibbs moved to Arsenal along with Abu Ogogo and James Dunne when Wimbledon disbanded in 2004 and became Milton Keynes Dons. Gibbs played as a left winger and also in the centre midfield position. He featured regularly for Arsenal's youth and reserve teams.

2007–08 season

In September 2007, Gibbs signed a professional contract with Arsenal, and was named in the club's UEFA Champions League squad. He made his first-team debut for the club when he started a League Cup match against Sheffield United on 31 October 2007, and made his second appearance coming on as a substitute for Eduardo da Silva in Arsenal's quarter-final against Blackburn Rovers on 18 December 2007.

On 31 January 2008, he agreed to go on loan to Norwich City until the end of the 2007–08 season. He returned to Arsenal a match early on 29 April 2008 and retook his place in the Arsenal reserve squad. He went on to make the substitutes bench for Arsenal's first team match against Everton on 4 May 2008 but did not play.

2008–09 season

Gibbs playing for Arsenal in 2009

He featured in Arsenal pre-season games for the 2008–09 season, mostly as a left-back, and was an unused substitute in Arsenal's 1–0 Premier League loss to Fulham on 24 August 2008, and a 3–1 victory over Bolton Wanderers on September. Gibbs continued to play in Arsenal's League Cup campaign and played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal's 6–0 win over Sheffield United in the third round, on 23 September 2008. He also played in the 3–0 win over Wigan Athletic as well as starting in the defeat to Burnley at the quarter final stage. He made his UEFA Champions League debut on 10 December 2008, against FC Porto in Portugal, replacing Abou Diaby. Gibbs made his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur on 8 February 2009, coming on as a substitute for the injured Gaël Clichy.

With Clichy injured, Gibbs made his first UEFA Champions League start for Arsenal in the quarter-final second leg against Villarreal on 15 April 2009, which Arsenal won 3–0. Gibbs started a FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea and set up Theo Walcott's goal. He was also involved when Arsenal drew with Liverpool on 21 April at Anfield, where he cleared the ball off the line. After an extended run in the first team in Clichy's absence, Gibbs made an appearance in the UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg away at Manchester United, which Arsenal lost 1–0. In the second leg, Gibbs made a costly slip when attempting to defend a cross and allowed Park Ji-sung to score a crucial away goal for United after only seven minutes.

2009–10 season

He started in Arsenal's opening home match of the 2009–10 season against Portsmouth and featured for the whole 90 minutes. With Clichy injured and out for several weeks, Wenger entrusted the left back spot to the youngster. However, on 24 November 2009, Gibbs broke a metatarsal in his right foot in Arsenal's 2–0 UEFA Champions League victory over Standard Liège as a result of a lunge from Eliaquim Mangala, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

2010–11 season

Gibbs made his first start of the season and completed 90 minutes when he replaced Gaël Clichy at left back against Bolton on 11 September 2010. In a League Cup match at Tottenham, Gibbs started the match, deputising Gaël Clichy at left-back. During the period of extra time, Gibbs suffered a suspected broken metatarsal to his left foot and he was replaced by Clichy. A day later, the club confirmed via their official website that Gibbs had only suffered severe bruising to his left foot. He made his comeback a week later in a UEFA Champions League 3–1 away win against FK Partizan. He conceded a penalty in the second half which was eventually saved by Łukasz Fabiański.

2011–12 season

Gibbs playing for Arsenal in 2011

Following the departure of Gaël Clichy to Manchester City, Wenger confirmed that Gibbs would be replacing Clichy as first-choice left-back.

On 20 September 2011, Gibbs scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 33rd minute of a League Cup match against Shrewsbury Town. On 16 October 2011 in the 2–1 victory over Sunderland, Gibbs suffered a stomach problem five minutes into the second half and was replaced by André Santos. On 17 November, Gibbs underwent hernia surgery and was expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Gibbs returned to training on 31 January 2012. Gibbs made his first start since October against Milan in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16, although he played a fine game, Arsenal lost 4–0.

Gibbs made his first start since October in the Premier League in the North London derby against Spurs which Arsenal won 5–2. He scored his first league goal for Arsenal on 24 March 2012 in a 3–0 win against Aston Villa at the Emirates. On 13 May 2012 against West Bromwich Albion, the last match of the season, Gibbs came on as a substitute for Gervinho in the 67th minute and made a crucial sliding tackle to prevent Billy Jones from scoring an equaliser in the dying minutes. The match ended 3–2 to Arsenal which secured Arsenal's 3rd-place finish ahead of rivals Tottenham.

2012–13 season

Gibbs started the 2012–13 season as Arsenal's first choice left back and his impressive run of early season form led to praise from the manager and international recognition. On 19 December 2012, it was announced that Gibbs, along with teammates Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson, Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, signed a new long term contract with Arsenal. He scored his first goal of the season on 6 January against Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium in the FA Cup with a spectacular volley inside the penalty area.

On 30 January 2013, Gibbs picked up a thigh injury during a game against Liverpool and was ruled out for six weeks. Gibbs had to wait for his next Premier League start due to his injury and due to the signing of Nacho Monreal from Málaga on the last day of the January transfer window. He made substitute appearances against Reading and West Bromwich Albion, and he did start the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last 16 tie with Bayern Munich. As this is so, his first start in the Premier League since Monreal's arrival came on 13 April 2013 against Norwich City, with Arsenal winning 3-1.

2013–14 season

On 21 August 2013, Gibbs scored the opening goal of a 3–0 win away to Fenerbahçe in the UEFA Champions League play-off round, from a Theo Walcott cross. On 22 March against Chelsea, Gibbs was incorrectly shown a red card after referee Andre Marriner misidentified him for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who committed a handball in an attempt to prevent a Chelsea scoring opportunity. On 17 May, Gibbs started in the 2014 FA Cup Final as Arsenal beat Hull City 3–2 at Wembley Stadium.

2014–15 season

Gibbs playing for Arsenal in 2014

On 23 October 2014, Gibbs scored his first goal of the season, an 89th-minute volleyed equaliser in a 2–1 win in a group stage match in the UEFA Champions League away at Anderlecht.

2015–16 season

Gibbs played in the Community Shield of 2015, a game wherein Arsenal won 1-0 over that of Chelsea at Wembley. Gibbs scored his first goal of the season on 8 November 2015, equalising in the 77th minute against Tottenham. His strike was also the 24,000th goal of the Premier League era thus putting him into the record books.

2016–17 season

Gibbs wore Arsenal's captain's armband for the first time in an EFL Cup game against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground which Arsenal went on to win 4-0.

He led the squad once again in another EFL Cup match at home vs Reading being triumphant by a scoreline of 2-0.

Gibbs was part of England U19 squad that was knocked out in the group stages of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship but qualified for 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt as a result of finishing third in their group.

Gibbs was called up for the England U21 squad along with Arsenal team-mate Theo Walcott for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden. He scored two goals in a pre-tournament friendly victory over Azerbaijan in a 7–0 rout at Stadium mk on 8 June 2009 and converted his penalty in the tournament semifinal against Sweden. Thus England reached the final of the U21 Euros, a game that the Three Lions lost, wherein Gibbs earned a silver medal as a runner-up.

He scored the opening goal in a 6–3 win over Macedonia in a 2011 U21 Euros qualifier on 9 October 2009. Gibbs was thus selected by manager Stuart Pearce as part of the squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship to be held in Denmark. He eventually had to pull out due to an ankle injury.

Gibbs was eligible to feature for either Barbados or the Three Lions at the senior level. As so, Gibbs was called up by Fabio Capello to England for his first cap in a friendly against Hungary on the 11 August at Wembley Stadium. He came on as a half-time substitute for Ashley Cole. After two injury affected seasons, Gibbs was rewarded for his good form and again called up to the England squad on 8 October 2013 by new manager Roy Hodgson.

Gibbs was born in Lambeth and currently lives in London

Gibbs is of Barbadian ancestry and has a twin brother Jaydon, who is also a footballer and played for Aldershot Town F.C..

Club

As of match played 28 January 2017

International

As of match played 17 November 2015

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15
• FA Community Shield: 2014, 2015

England

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Runner-up 2009

• ^ "K. Gibbs". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 April 2016. 
• "2009 UEFA European Under - 21 Championship". UEFA.com.