Gael Clichy: Ex-Arsenal star scores long-range screamer - thanks to a fan | OneFootball

Former Arsenal and Manchester City defender Gael Clichy scored an absolute beauty over the weekend, lobbing the goalkeeper from the halfway line.

And now, the Frenchman has revealed that he only took the effort on thanks to some advice from a fan on social media.

Clichy spent 14 seasons playing in the Premier League, making 467 appearances for the London and Manchester clubs.

In that time, he won three Premier League titles, along with three domestic cups.

Clichy scores a screamer

And while he might be in the final years of his career, Clichy decided to wind back the years with a sensational strike for Swiss team Servette.

Winding back the years might not be an apt description though, as we’re not sure the defender has ever pulled off a strike quite as good as this.

Servette stormed into a 2-0 victory within the opening eight minutes against bottom-of-the-table Sion, and they would only have to wait one more minute for their third.

Cutting inside to steal the ball from his opponent, Clichy gains possession and has a quick look up at the goalkeeper’s positioning.

Seeing him off his line, Clichy elects to lob the keeper from just beyond the halfway line, which he spectacularly does.

The commentator sounds like he can’t believe what he’s just seen, as Clichy’s teammates all pile onto the French defender to celebrate the goal.

It’s a brilliant effort, and you can see it for yourselves below.

Watch: Clichy’s fantastic long-range lob

Absolutely breathtaking from the 37-year-old, who will certainly remember the goal fondly when looking back on his career.

It piled on the misery for their opponents, who went on to lose the game 5-0, meaning that Servette retain second place in the Super League.

But there’s even more to the story, as Clichy revealed after the game that he only went for the audacious effort after receiving some advice on social media.

As it turns out, a Servette fan had DM’d the full-back on Instagram and pointed out that the opposition’s goalkeeper frequently liked to come off his line when out of possession.

“I received a message on Instagram from a fan of Servette who said to me that the goalkeeper tends to be a bit advanced, and it stuck in my thoughts,” Clichy said after the game, as per The Independent.

“The execution was successful and it’s three points.”