Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted what every single Gooner and indeed English Premier League fan has known - Gervinho is not a good finisher.

The Ivory Coast international was one of the best players for Arsenal against Reading, posing a constant problem to the Royals backline.

Gervinho's dribbling abilities and his work rate have never been brought into question. However, those qualities mean nothing if there is no final ball or finish.

That has been the 25-year-old's problem since his arrival from Lille in 2011. If, and it is a big if, Gervinho can improve his finishing as well as final ball, then he can easily be, not just one of Arsenal's best players, but one of the best in the Premier League.

Wenger is not one to come out and highlight a player's problems, but the Arsenal boss is a master at sugar coating a deficiency, which is exactly what he did while praising Gervinho's efforts against Reading in the 4-1 win Saturday.

"He finishes well now," Wenger said. "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."

Gervinho was so dangerous against Reading that he created more than enough chances for himself to complete a hat-trick rather than just one goal - the opener.

"On Saturday, Santi Cazorla missed a lot in the first half because he wanted to always hit with his laces," Wenger added. "At halftime 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."

The rushing of the shot seems the norm rather than the exception, and while the likes of Thierry Henry and Robin Van Persie were not natural goalscorers in their youth, at 25, Gervinho should really be a lot better in front of goal - even if he is not a pure central striker.

One more year of perseverance will definitely be endured by both Wenger and the Arsenal fans, and if Gervinho can repay them for their faith and patience with a 20-goal season, all will be forgotten.