Wenger struck gold on Arsenal defender who scored greater than Gabriel

It is protected to say that Arsenal‘s defence has come a good distance below the stewardship of Mikel Arteta.

Flash again to the darkish days of Arsene Wenger’s previous couple of years with the Gunners and you will sadly bear in mind some error-stricken defenders who weren’t as much as the duty.

The likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Sebastian Squillaci and David Luiz aren’t remembered too fondly by supporters on the Emirates Stadium and rightfully so.

Mustafi was maybe the worst of the lot with a few of his errors within the 2019/20 season stopping Unai Emery’s males from sealing Champions League soccer.

Fortunately, gamers like which are no extra. Arteta now has one of many best defences in European soccer at his disposal with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba two colossal figures on the again.

Final time period, Arsenal shipped simply 29 objectives of their 38 league video games; the very best file in the whole division.

Whereas Saliba is the Rolls-Royce of the duo, Gabriel brings a bit extra aggression and a pair extra horsepower. He is like the fashionable Vary Rover. A person for all events, for all weathers.

Gabriel’s season in numbers to this point

The Brazilian, signed for £27m from Lille again in 2020, has confirmed to be one of many easiest signings of the Arteta period up to now.

He’s a person mountain and has already scored 4 objectives from set-piece situations this time period. His newest two got here in the course of the membership’s final couple of matches, powering house a header on the again publish in opposition to Sporting in midweek earlier than scoring a extra deft header on the close to publish when Arsenal thumped West Ham 5-2 on Saturday.

Gabriel, though withdrawn at half-time, was one of many stars of the present as he so typically is and he is lastly stepped out of Saliba’s shadow.

He’s maybe the very best defender within the Premier League, actually in terms of the offensive phases of play.

So, why is he so good? Nicely, it helps that the Gunners are the very best corner-takers within the land.

Gabriel’s headed objective in opposition to the Hammers this weekend turned out to be Arsenal’s twentieth from a nook within the league for the reason that starting of final season. For context, no crew have scored extra from such conditions over that point. Moreover, Gabriel’s haul of 5 objectives from corners are greater than some other Premier League defender throughout the identical timeframe.

If you’d like much more numbers to marvel at, for the reason that Brazilian arrived in England in 2020, no centre-back has scored extra in Europe’s high 5 leagues than the 26-year-old’s 17.

He is fairly rattling good, is not he? Nicely, what if there was a defender with much more objectives for Arsenal? Sure, that participant does exist.

Chalkboard

Soccer FanCast’s Chalkboard collection presents a tactical dialogue from across the world sport.

The one Arsenal defender with extra objectives than Gabriel

Again in July 2010, Arsene Wenger used the membership’s chequebook to signal a Frenchman. Shock, shock.

On this event, nevertheless, it was not a participant of Thierry Henry’s calibre, nor was it a participant of the calibre of a sure Robert Pires.

As a substitute, it was a defender. Laurent Koscielny penned phrases after shifting from Ligue 1 aspect Lorient for a price of simply £8.5m. Because it turned out, that was one of many greatest bargains the nice Wenger secured throughout his time in north London.

Why? Nicely, it wasn’t simply Koscielny’s longevity that stood out however his management and his means to attain some fairly essential objectives shone by, simply because it has with Gabriel in Arsenal colors.

For a second, we need to put apart the controversial approach by which the centre-back ultimately left. Membership captain, he was introduced as a Bordeaux participant by ripping off an Arsenal shirt. It was weird, proper?

However anyway, the France worldwide ought to be remembered for what he really dropped at the pitch throughout a time when Wenger’s aspect had been removed from superb defensively.

He ultimately left the membership with a whopping 353 appearances in all competitions and within the phrases of Rio Ferdinand in 2015, he was the perfect the English top-flight needed to provide at the moment.

Wonderful reward certainly from a defender who wasn’t a nasty participant throughout his pomp both. So, the place does the now 39-year-old rank amongst Arsenal defenders? Proper up there.

As you may see, Koscielny occurs to be the highest-scoring defender in Premier League historical past for Arsenal.

Sure, the dominant Gabriel is presently discovering the online with higher regularity nevertheless it can’t be understated simply how good the previous Lorient star was throughout his time on the Emirates.

He scored a thumping objective away at Manchester Metropolis, the winner in a comeback victory in opposition to Everton and maybe most memorably, scored the equalising objective within the FA Cup ultimate in opposition to Hull Metropolis.

All in all, it is protected to say that was £8.5m properly spent, do not you assume?

Associated

Not simply Saka: £27m star is turning into top-of-the-line in Arsenal’s historical past

Considered one of Mikel Arteta’s signings is quick turning into top-of-the-line gamers we have ever seen at Arsenal.