Gabriel dos Santos Magalhães

[HairSprayGooners]

yep our CB target is Upa or nothing

 

[OnlyOne]

yep our CB target is Upa or nothing

Don't know if he's the best option anymore tbh.

 

[MikelHadADream]

This is a no brainer. It's a modest fee and he has all the tools to become a top class centre back. There aren't many 6'4, left footed fast centre backs around. He needs to be signed.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Not a ringing endorsement, but he is surely an improvement on Kola in a back three?

 

[HairSprayGooners]

This is a no brainer. It's a modest fee and he has all the tools to become a top class centre back. There aren't many 6'4, left footed fast centre backs around. He needs to be signed.

If that's all you want to sign a CB then I'd be very worried. He will turn into another squad player.

 

[MikelHadADream]

If that's all you want to sign a CB then I'd be very worried. He will turn into another squad player.

I didn't say that did I? He is still young but he has all the tools a modern CB needs to become top class.

The fact that he is physically imposing would make him our best centre back by default.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

I didn't say that did I? He is still young but he has all the tools a modern CB needs to become top class.

The fact that he is physically imposing would make him our best centre back by default.

Hes been defending ligue 1 ffs.

 

[Trilly]

Gabriel at that price, is a ridiculous opportunity and if we pass it up to buy some Spanish CB who is good on the ball,

We've already bought Mari but yeah I hear you. Sick and tired of buying defenders who always have to compensate for being small or weak or slow.

Just want somebody who ticks all of the physical boxes first and foremost.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Hes been defending ligue 1 ffs.

Quality is quality. Van Dijk played in Scotland until his mid 20's.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Quality is quality. Van Dijk played in Scotland until his mid 20's.

Van Dijk had obvious quality even in Scotland.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Van Dijk had obvious quality even in Scotland.

As does this lad in my opinion. He is 6'4, fast and physically assertive. He also seems to be quite composed as well, he stays on his feet where possible. Being left footed is an added bonus.

 

[TornadoTed]

Forget experience and age. It is what you look for in the player. If we play 4 at the back, your two centrebacks need to be comfortable at:

-Playing the ball from the back.
- Winning aerial duels.
- Going into wide areas and dealing with wingers
- Staying on their feet.
- Snapping into challenges in front.
- Running backwards to their goal and recovering.

You know who the last player that we had who could do every single one of those things? Koscielny. You know what experience he had? one year in ligue 1 and the rest of his career in ligue 2.

Gabriel has Champions league experience and ligue 1 experience. He ticks every one of those boxes. You know who doesn't? Mari, Sokratis, Luiz and Mustafi. **** experience and age. I want players who can do their job.

Gabriel at that price, is a ridiculous opportunity and if we pass it up to buy some Spanish CB who is good on the ball, but can't win his individual duels, then what is the point in even competing.

We need to invest in players who can win their duels. If they cannot win their duels, then they best be giving something to the team that mitigates it.

In england your individual battles win you the game. You need to have the physicality to compete. Our centre backs can't deal with Maupay. That is why we are where we are in the league. If they can't deal with him how the hell can they deal with Firmino, Aguero, Abraham, Werner, Rashford.

It just isn't possible. Our two midfielders cannot deal with Lo Celso and Winks. We have no chance until we start signing duel specialists, and saying they are too young or too inexperienced is just a ridiculous excuse.

A Gabriel with experience is VVD ffs.

You mention Koscielny but he was 25 when he came here, and he played alongside Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen all players with decent experience.

'A Gabriel with experience is VVD' is frankly one hell of a stretch, he may one day reach that level but he could just as easily tank which I guess is my point. I'm not saying we should sign the finished article like VVD, we can't afford or maybe even attract that kind of player but I would like someone with a little less risk attached than Gabriel. There must be loads of players between 22 years old with 48 appearances and a 29 year old considered to be one of the best central defender in the World.

I am not saying experience is everything, far from it. I just can't think of many examples of top class central defenders performing consistently until they are 24-25 years old. To have one under that age is pretty rare, to have two would be unprecedented.

If you can name a central defensive partnership with a 19 and 22 year old playing at the top level then go for it, I can't think of one.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Forget experience and age. It is what you look for in the player. If we play 4 at the back, your two centrebacks need to be comfortable at:

-Playing the ball from the back.
- Winning aerial duels.
- Going into wide areas and dealing with wingers
- Staying on their feet.
- Snapping into challenges in front.
- Running backwards to their goal and recovering.

You know who the last player that we had who could do every single one of those things? Koscielny. You know what experience he had? one year in ligue 1 and the rest of his career in ligue 2.

Gabriel has Champions league experience and ligue 1 experience. He ticks every one of those boxes. You know who doesn't? Mari, Sokratis, Luiz and Mustafi. **** experience and age. I want players who can do their job.

Gabriel at that price, is a ridiculous opportunity and if we pass it up to buy some Spanish CB who is good on the ball, but can't win his individual duels, then what is the point in even competing.

We need to invest in players who can win their duels. If they cannot win their duels, then they best be giving something to the team that mitigates it.

In england your individual battles win you the game. You need to have the physicality to compete. Our centre backs can't deal with Maupay. That is why we are where we are in the league. If they can't deal with him how the hell can they deal with Firmino, Aguero, Abraham, Werner, Rashford.

It just isn't possible. Our two midfielders cannot deal with Lo Celso and Winks. We have no chance until we start signing duel specialists, and saying they are too young or too inexperienced is just a ridiculous excuse.

A Gabriel with experience is VVD ffs.

Gabriel definitely has the raw abilities to become a top class centre half as you mentioned, the club should be all over him.

Would steady on with the VVD comparisons, there's a difference between having the ability but the actually producing it on the pitch. Van Dijk's performances at Liverpool have been up there with the all time great defenders, he is that good IMO.

VVD also is miles better on the ball by the looks of it, as well as being faster.

 

[grange]

This move makes too much sense so I already know it's not happening. It's a shame that Arsenal refuse to build with obvious potential/talent and continue to make life more difficult for the rest of the team with over the hill or never has been bums.

 

[MikelHadADream]

You mention Koscielny but he was 25 when he came here, and he played alongside Sagna, Gibbs, Vermaelen all players with decent experience.

'A Gabriel with experience is VVD' is frankly one hell of a stretch, he may one day reach that level but he could just as easily tank which I guess is my point. I'm not saying we should sign the finished article like VVD, we can't afford or maybe even attract that kind of player but I would like someone with a little less risk attached than Gabriel. There must be loads of players between 22 years old with 48 appearances and a 29 year old considered to be one of the best central defender in the World.

I am not saying experience is everything, far from it. I just can't think of many examples of top class central defenders performing consistently until they are 24-25 years old. To have one under that age is pretty rare, to have two would be unprecedented.

If you can name a central defensive partnership with a 19 and 22 year old playing at the top level then go for it, I can't think of one.

I agree here. I don't think Saliba will be a starter straight away as everyone seems to think. Arteta has mentioned he is still very young and had an injury ravaged season, he will be eased in IMO.

Looking to the future though, Saliba-Gabriel would be a very exciting partnership. Both have the tools required to be top class.

 

[TornadoTed]

I agree here. I don't think Saliba will be a starter straight away as everyone seems to think. Arteta has mentioned he is still very young and had an injury ravaged season, he will be eased in IMO.

Looking to the future though, Saliba-Gabriel would be a very exciting partnership. Both have the tools required to be top class.

I would be ok with signing Gabriel if we sent him or Saliba out on loan for next season. I just think it is too risky to blood two inexperienced youngsters at the same time. Potential often doesn't materialise if the player isn't integrated and nurtured with care.

Edit - I forgot we also have Mari too who needs easing in too. I'm as sick and tired of our defenders as the next man, I just don't think replacing them all with kids or players with no experience is the answer

 

[MikelHadADream]

I would be ok with signing Gabriel if we sent him or Saliba out on loan for next season. I just think it is too risky to blood two inexperienced youngsters at the same time. Potential often doesn't materialise if the player isn't integrated and nurtured with care.

Hypothetically, I think it would probably be Gabriel and one other, maybe Luiz, with Saliba being eased in gradually. I agree with your point, but I don't think there is a 25y/o centre half currently on the market that is a better option for the club than Gabriel.

 

[dashsnow17]

Unpopular opinion but I think Saliba-Mari could probably work quite decently, at least in theory. Both good in the air, Mari probably better with his feet. Saliba can do the running, Mari can do the whole Mertesacker organising the troops thing. If Mari is slow well you've got Tierney next to him who's quick and a good 1v1 defender. Bellerin next to Saliba so even if Bellerin cocks up Saliba could cover with his pace.

You've the whole dog/cat thing with CB partnerships, the dutiful dog and the prickly cat. Mari's the dog, Saliba's the cat, although I think he ends up the dog later in his career. Make sense?

 

[GDeep™]

Make sense?

Nah. One is a kid and the other has never played at this level before, both are new to the PL. Doesn’t make sense in theory and probably won’t in practise.

 

[GDeep™]

Saliba and Mari are getting terrorised next season unless Arteta can sign two very good defenders to stabilise the ship.