Since he arrived in 2020, Gabriel Magalhaes has been crucial to the Arsenal defense. Having partnered with different centre backs by Mikel Arteta, to find a solution to Arsenal’s excessive goal concessions. He has never been the one getting replaced. He gives credence to how good he has been since his arrival and how important he is to Mikel Arteta’s plans.
Last season was the moment he got the most perfect replacement for a right-footed center-back Mikel Arteta has been looking for to partner with him. The highly rated William Saliba. With that combination, it propelled Arsenal to a Premier League race for the first time in over 10 years. That exposure introduced more external eyes to Arsenal’s team and most especially, their centre-backs. And that emerged the genesis of who is better between them.
Gabriel vs Saliba, who is more rated?
Maybe not by any of those focused eyes, but Big Gabi has always been rated highly by Arsenal fans, even before the arrival of highly rated William Saliba, who signed for Arsenal before him. His imposing presence and strong defensive performance at the early stages of his Arsenal career caused his endearment to Arsenal fans and earned him the name ‘Big Gabi’. But even at that, Arsenal’s defense was still very porous, conceding an average of 1.26 goals per match.
This virtually made more Arsenal fans yearn for the return of the highly rated William Saliba, who was then on his second loan from Arsenal at Olympique Marseille. And had also won Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season that year.
In the 2022/2023 season, Saliba partnered with Gabriel at the Arsenal’s backline. And straight away, Saliba didn’t waste time to show why he is so highly rated. His calm control of the ball when under pressure, his near-accurate passing range, and his ability to withstand press from the backline and progress further were very noticeable and superior to Gabriel’s. And to cap it off, his signature last-ditch perfect tackles that usually disable opposing attackers during counter-attacking sequences. This won him praise and admiration from Arsenal fans and especially, the external eyes.
But the fact that Saliba’s technical ability on the ball is superior doesn’t mean that Gabriel does not possess any of those. Rather, Saliba has mastered his own so well, that it has become aesthetically pleasing that a 22-year-old defender could execute such technical moves better than some known midfielders or strikers.
While with a better defensive stat than Saliba last season, the argument of who is more rated between them was put to bed when Saliba was chosen amongst the Premier League’s best eleven, though he had missed a good part of last season, as Arsenal lost the league title to Man City. An indication of how aesthetics is highly rated in football. A decision proudly welcomed by Arsenal fans and non-fans (external eyes).
Gabriel VS Saliba. Who has done better this season?
Having been rated lesser than Saliba last season, Gabriel became the circumstantial sacrifice of Mikel Arteta’s tweaking of Arsenal’s formation, in the new season. When the Manager was asked the reason why he dropped Gabriel, although initially tight-lipped about that decision, he hinted that a spell on the sidelines had done him a power of good.
‘In football, it’s about tomorrow,’ said Arteta.
‘It’s about form, it’s about how you are playing, it’s about how you are behaving, and you have to earn it every single day because you know somebody else is next to you and wants to take your place and deserves to take your place.
‘Sometimes you just need to sit on the bench and realize things and suddenly become a much better player.’
Perhaps, Arteta’s statement had stuck with Gabriel because he has never had any reason to return to the sidelines since he regained his position. Since then, he has started all the Premier League matches the club has played. He is currently the highest-scoring defender in Premier League 4 and also the highest-scoring Premier League defender since his arrival. 14.
He has also impressed this season not only with his improved scoring skills but also his all-general abilities. Based on the indices used to measure the stats of Premier League players, he is well ahead of Saliba on the stats of Defending, Attacking, and Discipline except for team plays.
Fans Finally Appreciate Big Gabi’s Impact
His impressive hasn’t gone unnoticed though. Maybe not by the external eyes, but Arsenal fans are starting to see how good he has been for us this season.
Appreciating how good he has been for us this season, an Arsenal fan believes he must be included in this year’s team of the season.
I don’t want to see a SINGLE Team of the Season without this man in it. pic.twitter.com/aqNTQjlv0h
— Alex (@AMonFootball) April 12, 2024
Arsenal Fans have also once shown their displeasure at how Big Gabi’s performance has been ignored. Reacting to a post on X, some fans laid bare their thought after Saliba was giving the player of the match against Man City:
“Should’ve been Gabriel but it is what it is”
“Gabriel edges it for me both brilliant though”
“Gabriel was a much better player.”
Either way, the fact that he wasn’t handed the Player of the Match award is a dead matter, but it was refreshing to notice that Arsenal fans now rate him as equal or better to high-profile William Saliba. And with time, the external eyes would follow suit. would be Big Gabi’s time.
About the Author
Ajekwuenu Chibuzor is a lifelong soccer fan and an Ardent Arsenal supporter. He will enjoy talking to you about any topic on soccer. You can follow Chibuzor on Twitter @ajekfelix to enjoy his great soccer content. Remember to subscribe to our Youtube channel where we do several shows daily.
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