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Gabriel Paulista Is Needed If Arsenal Hope To Slow Bayern Munich
By Josh Sippie
Bayern Munich has one of the most fearsome teams in the world of football. Between Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski, the strikers are terrifying. Franck Ribery and Mario Gotze add another vicious dimension. Each layer has its own superstars, it seems. It will take a mighty athletic defensive line to slow that attack. For that reason, Gabriel Paulista is absolutely vital to Arsenal’s hopes.
The young Brazilian is absolutely fearless. It has been embedded in his brain to never back down. When going up against the star power that Bayern employs, that is crucial to a team’s success. Facing Muller, Lewandowski, Ribery – that can be an intimidating prospect. But Gabriel Paulista will not be nervous. He will not hold back. He will also not be afraid to get physical.
With Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista in the middle of the pack, Arsenal is essentially immune to fast breaks. Bayern may have tremendous skill and physicality up front but the speed they have is mainly on the wings, and without Arjen Robben, they lose a good portion of that speed.
That leaves Koscielny and Gabriel Paulista to deal with Muller and Lewandowski. No easy proposition, but again, they can most certainly cope. Neither one has blazing speed and both can be out-muscled when up against a dominant center pairing back like Arsenal have.
Gabriel Paulista has been deemed fit by Arsene Wenger and that has to be perhaps the most welcome injury news we have heard all season. The Brazilian should be starting every game for Arsenal. His intensity is equal to that of Francis Coquelin and Alexis Sanchez, two of the most vital guys on the team. Given enough time, Gabriel Paulista will become one of the most vital guys on this team as well.
His proactive defending and unflinching aggression make him a key piece against any opposition. Bayern Munich can beat anyone in the world but that does not matter to guys like Koscielny and Gabriel Paulsita. They will still come out with the same degree of aggression.
Per Mertesacker is more than capable of being a relevant force at the back but at the end of the day, Gabriel Paulista has to be the go-to guy. He seems to get better with each additional performance and he will be eager to get back onto the pitch after having to miss out on the Watford affair due to illness.
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