Arsenal: Gabriel Paulista Eliminating The Nonsense

Arsenal bore the brunt of Gabriel’s inconsistencies early on, but he seems to have made one thing a priority now – not making any more mistakes.

When Gabriel first arrived at Arsenal, it was easy to see what his upside was and what problems needed a bit of fine-tuning. He was incredibly athletic, as he was able to keep pace and out-muscle Romelu Lukaku (which is turning to a favorite activity of his). He is fearless in his aggression, much like Francis Coquelin. Likewise, he doesn’t back down from anyone. Not even Diego Costa in his now-infamous rabid bear form.

However, he was also prone to mental lapses. One episode I will never forget involved Gabriel punching himself in his own head in rapid succession after a particularly ill-advised defensive gaff.

He has been a work in progress, as most Wenger-era players are. Nobody has come pre-made for success. Those kinds of people cost too much. But just like Elneny has evolved, so too has Gabriel.

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Since taking over at center back, the changes are incredibly clear. While he still displays all the positives that we have seen from the moment he was purchased, the new strategy for Gabriel to eradicate mistakes is a fool-proof one. Just don’t get in a position to make them.

How? Punt the ball. Anywhere away from the current zone. Gabriel was already averaging six clearances a match – the most on the team – but since that time, he has upped his clearance game even further. Against Everton he whacked away ten potential threats and he added another seven against Watford.

Effective clearances are an underrated part of the defense as well as a part that shows the strides that Gabriel has been making. You will often hear a good clearance referred to as ‘no-nonsense defending’ by commentators. That’s exactly what a clearance is. There’s no dallying on the ball, dinking it around in a danger area or sitting on it looking for a passing lane. It is the only sure-fire way to alleviate the pressure.