Arsenal: Gabriel Paulista Will Prematurely End All Koscielny Fears

Arsenal’s defense seems to turn into a whole new body when Laurent Koscielny exits, but Gabriel Paulista will put those fears to bed.

Ask any Arsenal supporter out there who they are terrified to see this team without and you will get one of two answers – Alexis Sanchez or Laurent Koscielny. Although I’d reckon you’d get a bit more saying the Frenchman, simply because the numbers are impossible to deny.

Arsenal defeated Bayern Munich with Koscielny on the pitch but were absolutely demolished without him. It was night and day.

So seeing Koscielny bow out at half time in a crucial match against Manchester City was bound to fill Gooner’s with dread, terror, horror and every other synonym that fits in this category. Our captain was gone, our defensive glue, our central tower.

But Gabriel Paulista came in, the Brazilian Warrior, and if anything, he improved the defense. Because in the second half Manchester City found it far more difficult to penetrate than they did in the first half.

Gabriel made a difference. He brought his best self onto that pitch, knowing damn well that the next opportunity may not be for awhile. Which is how this whole internal competition thing is supposed to work. Success by one player should prompt improvement in others.

When Arsene Wenger bought Gabriel two winters ago, it was clear who he resembled as a defender. He resembled Laurent Koscielny. They were both extremely athletic, aggressive and fearless. They didn’t exactly have the most size and strength, but it didn’t stop them from utilizing their mobility and ferocity to make a difference.

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This similarity became a problem though, as having two Koscielny’s was actually worse than having one. Plus, the communication issues from the Brazilian were problems in and of themselves. He had the ability, but until he figured out how to coordinate with the rest of that back line, it didn’t matter.

This year, he had to fill in for Hector Bellerin and he showed, yet again, tremendous ability. He proved to be more than capable, as his athleticism amply equipped him for the role. We hadn’t seen him in a big-time match in the center of the pitch in quite some time, however.

So when he came on against Manchester City, it was a huge test, and he couldn’t have passed it any better. He was everything Koscielny was. He was determined, he didn’t hesitate and he was cohesive with the back line.

It might be scary to think about moving forward, even in the short-term, without Koscielny. But think back to when Gabriel first arrived. We never doubted his ability. We doubted his communication. If that communication is improving, which, there is no reason it wouldn’t be, then there is absolutely nothing to fear.

Next: 10 Reasons Wenger's One More Year Makes Sense

Gabriel is here, and we are safe to carry on.

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