Arsenal: Gabriel Paulista success compounds defensive misery

With Gabriel sold over the summer without the purchase of a replacement. His success at Valencia only worsens the shocking state at the back for Arsenal.

Gabriel Paulista’s Arsenal career was a strange one. In certain moments, he looked like a world beater. He managed to pocket Lukaku and had had the versatility to operate at both centre back and right back.

However, these moments of brilliance were accompanied by lapses in concentration and poor communication. Although the latter was always going to be a stumbling block due to his inability to speak English.

As a result, Arsene Wenger decided to cut his losses and sell the Brazilian to Valencia for a mere £10m, chump change in today’s inflated market. Not only should Wenger have gotten a much higher fee for the centre back. The sale of the defender without getting a replacement was a mistake that we are now heavily regretting.

In Wenger’s defence, during the summer the decision didn’t look a bad one. We had five senior centre backs on the books without Gabriel. Two elite defenders in Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny. Two up and coming youngsters in Calum Chambers and Rob Holding. Per Mertesacker coming off a heroic performance in the FA Cup final. As well as Nacho Monreal, the left back turned centre back.

Yet at present the situation looks a lot bleaker. Holding and Chambers are both struggling for form and struggling with inexperience at the top level. Mertesacker’s defensive ability seems to have fallen of a cliff, and he has somehow managed to lose the last ounce of pace he once possessed.

But worst of all, be it due to ongoing Achilles problems or not. The form of the usually reliable Koscielny has dipped dramatically. This makes the loss of Gabriel even more frustrating. The Brazilian is of a similar mold to our vice-captain, possessing tremendous athletic abilities and recovery speed.

I am positive that if we kept Gabriel, he would have been afforded a lot more opportunities this season. His pace would have proven invaluable. Seeing our back line being ripped to threads by, with all due respect, an unknown Nottingham Forest youngster, only exasperated my feeling of loss.

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Not only is Arsenal’s defensive horror show displaying Wenger’s poor transfer decision. Gabriel’s form in Spain only highlights it further. Having started 13 games already this season, his choice on a personal note, already seems vindicated.

With 1.5 tackles per game and 4.1 clearances per game on average. He is already performing better statistically than all but one of our centre backs (Mustafi being the exception). Gabriel has helped Valencia to an impressive 3^rd position in the league. At the age of 27, he will now enter the prime of his career and Arsenal won’t profit from it.

Personally, I am hoping that the loss to Nottingham Forest sparks Wenger in the transfer market. Arsenal desperately need at least one new centre half. If we continue with the current crop for the rest of the season, I see us finishing 6^th in May.

Next: Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest Player Ratings

Gabriel Paulista may never have been the most talented football player at our club. Yet his loss is being highlighted, and the better he performs in Spain, the more we will live to rue his exit.