New Boys, Gabriel And Willian, Make Instant Impacts For Arteta’s Arsenal

It has been a very good week for Mikel Arteta. He was promoted from head coach to first-team manager; he confirmed that Arsenal and talisman striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have agreed a new 3-year contract; Arsenal won its opening Premier League game of season 3-0 at Fulham; two players recruited over the summer made impressive debuts.

Brazilian center-back Gabriel Magalhães was a surprise inclusion in a three-man defense while fellow countryman Willian also got the nod.

Gabriel

It took only two minutes for Gabriel to become the latest defender to have Arsenal fans holding their heads in their hands. Poor communication between Gabriel and returning goalkeeper Leno presented Fulham attacker Kamara with a great chance to score. Fortunately for Arsenal, Leno’s hand just as quickly stymied the attacker.

From that point onward, Gabriel positively strolled through his debut despite not having played since the French League went on hiatus in March on account of Covid-19. Even the introduction of the muscular Mitrovic after an hour, didn’t upset his rhythm.

Gabriel also contributed at the attacking end and scored Arsenal’s second goal – just his 6^th senior goal. Unmarked and largely unchallenged, Gabriel was 6-yards out and in the center of the goal when Willian’s corner kick arrived on his head. It is doubtful if he will ever score an easier goal no matter how long he plays for Arsenal.

Left-footed center backs are prized commodities in the modern game and Arsenal fans will be hoping that they have found a keeper.

Impressive statistics from Gabriel but a word of caution. As is the case with many defenders that rack up eye-popping passing stats, the numbers can be deceptive. Of the 113 attempted passes, half went backward or square.

Fact File

The 22-year-old was signed from Lille for a fee of $28 million just a few weeks ago. His contract with Arsenal runs until June 2025 and his starting salary is estimated to be $4.5 million a season.

Willian

He started in a wide attacking position on the right and in 75 minutes Willian had a hand in all three Arsenal goals.

The first was from a partially blocked stab at goal that ran free to Lacazette just a few yards out; the second was from a well-flighted corner kick that found the head of Gabriel; the third and final goal was from Aubameyang who was set loose by a raking cross field pass from Willian.

It might have been four goals given that Willian hit the Fulham post in the first half from a free kick. You can imagine that Arsenal’s recently recruited “Head of Set Pieces,” Andreas Georgson, must be salivating at the thought of working with Willian.  

Fact File

Willian was signed a month or so ago after seeing out his contract with Chelsea. He had spent 7 seasons with the West London team. Age 32, there were a lot of raised eyebrows when the diminutive Brazil international signed a 3-year deal with an annual salary of over $14 million. Critics of the signing might be keeping a low profile after Willian’s emphatic debut.

Mohamed Elneny

Not a newcomer to Arsenal but to invoke a cliché, it was almost like having a new signing.

Elneny made just 46 Premier League appearances over three and a half seasons under Arsene Wenger and then, Unai Emery. The conventional wisdom going into the 2020/21 season was that Elneny was going to be sold or loaned out for another season.

I don’t think anyone could have foreseen the Egypt international playing a key role in the Community Shield win against Liverpool and then following it with a near flawless 90 minutes against Fulham. But that’s what happened, and suddenly Arsenal fans are looking at Elneny in a very different way.

Perhaps, its not the player that was the problem but how he was being used. Like Granit Xhaka his midfield partner in the last two games, Elneny is being asked to cover and defend a much smaller area under the Arteta approach.  

Elneny even played a part in two of Arsenal’s goals. His clipped pass to Aubameyang led to the first goal. For goal number three he intelligently found space behind pressing Fulham players and was instrumental in keeping the move alive in midfield.

It could be that he still leaves Emirates Stadium but if he does, he will do so with an enhanced reputation rather than being ushered quickly out the exit door.

Fact File

Signed by Arsenal in January 2016 from Swiss team Basle for $13 million. Last season he played in Turkey on loan at Besiktas. Elneny is 28 and has a contract to June 2022 that pays around $3.5 million per season.

Coming Up

Three points, a clean sheet and a good display is to be celebrated but Arsenal’s progress will be better gauged after a tough run of Premier League fixtures through to the end of October.

West Ham (H) September 19

Liverpool (A) September 28

Sheffield United (H) October 3

Manchester City (A) October 17

Leicester City (H) October 24

Manchester United (A) October 31