The arrival of Gabriel Magalhaes last summer from Lille was hailed as an excellent buy by Mikel Arteta, and after a very promising start to his Arsenal career he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations we were hoping for.
But he has obviously done enough to impress the coach for the Brazil Olympics team, Andre Jardine, and Gabriel is hoping to win a place in the Brazil side who should be playing in Tokyo if the Games are allowed to go ahead.
“A dream. That’s the word to describe this possibility,” said the 23-year-old to globoesporte.
“Representing the green and yellow shirt is always a source of pride and pleasure. Without a doubt it is a dream and also a goal.
“The generation that won in 2016 will be remembered forever. I hope to be able to write my name in history too.”
“Due to the level of competitions I played and having played frequently, I’m sure this will be very important for me in the national team.
“I feel, today, a much more complete athlete. Tactically, physically and technically, I feel extremely prepared.
“I played against the best athletes and at a very high intensity. This raised my level a lot. I hope to be able to put all this growth into practice for the national team.”
The problem for Arsenal is that the Olympics should begin on Friday, July 23, and run to Sunday, August 8, which is just one week before the beginning of the new Premier League season, so Gabriel (and probably Martinelli) will both likely miss the whole of Arteta’s pre-season.
Do you think Arsenal should let him have his dream? Or refuse to give permission?
I remember his first few games, he was brilliant. In a very similar way Partey’s first few games played out.
Unfortunately for both, the longer they were coached by MA and had to follow his strange tactics, they both, along with other players, declined in form.
Exactly thats what I keep saying.. But no for some Arteta is a mastermind genious who improved saka and ESR.. The way I see it players are getting worse under him and I fear for our youngsters to be playing underhim
What about Tierney? What about the improved Xhaka? (his first decent season in five in a red/white jersey). What about the improved Calum Chambers and the solid Holding? Marri? Gabi M. had a horrid injury and needs to be drafted into the line gradually.Mikel has worked wonders with those who heed his words only let down by some nasty players.
“Mikel has worked wonders”…now that might be the richest take I’ve heard in some time…I don’t even know where to start, so I’m just going to walk away from the computer before my head explodes
Mikel..wonders….worked…
BANG!!!!!
What improved Xhaka? Xhaka is the same player ive always seen nothing changed about him.. Tierney was always good but always injured.. And chambers has always been a decent player. Who was our best defender for our last FA cup under wenger? Holding! And don’t be decieved by our defensive stats because the way we play we are just like a mourinho team! All the examples you’ve made has nothing to do with Mikel! Players are regressing under Mikel and thats obvious for the eye to see.
Wasn’t Spurs Partey’s second game? It was quite awful in memory, Partey just seemed to be finding his feet towards the end of the season.
You cannot say no to a player who wants to represent his or her country, I say let them go we have enough back up with Saliba coming in or even Mavropanos at least until the end of August, priority is to buy a player to back up KT at left back
Exactly right Tas, if you want to piss a young player off, stopping him from playing for his country in the Olympics, would be a good start.
This year will prove it and if it’s true then Arsenal has to get a read of ARTETA.
Would be better than pre season which in post covid is likely to be training sessions against Boreham Wood Reading or Bournrmouth.
Of course they will go if selected.
i dont get it why do you guys see every article as an opportunity to blast arteta.sure no one is happy with how things are run. But defending a central defender is almost spiffy. Central defenders tactical setup is not complex unlike mid and attack. Think of john stones under guadiola. Unless you setup your CB to attack in open play (scotland with tierney and hendry). All they are asked to do is defend out of posession highline or not. In possesion they are either part of your buildup play or not. So blaming arteta for gabriel dip is bizzare, it not like he is played out of position. Or maybe he is asked to do something he obviously cant.
or if you force players to constantly play out from the back with an Keeper who’s ill-equipped to deal with such a narrative, so it invites considerable pressure by the opposition, but instead of relieving said pressure through the logical deployment of a counter-attacking option, you instead require your defenders and DMs to make far too many sideways or back passes, as you’ve chosen to employ a slow-building possession-based offensive scheme, which invites even more pressure, since the opposing teams aren’t fearful of being caught out of position considering the fact that our lack of direct play allows them to regroup defensively…just saying
Everyone should be allowed to play for their country. If this was a “British” player for our Olympic team (sadly we don’t have one!) the question of them participating wouldn’t even get asked. Let Gabriel and Martinelli play if selected.
How can he not be given ‘his dream’. The point of life is happiness and joy for oneself and others. I bet if you could turn back the years, (you and I too, with a different body of course) you would relish being chosen to represent your country. So I think yes, and it also shows what a good player he is thought to be.
100% they should, its not like its going to be a regular thing and it is always an honour for any player represent their county
By all means let him play at the Olympics as part of his development as he is far from the finished article.Indeed I am doubtful if he will make it in the EPL as he is lacking in positional sense and is highly vulnerable in one for one situations.Hopefully he will improve next season as his communication skills improve with his team mates.
Yes, let him get experience, be happy and keep Saliba and Dino (or any other academy player like (Ballard or Mcguiness or Medley or other who played senior games), with Holding, Mari and Chambers for emergencies, that is more than enough.
I thinks he’s had a first season at the club and in England! He’s young and will only get better and better. What do people want? Virgil van the first season he arrives in English football? Even Virgil played in England for a few years before people took notice.
*Good
I’m afraid you are mistaken.VVD arrived at Celtic from Holland ,and within a matter of weeks he was attracting the attention of English Clubs who watched him on numerous occasions.Unfortunately for us Arsene Wenger had reservations about his somewhat relaxed attitude on the pitch and decided he would not improve our defense.He moved to Southampton, and the rest is history.Gabriel is not in the same league as VVD and probably, never will be.
Grandad, you never know unless you have future hindsight Wenger sadly did not have hindsight when he turned VVD down…
The guys talent was glaringly obvious .He strolled through games north of the border and did the same in the EPL.Nothing to do with hindsight.At a time when we desperately needed defensive strength,Wenger failed to recognise his ability and bring him to Arsenal.
So true Grandad…over that one year period we could have had VVD and Kante for considerably less than Xhaka and Mustafi…those are the kind of piss-poor recruitment decisions that will always come back to haunt…now I wouldn’t have said this if neither player was on our radar and/or we hadn’t reached out to their respective representatives, but we had and yet we still went a totally different direction…you add that to the fact that we gave away Sanchez and Ramsey for functionally nothing, then gave a ridiculous extension to Ozil without properly addressing the DM position….this is why we are where we are presently