Mikel Arteta has overseen a complete transformation of Arsenal since taking the job over five years ago.
The Spaniard has changed the North Londoners from a mid-table side spiralling out of relevance, into a lean, mean, winning machine that feels so close to finally getting over the line in a major competition.
A significant reason for this comprehensive transformation is the club’s out-of-this-world defence, which is anchored by arguably the best centre-back partnership in the Premier League, if not Europe: William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.
The duo are the perfect combination of elegance on the ball and tenacity off of it, and it now looks like Arteta has picked up a player who is a hybrid of both, and no, it’s not Cristhian Mosquera.
What makes Saliba & Gabriel such a brilliant duo
Now, while both of them can do a bit of everything at the back, it would be fair to say, at least in the minds of most fans and pundits, Saliba and Gabriel have complementary skill sets.
For example, when it comes to the Frenchman, sure, he can tough it out with any attacker who comes his way, but at his very best, the 24-year-old is a smooth operator.
He’s someone who can time a tackle to perfection; someone who can bait the opposition’s press just to pass the ball around them, and he can ping a ball into the frontline for a classic route-one goal if needs be.
There is a reason so many people, including his defensive partner, refer to him as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender, and the fact that FBref rank him in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion only reinforces such an idea.
So, with that said, what makes Gabriel such an incredible stalwart in Arteta’s defence?
Well, it should be said that, like the Frenchman, he too is no slouch when it comes to on-the-ball excellence, and he knows how to time a tackle.
However, what the Brazilian really brings to the table is his dogged tenacity, unwillingness to ever give up and a monstrous towering presence that is often enough to put attackers off on its own.
More than that, though, the former LOSC Lille ace is also a leader; he’s someone who’s gone through his own issues at the club and come through the other side so much stronger. He also really gets what it means to wear the badge.
This was on show in the game against Newcastle, as, despite getting it wrong for the opening goal, he rallied and put in a masterful defensive display afterwards, making 11 clearances, blocking two shots, making three interceptions, and then putting in three tackles to boot.
Finally, and this is a hugely important attribute in this team, which was also on show at St James’ Park: he’s a goal threat.
It was the “colossal” titan, as dubbed by Statman Dave, who headed home the late winner on Sunday, and despite being what many would consider a rather old-school centre-back, it was just one of many goals he’s scored for the club.
In total, the São Paulo-born superstar has scored 21 goals for the club in 218 appearances and provided five assists for good measure.
In all, it’s hard to think of a better centre-back partnership in world football than Saliba and Gabriel’s, so it’s great news that Arsenal have signed someone who’s a hybrid of both.
The Arsenal star who is a Saliba & Gabriel hybrid
Now, Mosquera has undoubtedly had a brilliant start to life at Arsenal this season, and looks like he could go on to be a star.
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However, from what we’ve seen of the silky Spaniard thus far, it feels like he’s far more in the mould solely of Saliba rather than a hybrid of the Gunners’ two defensive stalwarts, unlike Piero Hincapié, who signed on a season-long loan with a £45m option to buy in the summer.
Starting with the former, then, one of the key similarities he shares with the former Saint-Etiene gem is his passing mastery and comfort level on the ball.
For example, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 2% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 4% for key passes, the top 7% for passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.
While these numbers do paint the picture of someone slightly more attacking than the Gunners’ number two, it also shows that he’s as comfortable with the ball at his feet.
npxG + xAG
0.18
Top 1%
Progressive Passes Rec
2.54
Top 2%
xA: Expected Assists
0.10
Top 2%
Crosses into Penalty Area
0.27
Top 2%
Crosses
1.33
Top 2%
Touches (Att 3rd)
12.72
Top 2%
Carries into Penalty Area
0.18
Top 2%
Tackles (Att 3rd)
0.30
Top 3%
Fouls Drawn
1.33
Top 4%
Progressive Carries
1.78
Top 5%
Carries into Final Third
1.45
Top 5%
Key Passes
0.56
Top 6%
Dead-ball Passes
5.77
Top 6%
Touches (Att Pen)
1.60
Top 6%
Passes into Penalty Area
0.56
Top 7%
SCA (Shot)
0.15
Top 9%
Touches
81.83
Top 12%
Touches (Live-Ball)
81.83
Top 12%
Moreover, it’s not just the ease with which he passes the ball, but also the fact that he’s clearly been entrusted to make progressive and aggressive passes by managers, which shows an immense level of trust from them in the international ace.
What about Gabriel, then? What parts of his game does the Ecuadorian share with Arsenal’s Brazilian wall?
Well, while it’s far harder to quantify the similarities he shares with Saliba, the former Leverkusen star appears to be as much of a fighter as the 27-year-old.
For example, U23 scout Antonio Manfo has described him as “an absolute beast”, and his agent has gone further than that, calling him “a warrior” and “a leader.”
Finally, while no defender is as dangerous as Gabriel in the penalty area, the Esmeraldas-born titan can chip in when it comes to the attacking side of the game, as he scored two goals and provided two assists in just 32 league games last season.
Ultimately, while he’s unlikely to reach the incredible heights of Saliba or Ganriel, Arsenal look like they have got their hands on another defensive star in Hincapié, and the sooner he’s back to full fitness, the better.