Thread by @_sakalinho, [THREAD] Who is Gabriel Magalhães? The 22-year-old has been one of the [...]

[THREAD] Who is Gabriel Magalhães? The 22-year-old has been one of the best defenders in Ligue 1 this season, attracting interest from a host of top European clubs. But what makes him special?

A short thread explaining Gabriel Magalhães’ best qualities.

Gabriel Magalhães is a left-footed, Brazilian centre-back and has been one of the findings of the season, working under Galtier. His composure and confidence on the ball are what truly catches the eye, despite the fact that he is one of the strongest defenders in the air.

(1/n)

There are certain qualities a modern-day centre-back needs to have. The player should possess decent vision and ability to ping passes, while also being quick, aerially adept and strong in duels. Gabriel ticks these boxes.

(2/n)

Unlike what FT analysts state, Gabriel is far from being a ball-playing CB. Playing air balls is one of the qualities a BPC must-have, but breaking lines with low passes, holding his position in a high line and being consistent at it is something he is yet to develop.

(3/n)

This is not to say he won’t become a ball-playing CB. Under the guidance of Mikel Arteta and a supreme BPC like David Luiz, he will eventually become one, learning and playing alongside the veteran.

(4/n)

I see a bit of Aymeric Laporte in Gabriel. He is an elegant passer of the ball, who is confident and able to play those risky passes. Gabriel Magalhães 19/20 vs one of the best ball-playing centre-backs I’ve watched, Laporte 18/19. That should be his aim (passing stats).

(5/n)

Note: Statistics are being used to showcase what Gabriel’s best qualities are, not to compare him to Laporte. A centre back’s best skills is his brilliance at reading the game, positioning and his ability to command a line, which stats do not record.

(6/n)

While being a great passer, Gabriel is a tall CB who wins a staggering 70% of his aerials. His impressive build, standing at 6’3, helps him win headers efficiently while losing only 33% of his ground duels. An impressive stat for a 22 y.o who is still learning his trade.

(7/n)

One of Gabriel’s better qualities is his pace to track back and stop forwards from running in behind. He does not get exposed in a high defensive line and is confident at making tackles and does not choke in 1v1s, which makes him an indisputable starter for either Arsenal.

(8/n)

When you look at two of the costliest defenders, Maguire and Van Dijk, the former struggles to play in a high line due to his inability to cope up in 1v1 situations. He has been caught napping tons of times due to his lack of pace and that is what separates Van Dijk.

(9/n)

Otoh, Gabriel slots perfectly well in a high defensive line. As compared to Arsenal’s defenders, he has everything Arteta cannot find in our defenders, i.e composure with and without the ball, pace and aerial prowess. This is precisely what he brings to the table.

(10/n)

From what I’ve watched, one major flaw in Gabriel’s game is his positioning. This would obviously come into his game with time, but in the Premier League, he would not get away as much as he does in Ligue 1, although he does have the speed to cover up his mistakes.

(11/n)

Unlike Saliba, the Brazilian is at times pretty rash. He is a reactive defender, who is not afraid of lunging into tackles. Otoh, Saliba is a very conservative CB, who knows when to commit and when not to.

That's another reason why this partnership could work wonders.

(12/n)

If he is to join Arsenal, the likeliest scenario is that he will be paired alongside Luiz in the starting weeks. Luiz will be a great mentor for two, potentially world-class centre backs in Saliba and Gabriel, and our foundation looks strong enough to win us trophies.

(13/n)

Likes and RTs are appreciated if you enjoyed the thread. Cheers!

Follow me if you want David Luiz to continue performing the way he did in the final for another two years.

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