The Elusive Number 9: Gabriel Jesus
Introduction
As we approach the business end of the season, chasing an illustrious top four spot, it is equally as important to plan ahead to next season. In this series, I will be profiling the best possible acquisitions we can make to really propel this side to the next level.
To kick off the series, we will be looking at the all important hunt for our next star-studded striker. I have compiled a list of names that we could potentially be seeing grace the pitch at The Emirates next season.
As we have scored just 56 goals in league action this season, it is clear a new star-studded striker is paramount to progressing as a club. We have failed to score in 11 of our 37 Premier League matches to date this season, with 8 of them coming away from home, the 5th worst record in the division. So without further ado…
Profile
- Club: Man City
- Age: 25
- Nationality: Brazil
- Height: 1.75m
- Preferred foot: Right
- Current Value: £45m
Gabriel Jesus has became a household name for Premier League fans over the years with Man City. The newly turned 25-year-old striker left his homeland over 5 years ago now when he swapped the sandy beaches of São Paolo for the gloomy skies of Manchester, and he hasn’t looked back since. Over 150 appearances, 56 goals, 32 assists, 3 league titles, 3 league cups and 1 FA Cup for “O fenômeno” as he is known in Brazil, testament to his lung-busting work rate.
However, with the proposed arrival of Erling Haaland looming, as well as Argentine wonderkid Julian Alvarez joining up with the squad from River Plate this summer, Jesus’ time looks to be up at the Etihad. Arsenal have been heavily linked in recent weeks regarding the signing of Gabriel Jesus, and with only 1 year remaining on his deal, a discounted deal may be on the agenda.
Strengths
With the ability to play anywhere in the front 3, Gabriel Jesus is a very admirable pick for Arsenal and especially Arteta. The Brazilian has over 50 full international caps for Brazil, blessing him with a wealth of experience not too dissimilar to our own Alexandre Lacazette, at just 25 years old.
His versatility and work rate is a major plus for Arteta, who will know him well from his time spent at the Etihad as a coach. Although he may not offer the typical presence of a ‘number 9’ he can offer an abundance of other traits. His stellar finishing, gritty determination and stereotypical Brazilian flair make him a highly valuable asset to Arteta and the way we play.
His versatility for me makes him one of the most elite options we could find, combined with his Premier League prowess. There was once a time that Gabriel Jesus was regarded as the best up and coming striker in the world of football, and with him being just 25, his best days are arguably still ahead of him.
His decisiveness in front of goal is far from being his biggest strength too, as his aggressiveness when pressing opposition defences can be a match made in heaven for Arteta’s side. The images below signify his determination and grit to win the ball back high up the pitch, something that he does on a regular occurrence.
Due to his aggressive nature, he will likely create plenty goalscoring opportunities for others. Saka, Smith-Rowe and Martinelli is all players that would reap rewards from his ruthless press.
Jesus registers the third-most tackles in the attacking third for players who have played more than 10 games this season for Pep’s side, averaging 0.58 per 90, which is considerably more than Arsenal’s Lacazette who averaged 0.32 per 90, despite considerably amassing more minutes on the pitch. He also ranks 1st amongst the attackers at Man City for tackles and interceptions (2.09 p90).
What stands out the most in the Gabriel Jesus repertoire however, is his elite npxG statistics (non-penalty expected goals). His npxG of 0.44 per 90 ranks him in the 94th percentile in all of world football. Again, for context, Bukayo Saka has the highest npxG for Arsenal this season, totaling 0.25 per 90.
Having a player such as Gabriel Jesus in the ranks is destined to increase our points tally, and it is a move he would more than likely welcome with regards to the World Cup later in the year. Ideally, he wants to be playing consistently and that is most definitely something Arsenal could offer him.
Weaknesses
As Jesus enjoys playing on the shoulder’s of the last line of defence, he often gets caught offside, however, that record has drastically improved this season. He has recorded just 0.45 offsides per 90 this season, which is slightly less than his fellow compatriot Gabriel Martinelli who records 0.51 offsides per 90.
However, this may be due to a tactical tweak in Pep’s system, which has seen him be deployed as a right winger more often this season. Jesus primarily lead the line before this, which saw him record 0.74 offsides per 90 last season and 0.80 the season prior to that.
Another area of concern is the fact that he is not to be trusted with penalty duties for the club. He is one of the few strikers in world football to have missed more penalties (7) than he has scored (5), so as long as we can keep him away from penalty duties, we should be okay.
Summary
Gabriel Jesus is one of the most explosive strikers in the world, and his 4 goals in the one game v Watford this season is testament to that. His versatility and lung-busting work ethic make him a must sign for me. He may not be able to carry the club to glory single-handedly, but he will most definitely propel our club in the right direction.
I would hope a deal between Pep and Mikel won’t be too hard to accomplish, and we are not required to break the bank for the man with one year remaining on his deal in Manchester. If a deal <£40million can be arranged, he’s a must buy in my opinion.
