“Goes unnoticed a bit in football” - Conor Coady lavishes praise on work done by Arsenal duo
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Conor Coady has lavished praise on Arsenal's centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel.
The pair have been quite impressive this season, contributing to a largely successful Gunners defensive set-up. The north London side have kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League (six) and let in the fewest goals (10).
Saliba has featured in every top-flight game this season, while Gabriel has made 11 appearances. The duo have now settled into the season and are two of the first names in the team sheet for Arsenal.
Coady told Football Daily on BBC Radio 5 Live (via The Boot Room) about the pair:
"Yeah I think it goes a long way for somebody like Saliba who’s played with him all last year as well. I think that goes unnoticed a bit in football a bit, partnerships and relationships."
"Sometimes people look at it and think, he should be able to play there or he should be able to play centre-back with anybody but sometimes when you’ve got a partnership and a relationship together, you understand how the other player plays, you understand his movements, you understand that he’s always going to cover your back."
He added:
"So, if the ball’s in an area and the ball gets played over my head, he’s always going to be there for me. That goes a long way in football so bringing him back into the team has obviously helped."
Saliba and Gabriel are likely to be preferred in central defence when the Gunners host Lens in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (November 29).
Rio Ferdinand lavishes praise on Arsenal's central defensive pairing
William Saliba and Gabriel's defensive partnership has caught the eye of many. The latest to lavish praise on the duo is Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand.
The former defender reckons Arsenal are more likely to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League over Liverpool because of the duo, telling TNT Sports (via Eurosport):
“The two centre-backs, they'll be the reason why I would put them ahead of Liverpool in the title race to challenge someone like Manchester City, because you can trust those two implicitly at the moment."
Arsenal are atop the Premier League table, racking up 30 points, one ahead of second-placed Manchester City, after 13 games. Liverpool are third with 28 points.