"I still think that you can get at them" – Jamie O'Hara singles out 'clumsy' Arsenal star who 'has mistakes in him' as potential weakness in solid Gunners side
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara has identified Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes as a potential weak link in Mikel Arteta's side after their recent 3-2 win over Liverpool.
The Gunners returned to the top of the Premier League table with a statement victory at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (9 October ). Gabriel Martinelli scored in the opening minute of the match while Bukayo Saka netted twice after Darwin Nunez and Roberto Firmino's equalizers.
‘We are a family’ ❤️ https://t.co/WIzZshjj8E
Speaking on talkSPORT, O'Hara lauded Arsenal's form and consistency in the opening nine matches of the season. He said:
"Fair play to them. I'd love to sit here and criticize them and say that they're going to fall away but at the moment I can't see it. We always say to judge the league after 10 games and they've played nine, they're top of the league and they've got to play Leeds in the next game so you could be looking at another win."
He continued:
"They are the real deal and as much as I want to criticize them, they play on the front foot, they go after teams. Martinelli is absolutely fantastic, Jesus is a leader, Saka doesn't get the credit that he deserves and they're just a really solid team."
However, O'Hara singled out Gabriel for his nervy performance against Jurgen Klopp's side. The Brazilian won just one tackle, made two blocks and completed four recoveries during the contest.
Analyzing the centre-back's outing, O'Hara added:
"I still think that you can get at them with the back four. Gabriel, for me, is clumsy and has mistakes in him and Liverpool should have had a stonewall penalty yesterday where it hit his arm. But as a team, they're solid, really complete, playing with confidence and it's horrible to watch!"
Not a handball apparently. What on earth is the point of VAR #ARSLIV https://t.co/jg6hgI1WmH
Gabriel, 24, has established himself as a first-team starter since arriving from Lille for an initial fee of £27 million in the summer of 2020. He has scored one goal in 11 appearances across all competitions this season, helping his side register four clean sheets in the process.
Arsenal will next be in action against Bodo/Glimt at the Aspmyra Stadion in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (October 13).
Arsenal eye move for Pau Torres
According to Fichajes, Arsenal will battle Chelsea and Tottenham to sign Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres in the summer of 2023. The Spaniard is on the radar of a number of European sides following his performances for the national team and Villarreal. As per the report, the defender is expected to join a Premier League side in the summer.
Torres, 25, has a contract until June 2024 at the Estadio de la Ceramica. The left-footed Spaniard has registered 11 goals and five assists in 144 matches across all competitions for the Yellow Submarine.