PREMIER LEAGUE

William Saliba or Gabriel? Who has been more important?

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes form one of the best center-back partnerships in world football. The Arsenal defenders together form the most feared defense in the Premier League leading the league in clean sheets by a big margin last year. This year also they have started very strongly and with the addition of players like Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino it looks like The Gunners will improve even more. Even though Arsenal look great, they have been a bit unlucky this season. Losing out players to injury and being down to ten men multiple times in the first seven games of the season hasn’t helped.

During this period, Arsenal have remained unbeaten. Facing tough teams to begin the season, it is their rock-solid defense that has won them many points. It is to be noted that it’s not just these two who are responsible for Arsenal’s defense, the group defends so well as a team that their job gets a bit easier. To understand their value, let’s look at what each one of them excels at and then choose one.

William Saliba

William Saliba is generally viewed as the better technical player. Everything that he does has a calmness to it. He is an excellent defender, and it is his intelligence as a player that is of great value. Not to forget that he is a great passer of the ball. Very good at finding players in space and is never rattled by the opposition’s press. Not just that, he can play the ball over the top of the opposition for quick counters. Saliba is a great tackler, not the fanciest but surely one of the most effective. His timing while going for interceptions and tackles is immaculate.

All this has earned him recognition in England and France. He was one of France’s best players in the Euros and is now a regular for the French national team. He is one of the very few ‘Rolls-Royce’ defenders in the world. William Saliba has transformed from a highly-rated youngster to Someone who can do everything required and is irreplaceable. The young defender has secured two English Super Cups but is still chasing league and European titles. He talked about winning major titles before calling himself the best, this only shows that he is mature beyond his age and understands what’s important.

Gabriel Magalhaes

Gabriel Magalhaes is a beast in the air. He wins a huge amount of duels and is much better in the air when compared to William Saliba. Being good in the air not just in his own box but also in the opponent’s. He has scored two goals in seven league matches by heading the ball in. Arsenal have giants who always have a new trick up there sleeve. Gabriel looks like the player who is the target from set pieces. The goals that he has scored came against City and Spurs. His goals have fetched points for Arsenal in a period without Martin Odegaard.

Recently Darren Bent on Talk Sport made a case for why he would pick Gabriel out of the two. Gabriel is not a bad passer or defender. He is just not William Saliba and that’s fine. He is a great center-back in his own right. Both were named in the PFA Premier League team of the season; they are that good. The two are different, they excel at different things but if asked to choose a defender between the two, it really depends on what you need but I would rather have Saliba. He is capable of doing everything that you can expect from a top center-back and at just twenty-three years of age, he has a lot to offer.

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