Some Arsenal fans have fairly moved away from the usual suspects to levy the blame on Southampton’s goal through former Gunner Theo Walcott on Gabriel Magalhaes.
Saints ace Jannik Vestergaard showed Arsenal what a creative, ball-playing centre-back is with a brilliant pass into the middle of the pitch.
Gabriel decided to press forward on forward Che Adams and was punished for doing so as the former Birmingham ace muscled off the defender as he span away, making it look effortless.
Gabriel, who was recruited for a fee of £27m this summer, as per the Guardian, left his fellow defenders stuck with his choice – Kieran Tierney slid over to cover the central area, leaving the space for Adams to thread the ball into Walcott’s path.
The ex-England international showed ice-cold composure as he controlled the ball and lobbed it over Bernd Leno before celebrating against his former club for his boyhood club.
See More: “Very disrespectful” – These Arsenal fans react as Theo Walcott scores and celebrates against his former club
Walcott at the Emirates!@SouthamptonFC take the lead with a well-worked goal ?#PLonPrime #ARSSOU pic.twitter.com/rxwekzsimy
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 16, 2020
Pictures from Prime Video Sport and Optus Sport.
Here’s what some of the Arsenal faithful had to say on the Brazilian’s role in the costly goal:
No one gonna blame Gabriel for that goal? Okay. Our most protected player no matter how many mistakes he does
— Hami (@HamiiAFC) December 16, 2020
Tht goal was gabriel’s fault
— Olohije (@_LOHI_) December 16, 2020
Gabriel is doing pretty good for Arsenal but he’s also a very big liability. That goal was on him
— Junior (@iam_JYJ) December 16, 2020
Goal came from a Gabriel mistake. He hasn’t made many, but that was the root of the goal. Lack of cover from Tierney too. #afc
— Matt (@mattpicton99) December 16, 2020
That goal was on Gabriel. No need to rush there.
— Luca Pacioli (@lucapacioli88) December 16, 2020
Blaming Leno for that goal while Tierney and Gabriel exist,una
— ? (@AFC_Mateo) December 16, 2020
The way Gabriel and Elneny failed to deal with that pass in the lead up to the goal. Shocking.
— Adam Salter (@AdamSalter4) December 16, 2020
Gabriel was not supposed to come out,he cause that goal,Walcott was free.
— Cryptogeek (@Xweets85) December 16, 2020
Gabriel had made an encouraging start to life at Arsenal, but that seems to be fading away with the side’s poor form continuing, he had Chris Wood’s error to thank for not being criticised vs Burnley.
The 22-year-old was also left looking unflattering in the buildup to Heung-Min Son’s opener for rivals Spurs as the Gunners were embarrassed in the first north London derby of the season.
Mikel Arteta may want to advise Gabriel against pushing dangerously forward like this – leaving central defence wide open – even though he may be doing so in a bid to paper over the midfielders’ cracks.