Arsenal have been rocked by the information that starring talisman Gabriel Jesus will face months out of motion after choosing up a knee injury in opposition to Cameroon while on 2022 World Cup responsibility in Qatar, with Brazil.
Jesus, signing from Premier League champions Manchester City in a £45m deal this summer season, arrived on the Emirates Stadium with a heap of expectation on the extent that he would convey to the membership, and he has ticked the packing containers in resounding trend.
The five targets and 7 assists that he has delivered to north London since his transfer solely make clear half the story, along with his dynamic, versatile method to his ahead play and his seamless potential to conduct the group’s ahead pushes leading to a brand new sheen of slick cohesion.
Such newfound fluidity has been a defining issue behind the superb type that has seen an ascension to first place within the Premier League; after 14 matches performed, the membership perch 5 factors above nearest rivals Man Metropolis.
Regardless, Jesus will miss the motion for the foreseeable future, and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta may now flip to a different summer season signing who has not but fairly hit the bottom with full impression.
The 22-year-old Fabio Vieira, who arrived from FC Porto in a £34m deal, has displayed glimpses of brilliance since his arrival, however has loved extra success within the Europa League than on the home entrance to date, solely beginning one match within the Premier League, though he did rating in that fixture – a 3-0 rout over Brentford.
Nonetheless, he has made 15 appearances throughout all competitions, scoring two targets and registering two assists and is slowly integrating into the aspect, and whereas the absence of Jesus comes as a significant blow to Arteta, it gives the proper alternative for the Portuguese maestro to display why he deserves extra recreation time beneath his Spaniard supervisor’s tutelage.
Within the Europa League, the 22-cap U21 Portugal star has achieved a median score of seven.15, as per Sofascore, averaging 2.0 pictures and making 1.8 key passes per recreation to enhance the laudable 91% passing accuracy.
And as per FBref, Vieira’s deployment excessive up the pitch has offered his group with glorious frontal cost, evidenced by his rank inside the high 5% for touches within the attacking penalty space and the highest 7% for progressive passes acquired out of midfielders in Europe’s large 5 leagues over the previous 12 months.
If Vieira can proceed to make the increments in direction of incomes an everyday beginning function in Arteta’s thriving group, placing his “velvet left foot” – as praised by Joe Cole – to good use, then he’ll swiftly work his manner up the ranks and etch his title into prominence, dazzling with a melange of attributes that may cut up defences aside and go away defenders plummeting to the bottom after being bested by his trickery.
Jesus’ damage does certainly come as a giant blow, however with the likes of Vieira ready within the wings, there may be a lot to stay constructive about on the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal are on the rise, and their Portuguese summer season signing can enormously contribute towards the ascension.