Is this Gabriel Jesus’s season at Arsenal at last?
Gabriel Jesus has recently emerged as Arsenal’s man of the moment after his much needed goalscoring form.
The Brazilian has notched up five goals in two successive games and although it might’ve been against Crystal Palace he’s still delivered and looks stronger than ever!
Mikel Arteta brought his ex-co worker to Arsenal two years ago, who he’d worked with previously when under Pep Guardiola as assistant manager at Manchester City.
The once influential striker at The Etihad who was crucial up front was signed to become The Gunners out and out striker, but after an excellent start to his career at the Emirates, he has arguably underdelivered since then.
Jesus who scored a crucial hat-trick versus Palace in the League Cup quarter-finals this week, ensuring Arsenal reached the semis of the competition after winning 3-2, has already nearly bagged more goals than he scored last season in total with only half the campaign completed!
Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal scores his team's first goal as Dean Henderson of Crystal Palace fails to make a save during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Arsenal FC
Gabriel Jesus of Arsenal scores his team’s first goal as Dean Henderson of Crystal Palace fails to make a save during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Arsenal FC England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
So far he has claimed six strikes in 22 games in all competitions in comparison to last season he netted eight times in 36 matches in all tournaments.
In his first year at The Emirates during the 2022/23 campaign the four time Premier League champion reached 11 goals more impressively in 33 games averaging a respectable goal in every three matches which certainly hasn’t been the case since!
After picking up on his shooting accuracy recently he now has a goalscoring rate of a goal in nearly every four games which if he keeps up will improve further hopefully as Arsenal look to resume their Premier League title pursuit.
It looks like Jesus has restored Arsenal’s faith in him this week as well as all Gooner’s after starting to finally meet the expectations put on him when he signed for The North Londoner’s. It was only a few months ago that people were questioning whether his future was secure at The Gunners after his dip in form, with speculation Arsenal were looking to replace him!
Arteta claimed originally that the Brazilian “changed our world” but in this season he’s failed to meet his goalscoring targets as an expected saviour up front.
Since 2022 in North London Jesus has accumulated 25 goals overall which simply put isn’t good enough. Harry Kane in comparison whilst Spurs reliable striker rounded up a stunning 30 goals in 38 Premier League games come the end of the 2022/23 season before leaving for current club Bayern Munich where he’s kept his strike form going.
The Gunners have fortunately not relied solely on one talisman since his arrival during the 2022 Sumer Transfer Window. During the 2022/23 season for instance Arteta contained three proven goalscorers. Bukayo Saka, captain Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli all snatched an impressive 15 goals each in all competitions. However Jesus who ramped up 21 finishes for Manchester City throughout the 2018/19 season should’ve been up there as well in the list of top Arsenal talisman’s and since!
It’s hard to imagine that as of the last few days Arsenal once thought about potentially selling him not long ago.
Arteta told The Independent recently that it looks as if Jesus has re-emerged following a tricky spell: ”He has had some difficult moments and when you are a striker that’s not easy because you get a lot of the spotlight.
“But credit to him, because his work ethic, and the way he came back in the summer, he was a completely different player. And now he is being rewarded.”
The Spaniard further stated that the striker has come out stronger since making the most of his recent selection: ”You have to prepare for your opportunity and, if you fail to prepare, it is not going to happen.
“You want results early on and you don’t always see the rewards. It is like going to the gym and looking in the mirror after one week or one month.
“Sometimes it needs more time and suddenly everybody is saying you look much better, you’re looking healthier, and that’s a good example to use to understand what Gabi had done.”
Jesus has hopefully he started to turn a new chapter in Arsenal’s attack, and can now go on a prolific run of form to save our season!
LIAM HARDING