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Arsenal could "potentially" have managed Gabriel Magalhaes's minutes better following confirmation of his season-ending hamstring injury, Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.
The Brazil international is confirmed to be sitting out the rest of the campaign with the severe problem he picked up in the first half of Tuesday's 2-1 Premier League home win over London rivals Fulham.
Gabriel pulled up after sprinting back and was immediately replaced by Jakub Kiwior as he joined Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Jesus (both knee) and Kai Havertz (hamstring) in Arsenal's season-ending injuries club.
The former Lille man is seldom rested when fully fit, but Watts does not fully buy into the notion that his minutes are to blame for his problem, saying: "It's Gabriel. He plays. Your best players play in most games.
"Virgil van Dijk I think has missed a minute in the Premier League this season. Maybe there were opportunities there, but PSV he rested Saliba. If you're resting one of them, can you rest the other? I don't know. You still want to win these games. They're still important.
"Was it avoidable? Maybe. But who knows? Even if he was rested, he might have picked up the injury anyway. It was a killer, just sucked the life out of it. Saka raised the roof, but when Gabriel went down, you just felt the collective groan of, 'you are kidding.'
"Absolute hammer blow, combined with what would then happen to Timber, the fact that White's out. In the space of a week, they lost four defenders. It's just the story of the season. You wait months for your attackers to start coming back, you finally get almost all of them back, and then the defence, which was the thing you pinned your hopes on for Madrid.
"Arsenal fall back on what their strengths are. Defend really, really well, keep it tight. You've got the best centre back partnership in the world. And now suddenly that's decimated. It's impossible to discuss Arsenal's season without injuries being at the forefront of the conversation."
Gabriel minutes broken down after season-ending injury blow
Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal on November 26, 2024© Imago
Gabriel returned early from international duty with Brazil in March, but his appearance against Fulham was his 42nd of the season for Arsenal in all tournaments, 40 of which have come from the first whistle.
The South American has played the full 90 or 120 minutes in 36 of those battles, even though Arsenal are hardly short of left-sided defensive options, while only being taken off in the Champions League (vs. Sporting Lisbon) and the Premier League (vs. Liverpool, Fulham and West Ham United) when injured.
Gabriel was also retained in the first XI for largely inconsequential Champions League matches against Girona and PSV Eindhoven in the second leg of the last-16 battle, partnering Kiwior as William Saliba was rested on both occasions.
"Could they be managed better? Potentially, yes," Watts added. "It's something they're going to have to look at. But it's football. You look around the Premier League, it's the worst season I know for injuries.
"When you look at the amount of hamstring injuries players are suffering, so much higher than what it previously has been, and the extent of those injuries as well. They're not just two or three weeks; like we've seen with Saka and Havertz, really serious injuries.
"It does feel like there's too much football being played. So I'm sure Arsenal will explore what's happened and see if they can do things a little bit differently. But sometimes you've got to say it's just misfortune. That's how I feel with the Gabriel one. Inside Mikel Arteta must be absolutely screaming. He hasn't used it as an excuse all season. But away from the cameras, he just must be smacking his head against the table."
As well as Gabriel's devastating blow, Arsenal lost Ben White to a niggle before the Fulham clash and Jurrien Timber to a knee concern during the fixture, although neither man's issue is expected to sideline them for the remainder of the season.
Could Rice at centre-back solve Gabriel problem?
Arsenal's Declan Rice pictured on November 30, 2024© Imago
However, both men are doubts for Saturday's Premier League trip to Everton and the impending Champions League quarter-final first leg with Real Madrid, which Riccardo Calafiori will also miss on account of his knee problem.
As a result, Arteta will likely have no choice but to start Kiwior and Saliba in defence with Thomas Partey at right-back, but Kiwior in particular has not inspired confidence this season with a collection of shaky displays.
Declan Rice has experience playing at centre-back and may be the only viable alternative to Kiwior, but Watts cannot see Arteta going down that road, adding: "I think Kiwior plays. I would be stunned if they do something different. If you're playing Partey right-back, I don't see how you can then move Rice to centre-back, because what midfield have you got left? It's not really an option.
"Zinchenko's there, but he's not going to play at right-back. Tierney has a couple of times but I just don't see that happening. I think it'll end up being Partey, and there's no good that comes from that. Results prove it, and that's against regular Premier League sides, not Real Madrid.
"You're weakened in your midfield, you're exposed on your right-hand side to a very dangerous left winger, one of the best, if not the best in the world. As much as you want to try and be positive, go into that game really excited about the challenge, this could be a bridge too far if the worst comes to the worst.
"We sound despondent and negative, but should we get some good news on the right-backs, that could change everything. If Timber and White are fit, you could play Ben White at right-back or centre-back, you could play Timber in the middle rather than Kiwior. There is a game to be played ahead of Real Madrid as well, so, another chance to pick up some injuries!"
While Gabriel's devastating hamstring injury was a serious sour note in midweek, Bukayo Saka marked his long-awaited comeback with the decisive goal, and Watts claimed that the Englishman's strike reminded him of a magical Arsenal goal scored by all-time top scorer Thierry Henry.
Press play on the video above to listen to the full discussion
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