**_TNT Sports_ pundit Rio Ferdinand insists that Gabriel has taken his advice on board after being critical of the Arsenal defender a few years ago.**
After stating that the Brazilian makes rash decisions, the defender responded by getting in contact with Ferdinand to express his unhappiness. However, speaking about Gabriel’s performance against Liverpool at the weekend, Ferdinand said that the centre-back has eliminated the one weakness from his game:
“You know, actually, who I’ve been enjoying watching lately? Gabriel. He’s so aggressive. So aggressive. I was watching him against Liverpool, and I was thinking… remember when he came back at me in my DMs? Well, what happened, right, he gave away a penalty late on in the season, a few bad decisions, like penalties and stuff.”
“I said that, to become a top defender, he’s got to be less emotional and making them rash decisions in them critical moments in games. The sooner he gets out of his game, he’ll be a better footballer, a better player, and he came back in my DMs, going like ‘you’ve never played the game if that’s how you’re going on, and I respected you, but the way you’re talking about me, it’s not fair’, and I understand that, because I felt like I went pundits spoke about me, but I think as time’s gone on, and I think when I see him again and we chat about it, at some point, I think he’ll go ‘do you know what, actually you were probably right at the time, I just didn’t take it the right way’.”
“I watch him now, that’s the only part of his game that’s improved. There’s bits that have improved elsewhere, don’t get me wrong here, but he’s just eradicated silly, rash mistakes, which was holding him back. Experience time, patience for these guys. That’s what you need to give them. Let them flourish.”
Gabriel has been consistently excellent for more than 3 seasons
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Arsenal have conceded 64 goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the lowest figure of any Premier League club over that period, and the Brazilian international has to take a lot of credit for that record.
Whether Ferdinand’s comments drove Gabriel to improve his composure and decision-making, we would have to ask the player himself.
Arsenal have concerns over another centre-back
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Gabriel’s partner in the middle of defence, William Saliba, [**sustained an ankle injury in the warm-up**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-injury-news-william-saliba/) prior to the defeat to Liverpool. Although the Frenchman decided to start the match, it soon became clear that he wasn’t fit to continue.
Saliba has already pulled out of international duty, but fans will be hoping that he will return to fitness in time for the Gunners’ next game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday week.
[**Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here**](https://goonernews.com/blog/arsenal-first-team-squad/)