Arteta now told £45m Arsenal star isn’t being played in the right system

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Former Aston Villa striker Dean Saunders wants to see Gabriel Jesus given a new role at Arsenal. 

Gabriel Jesus has been a revelation at Arsenal since his £45 million arrival from Manchester City in the summer of 2022. Mikel Arteta has even said that Jesus “changed our world,” as quoted by BBC Sport.

However, there is a flaw in the Brazilian’s game. He is not the most prolific goalscorer. In 44 appearances for the north London outfit, across all competitions, he has netted just 15 goals. It has been suggested that Jesus does not have enough end product to fire Arsenal to a Premier League title triumph.

However, Jesus gives the Gunners so much with his play in other areas of the pitch. Always willing to press, or drop deep to involve himself in the build up play, the 26-year-old brings the best out of his teammates with his dynamism, flair, and technical excellence.

For the sake of bringing a more reliable finisher into the starting XI, it would be a shame to lose all that Jesus offers.

Dean Saunders believes that the solution to this conundrum could be found in the form of a tactical rethink. Speaking on talkSPORT (15/11/2023, 06:45), he said, “I love watching Jesus play by the way, great footballer. Do you know, Jesus, for me? He’s the type of striker that you’d love to play with alongside in a two. He works his socks off and he will supply you with goals.”

Should Gabriel Jesus play with a strike partner at Arsenal?

It would be fascinating to see Jesus operate with a strike partner. Given Arsenal have been linked with a January move for Ivan Toney by The Mirror, it’s worth speculating how the 63-cap Brazil international might fit in alongside the Brentford man. 

Between Toney and Jesus there is enough power, pace, and quality to scare any top flight defence.

However, Arteta is unlikely to make the sacrifice required to field two strikers. To play Jesus with a partner up front, another player would have to excluded elsewhere on the pitch, likely in midfield. The Spanish coach would certainly be reluctant to give up any measure of control in the middle of the park.