Gabriel Jesus has admitted he long harboured doubts about his ability to play as a number 9, but says his arrival at Arsenal has reignited his self-belief.
He went through the 2018 World Cup in that position for Brazil without scoring a goal, something which has stayed with him since, and at Man City he was often used in wide positions by Pep Guardiola.
However, he was brought to Arsenal on the basis that he would play at centre-forward, and after a great pre-season, he exploded into life on his home debut with two goals and two assists.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil afterwards, he said, “It’s normal to think that I can’t play as a 9, that I’m a winger.
“Obviously, due to the circumstances that happened after the Cup, I ended up playing more at the wing in the Seleção and at City as well.
“I had this in my head for a long time. Now I have a different mindset and I believe in myself much more.
“I went back to being the usual Gabriel, thinking that I’m a 9, that I’m there to finish, to help, of course not just to score goals.
“I went back to being what I was before, I am no longer that robot that used to be there [at City].”
It tallies with comments made by Edu when he spoke about the capture of the Brazilian earlier in the summer.
Speaking to The Athletic (£), he explained the conversation he had with the 25 year old, saying, “Gabriel, I’m here to try to sign you, but not the Gabriel from this season, I want the Gabriel from the other seasons because this season you’ve not played the way I know you.
“You’ve lost your shine. When I see you this season, I’m not seeing you as before because I know you very well. I want the Gabriel from last season because again you have to be Gabriel’.
“He looked at me and said: ‘You’re right’.”
So far, so good.
His best years are to come, he is quick, skilful and scores.
So looking forward to the next few years, young and excellent squad!
I’ll be completely honest, when the rumours came through around March / April time I was a little underwhelmed. I think I still had Vlahovic in mind and I just thought Gabby was a decent if not flawed second string striker for City. I hadn’t seen a game where he’d dominated in all his time there but I caveat this by saying I try my best to avoid watching City play. If I wanted to watch a soulless machine at work I’d just look into my wife’s eyes when we make love. But he is just a sensational footballer with… Read more »
I know what you mean, but that is why Arteta and Edu are in charge instead of us!
Jesus was wasting away at City, but now he is his own man and bursting with confidence.
Jesus forgives you, for you did not know.
I hope your wife doesn’t read this forum 🙂
Exactly my sentiments. That part about his wife was strange.🤔
It was hilarious
I do think that this is one of the challenges for the Pep/Arteta teams. Some players can be forced to play a restricted regimented way or a very mobile sometimes defensive or offensive way. There are some players who struggle to adapt like Pepe, Ozil, Auba, Laca etc. I remember watching to see if Aguero could press as Pep required, that was a question before he adapted and dominated under Pep. I imagine it is much like 4 Hats wife hoping for some better … pressing or shots on goal…sorry, could not resist!
I can imagine Arteta and Pep with differing opinions on how to best use Jesus. Maybe Mik has some tips for Johnny and his wife? “ Hats… don’t shoot every time you see the goal..if you include the team and pass for the assist, she will be much more receptive! “ Oh my… this is a lifelong gift as long as we all have a sense of humor!
Try switching positions Mr.Hats. See the good it’s doing for Gabriel.
He is the type of no.9 I love to watch. I always want an all action forward and now we have three of them, it’s very exciting!!
Slew dem Jesus, dem nah ready!
This transfer is going so well – I hope I’m not jinxing it by saying it’s one of the best bits of business this club has ever done – for both player & club!!
GOOD VIBES ALL DAY HERE RIGHT NOW
To be honest, I thought he was good but I didn’t think he was as good as he is. What a welcome surprise. Could help take us to great things.
Interesting that he describes himself as a robot at man city….
A lot of people would think that Pep creates robotic teams drilled to perfection but removing individuality. Was always a concern of mine that Arteta would do the same. Maybe Jesus’ revelations suggest otherwise
Makes you wonder how Arteta would have handled Alexis?
I think we can safely assume Arteta would have sent Alexis down the road so fast his feet wouldn’t have touched the ground.
It’s interesting.
It will probably help him to be more unpredictable and subsequently increase his threat but at the same time could it take something away from his consistency.
Either way, he’s playing like peak Suarez at the moment
Not sure Denis Suarez ever really got going in an Arsenal shirt!!
You need to be the best You to be a happy robot and he was for one, short of optimum confidence so a less than max-productivity robot
The king?
Edu believed Jesus’ second coming would be at Arsenal.
In his .com interview where he explained that his phonecall celebration has to do with his mum calling him after every game, he said that she recently noticed he had got his smile back.
The story reminds me of another winger who went on to bloom at Arsenal…
Gervinho?
Luis Boa Morte?
Amaury bischoff?
Well, the one who reminds me more of the King is the other Gabriel. This Gabi is more like Suarez/Eto’o thing, which we have not had for a long long time.
Pepe?
I’m so glad Jesus has rised again
*rose
*risen
*risen
*rinsed
*rosé
Arisened.
Rice
😄
Thanks, Teryima. Turns out Jesus was rinsed by former player Baptista.
*resigned
Arsened!
The way the last World Cup affected him is unfortunate, but understandable. Brazil were very good, I think only Belgium and France were better, and I don’t remember Gabriel Jesus as a weakness for that side. But the pressure playing for them is probably worse than any football team in the world.
France, by the way, won with their number 9 not only not scoring but, I’m pretty sure, never having a shot on goal.
The problem with Brazil is a certain player showcasing his overacting tallent and not allowing others to play football. If Brazil gets rid of him we will have three worldcup winners in our side come December
Watching Zincheko and Jesus play again Leicester makes me realise what we were up against every time we play Manchester. These two are not even their best players.
The psychology is very interesting. It shows the power of a positive mindset.
I know right! Football, and probably every other sport, is such a confidence game.
Look at how shit some ManUtd players are performing. You’d think they aren’t well paid professional footballers. Well, we know one of them moonlights as a fridge but overall it’s mind blowing how poorly they are performing due to lack of confidence.
Long may it continue
Encouraging to read that Jesus believes in himself.
He was the missing link at Arsenal. What a player
When we were beginning to relish the improvement of Nketiah and I saw the news that we had an eye for Jesus…. I said to myself ” that’s a massive upgrade of the new improved Nketiah”.
Never a doubt , I knew we’ve got a big hit in Gabriel Jesus. I’m totally impressed and he’s just starting.
I 100% believe in Jesus 😅
3 days late but I’m pretty sure you publicly denied him 3 times….
What he’s shown from pre season up to now, I honestly never knew he had that in him. I was never too excited about the Gabriel rumours from months back and thought we need to aim higher. How was I wrong.
His form has me wondering, what was Pep thinking, not playing him and using Foden, De Bruyne, Sterling, Bernardo and Gundogan in that silly false 9, when he had this to unleash all along
I’d like to think that Arteta, knowing he would land the Arsenal gig at some point in the near future, already knew Jesus would be integral to his future project and therefore actively discouraged Guardiola from not playing him as a 9 or false 9 or, you know, a centre forward.
Edu saved Jesus and was gifted R9.
“I went back to being what I was before, I am no longer that robot that used to be there [at City].”
Wow, that comes across to me as a big slap to Pep.
Also, really should banish all the talk of MA being “Pep-Lite” and a “dictator”.
Always thought that was BS.
Given he’s talking to Brazilian media, it reads to me more as a slap at their national team set-up.
I’m so, so happy we payed 50 and ended up with Jesus instead paying 60, and ending up with Richarlison.
What was the ESPN rating?
Spurs A- for Richarlison
Arsenal B+ for Jesus
Lol
Eduardo 2009 vibes. Hopefully minus the injury
My god, I’m still traumatised by that game. The brutal assault, the last minute penalty, Gallas. We lost the league in that one game. Didn’t Rosicky get injured in that game too and miss the rest of the season?
Thank goodness we’re on to happier times!
To be honest no player really gets a true opportunity to show their full potential under Pep’s rotational system.
I bet if we had De Bruyne here and playing every game he would be sensational.
The one good thing about GJ at City was that he was never playing all of the games which meant his body wasn’t taking the beating it would if he started every game – his best years are ahead of him and his physical shape is brilliant.
I may well be remembering this wrong but didn’t Wenger like to get young strikers to play the wing so they had better ability when moved to centre forward? If so we may well reap the benefits from City playing him there
Bertie Mee did the same thing with John Radford back in the late sixties! Watching the u21 highlights with Marquinhos arriving from the right in the penalty area to score headed goals reminded me (old git that I am).
Can we all agree Edu is doing a baller of a job?
This is the type of conversation you hear in the Arsenal old tapes archive next to Arshavin’s mobster party in St Petersburg before he signed da damn thing.
Welcome back to being Human, Jesus!
Gabriel is Gabriel was Gabriel last from Gabriel future past being Gabriel