Kieran Tierney has been thoroughly impressed by Gabriel Jesus’s “inner drive” since the Brazilian arrived from Manchester City and says the striker’s impact on the Arsenal mentality has been “amazing.”
Signed for £45 million, Jesus has registered four assists and five goals in his first 13 appearances, a contribution that has helped the Gunners record a best-ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Given his own reputation as a no-nonsense hard worker, Tierney thoroughly appreciates what the new boy has brought to a team that last year fell short of qualification for the Champions League.
“He’s amazing,” said the Scotland international. “He’s one of the best — if not the best — players I’ve ever played with. He adds so much to us.
“He’s still young but he’s got so much experience. He’s been there and done it, he’s won the league, so knows what it takes. To have someone like that come into your changing room, it’s amazing.”
Since joining the club in December 2019, Mikel Arteta has stressed the importance of his team defending as a unit from front to back. At times, his players haven’t always hit the demanded standards but with Jesus now setting the tempo and Eddie Nketiah replicating his strike partner’s exertions, Tierney thinks Arsenal are in good shape.
“I can see the way he [Jesus] defends as well, he defends with his heart. He and Eddie Nketiah are the most hard-working strikers I’ve ever been around. To have that at the top of the pitch helps us in midfield and defence.
“He’s got this inner drive, this hunger. He wants to win everything, even head tennis in training. [When Jesus plays], he’s fighting for every point. That’s the mentality you need to win stuff.”
Arsenal head to Southampton on Sunday looking for a win that will restore a four-point advantage over Manchester City at the top of the table and extend the gap on fourth-place Chelsea to nine points.
It’s not going to be easy at Saint Mary’s; all eight of Southampton’s Premier League wins against Arsenal have come at home, including 1-0 last season.
“It’s important we focus on ourselves and not on the past,” said Tierney.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game. We want to keep winning. It builds momentum. Winning becomes a habit, it’s something you’re addicted to, you love the feeling of it. We just want to keep it going. We go into every game believing we can win.
“Winning builds momentum, whether it’s the Europa League, whether it’s a friendly, whether it’s the Carabao Cup, which is coming, we just want to keep winning. Winning becomes a habit, it’s something you’re addicted to, you love the feeling of it and we’re just looking to keep it going.
“We go into every game believing that we can win and why not? It actually started in pre-season when we won all the games. I was obviously injured but you could feel it after Chelsea over in America.
“There was a good buzz about us, we scored a few goals and it just kind of continued on from there. It has been a great start to the season so far.”
Great vibes! Good luck to us today. Last year at St Mary’s was v painful so let’s reverse that!
We are all addicted to Arsenal winning too! Lfg u gunners!💪
Jesus has been absolutely transformative, he has taken us to another level and for what we paid was something of a steal.
The effect he’s had reminds me of when Bergkamp arrived, he’s just raised everyone’s game. But like Bergkamp he’s a forward whose effectiveness can’t simply be measured by goals scored, and I think he needs some help up top. Bergkamp had Wright, Anelka, Kanu, Henry, and Diawara to play alongside, I would like to see a similar level striker brought in.
Are we really putting Diawara in that list?
If so, I’d like Frannie J to get a mention too. At least he scored for us.
Jeffers was early evidence of Wenger’s fallibility.
Nobody is infallible.
He took a chance, it didnt work out. I’d say Jeffers was evidence of Jeffers fallibility. Wenger is a legend. Take what you think he did for this club, then multiply it with 1000. Brilliant man.
Absolutely, but we should remember that there were mistakes/missteps along with all the many good things which is why, ultimately, he had to go.
If AW didn’t make mistakes etc. why was he sacked?
Raised my eyebrows too. As it says on the homepage, arsenal.com: Kaba’s brief and rather unremarkable Arsenal career was so nearly a memorable one.
Can’t mention Diawara without mentioning Wreh, who at least scored a few vital winners in 1-0 wins.
Diawara and Wreh were significantly upgraded to Kanu and Davor Suker. Exciting transfer business in Wenger’s early days.
I want revenge for last season at St Mary’s. Let’s keep the run going as long as possible. Who knows, we might Leicester our way to the league title!
No offence to Leicester, but so far we have been so much better than that Leicester team that relied on terrible form from from every top team in the league. Absolutely no way 81 points gets you the title this time around.
We won’t Leicester our way there but we might ‘98 it!
If we beat City to the title it’ll possibly be the greatest title we ever win.
Amen
Hehe
What a title, blogs!!!😁😁😁
Yes, he’s certainly right about the effect that Jesus has had on the team generally since joining.
We’ve a potentially tricky game against Southampton so let’s hope he can get onto the scoresheet (and that we can break our recent run of 1:0 wins, if possible, but obviously another 1:0 will do).
no Saint would dare cross Jesus, I say!
It has to come to an end at some point. But we simply threw this game away, and the substitution weakened us really☹️