As Arsenal drew 1-1 to Southampton, a huge takeaway from the game was how Pep Guardiola was ultimately right to sell Gabriel Jesus.
Much of the narrative surrounding the £265,000-a-week (talkSPORT) man for large parts of the season has been how he was underutilised at Manchester City.
However, as Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus showcased against Southampton and for much of the ongoing campaign, Pep Guardiola was right not to entrust him as his main man up top.
Guardiola was right to sell Jesus to Arsenal and his Southampton mishaps typified that
This is not to suggest for even a second that the Brazilian forward has not been an excellent capture by Mikel Arteta’s side, or to discount his magnificence as an all-round footballer.
However, as Arsenal needed their go-to No.9 to step up against Southampton, Gabriel Jesus produced a stark reminder of why Pep Guardiola simply could not trust his finishing with trophies on the line.
And while this opinion may come off as reactionary, the stat posted by the Athletic editor Duncan Alexander does not lie.
The narrative surrounding City holding Jesus back could not be wider off the mark.
As the likes of Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland have shown under one of the greatest chance-creating sides in Premier League history in recent years, elite strikers are likely to thrive.
If the four-time Premier League winner was one, a certain Norwegian goalscoring behemoth would not have been brought in or his understudy in Julian Alvarez.
While Pep Guardiola is witnessing his striker duo kill teams off with no mercy, Mikel Arteta witnessed Gabriel Jesus squander chance after chance, as once again, the numbers tell the truth, as revealed by xG Philosophy.
The narrative surrounding City holding Jesus back could not be wider off the mark.
As the likes of Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland have shown under one of the greatest chance-creating sides in Premier League history in recent years, elite strikers are likely to thrive.
If the four-time Premier League winner was one, a certain Norwegian goalscoring behemoth would not have been brought in or his understudy in Julian Alvarez.
While Pep Guardiola is witnessing his striker duo kill teams off with no mercy, Mikel Arteta witnessed Gabriel Jesus squander chance after chance, as once again, the numbers tell the truth, as revealed by xG Philosophy.
From completely failing to connect with a free header, not even hitting the target despite being a couple of yards away from goal to making a meal out of 1v1 situations, this was a display that typified why he is less a No.9 and more just a fluid forward that can do a bit of everything.
Jesus’ completeness is his strength but the confusion that still exists about his game, as there still lies a mystery about whether he is a top striker or a quality winger ultimately makes him an enigma, and a frustrating one at times.
Pep Guardiola had simply witnessed Gabriel Jesus produce the performance he did against Southampton but in an Arsenal shirt for six long years.
When title races are decided by mere points and Champions League medals are adorned based on five-minute spells, the killer up top needs to kill and the frustrated forward often has mercy for his opponents.
And unintentionally so, as was the case in the reverse fixture, as well as open-goal misses against Liverpool and Chelsea, Bournemouth and other contests that make prove the Catalan’s call on him right.
Pep Guardiola always knew Gabriel Jesus was a net positive, which is why he lasted as long as he did at Manchester City but as he showcased against Southampton, his finishing is not a problem until it becomes one.
And when his teammates forget to bring their shooting boots, it could have title-ending implications.
Source: hitc.com
