Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said that new signing Gabriel’s lack of English could cost the Gunners goals, yet despite this Wenger is still prepared to give the 24-year-old his debut against Middlesbrough on Sunday in the Fifth round of the FA Cup.
“When you don’t speak English and you don’t understand ‘Come out, come back, right, left’, it is a problem for a defender,” Wenger said.
“You need to know the key words. Offside. Referee. Foul.”
If Gabriel is to play it will mean a well-earned rest for German defender Per Mertesacker, with Wenger saying the Brazilian is up to the task as he has “the physicality and motivation” and “an opportunity to show that now”.
Wenger sympathises with Gabriel’s problem and can relate to it as before taking over at Highbury the Frenchman was in Japan managing Grampus eight.
“The players are always under tremendous pressure because everything they do is analysed by the pundits and the press,” Wenger added.
“The modern player has to live with that – resistance to stress has to be stronger than it was 10 years ago.
“He (Gabriel) will not read the press. He will just focus on his game – that is one of the advantages.
“When I was in Japan, people could say what they wanted.”
