Gabriel Magalhães Scout Report
Gabriel Magalhães, currently plying his trade for Arsenal in the heart of defense, is an intriguing prospect to delve into. Despite his traditional central defensive positioning, the 26-year-old Brazilian had an oddly offensive stat-line in a defensive role in the 2023-2024 Premier League season. Dominating the percentile rankings in an unexpected category for a center back, Gabriel's Goal per 90 stat is nearly in the top echelon of his peers in the league. This striking ability to pose a Goal Threat puts him in the 85th percentile, indicating a rare offensive weapon in corner and set-piece scenarios for his team.
On the defensive end, his Ball Recovery is also relatively solid, putting him up in the 84th percentile, but this is let down by less promising stats such as low Aerial Duels Win%, querulous Fouls Committed percentile, and a less-than-desirable proportion of Defensive Third and Defensive Penalty Area possession. Surprisingly for a center back, he is more active in the midfield, indicating a tendency to step out of line and engage in play, which has its risks and rewards.
His Pass Accuracy lands solidly in the 67th percentile but is let down by the lack of Progressive Carrying and Progressive Passing where he sits worryingly in the bottom third among his counterparts. This weakness in driving the play forward is a notable area for improvement for the Brazilian. Style of play-wise, Gabriel is an interesting blend of traditional and modern, being more involved offensively, yet he must improve on quintessential defensive aspects of his game, such as aerial dominance and decision making to reduce fouling.
In summary, Gabriel Magalhães for Arsenal is a scout report full of anomalies for a center back, flashing brilliance in sections you'd least expect. Yet, while his overall game shows promise, he must strive to heighten his consistency in the basics of his player positioning for his player stats to reveal a more solid defensive performance in the future.