Gabriel will not be taking home the player of the match award from the North London derby for the first time in over two years.
Tottenham Hotspur are tired of seeing the presence of the Arsenal defender. Gabriel has been player of the match in each of the last three encounters between the two teams, which the Gunners have won.
The 27-year-old’s anticipated absence will aid Spurs in their quest to avoid losing their fourth straight game against Arsenal for the first time since the 1980s.
According to The Evening Standard, the centre-back may be sidelined until January after hobbling off during the international break due to a thigh injury.
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Gabriel’s absence greatly increases Spurs’ chances of keeping Arsenal quiet in set-piece situations, which is one of their main weapons.
Frank To Plot Tactics To Exploit Gabriel’s Absence
Additionally, Thomas Frank will be planning how to exploit an attack. Despite Arsenal’s depth, the defence will be impacted by Gabriel and William Saliba’s partnership break up.
Whoever is with the Frenchman is likely to be targeted by the Spurs attackers. While Mosquera is only 21 years old and this would be his first North London derby, Hincapie has only played 26 minutes in the Premier League this season.
Frank might be tempted to go to a back three to give him two strikers up front as he did in what he described as a “special operation” against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup.
Mohammed Kudus played alongside Richarlison that evening, and it was a success for Spurs.
Arsenal’s centre-back combination would be called into doubt if Kudus played a more central role and possibly rotated with Xavi Simons.
Usually, Gabriel pushes up and Saliba sweeps behind him, but a flexible front line for the Spurs could reveal a more unusual defensive partnership.
Creating special tactics for these kinds of games is one of Frank’s strong points. I t worked away at Manchester City in August, and Spurs were within minutes away from defeating PSG.
If Frank wants to become the first Spurs boss since Harry Redknapp to win away against Arsenal in the Premier League, exploiting the loss of Gabriel will be vital.
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