Interview

'Gabriel is showing a great mentality'

Thomas Partey may have hogged the headlines after a fine full debut performance in Vienna, but another new boy also stood tall.

Gabriel has made a big impression since arriving from Lille in the summer, and was even voted as our September Player of the Month.

Mikel Arteta has been very impressed with the Brazilian centre back's quick adaption to life in north London.

"We saw qualities in him that is exactly what we wanted," he said. 

"But then you move him from France to here at an early age, without talking the language, to adapt to a new way of playing as well... [but] he has done it really quickly and is showing a great mentality as well. 

"We threw him in against Fulham [on the opening day] after three or four training sessions and you could see the performance he had there."

Arteta was also delighted with Partey'as dominant midfield display in Vienna.

"I was really impressed," he said. "He looked really confident, he grabbed the game in the most difficult period, he took responsibility, he was really comfortable on the ball, he made a lot of right decisions, he was really strong in the challenges in every transitional moment."