3 unsung heroes during Arsenal’s 2022/23 campaign

Bukayo Saka</a>, William Saliba, Martin Odegaard, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/13/3-tactical-tweaks-arsenal-must-make-without-zinchenko/">Oleksandr Zinchenko</a>, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/10/gabriel-jesus-important-arsenal/">Gabriel Jesus</a> and Gabriel Martinelli reach unexpected levels, and cement themselves among the best players in the Premier League, but there are plenty who slipped under the radar.</p> <h2>3 unsung heroes during Arsenal’s 2022/23 campaign</h2> <div id="attachment_134829" class="wp-caption alignnone"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-134829" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1706,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1256500673-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1706" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1256500673-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1256500673-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1256500673-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1256500673-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Gabriel enjoyed an excellent season. (Photo by Will Palmer/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)</p> </div> <h2><strong>1. Gabriel Magalhães</strong></h2> <p>Describing Gabriel as an unsung hero for Arsenal seems strange given that he started every game and completed <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/gabriel-magalhaes/profil/spieler/435338">3,411 minutes</a> for the club in what was his best season to date.</p> <p>Throughout the season, we saw his discipline and reading of the game improve immensely, taking his all-round game to the levels required to be a Premier League-winning centre-half, as shown by the fact he was dibbled past 0.2 times per game, which was less than both <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://www.sofascore.com/player/virgil-van-dijk/151545">Virgil Van Dijk</a> and <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://www.sofascore.com/player/ruben-dias/318941">Ruben Dias</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">4 – Gabriel Magalhães is the fourth outfield player to start every game in a Premier League season for Arsenal, after Paul Merson (1995-96), Lee Dixon (1995-96) and Nigel Winterburn (1996-97). Vital. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://t.co/h1xaFJC1Fi">pic.twitter.com/h1xaFJC1Fi

<p>— OptaJoao (@OptaJoao) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://twitter.com/OptaJoao/status/1662854984034140161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 28, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>While Saliba often took the plaudits, Gabriel’s job went unnoticed as he operated as a hybrid centre back and left back, covering the large areas of space left by Zincehnko as he inverted.</p> <p>With this role, he also saw a lot of the ball, averaging <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://www.sofascore.com/player/gabriel-magalhaes/869792">74.4 touches per game</a>, 56.5 accurate passes per game, winning five duels per game, scoring three goals and keeping 14 clean sheets.</p> <p><em>Continued to next slide…</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 Jorginho </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-134830" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1707,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1258257326-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1258257326-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1258257326-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1258257326-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1258257326-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"></p> <h2><strong>2. Jorginho</strong></h2> <p>In January, Arsenal went big for Moises Caicedo but quickly pivoted to Jorginho after multiple big-money offers were rejected.</p> <p>The move had a mixed reception from Arsenal fans, but he had a huge impact on the team, starting eight games and making six appearances from the bench, all while providing Arsenal with a proper backup option for Thomas Partey.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨Ray Parlour has plumped for Jorginho as the Gunners’ signing of the season.</p> <p>🗣️ He said: “I’m going off the value of the players signed. Trossard has also been an excellent signing. Jesus leads the line very well.”</p> <p>🗣️ “But probably for the money they spent and the experience… <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://t.co/yBJz75LpPN">pic.twitter.com/yBJz75LpPN

<p>— afcsphere (@afcsphere) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://twitter.com/afcsphere/status/1663477523143958530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><br> With Partey missing several games quickly after he arrived, Jorginho slotted in seamlessly, giving the Ghanaian time to recover, and ensuring Arteta did not have to rush him back. The Italian then took his place when Partey’s form dropped after the international break, and he produced starring performances against <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/03/jorginho-arsenal-chelsea/">Chelsea and <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/08/jorginho-newcastle/">Newcastle.

<p>But, perhaps most importantly, Jorginho give Arteta the option to use Partey at right back in the last two games, safe in the knowledge that he had a proper option at six, which could be crucial going into next season, with more rotation required.</p> <p><em>Continued to next slide…</em></p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 Aaron Ramsdale </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-134773" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1759,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1494034045-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1759" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1494034045-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1494034045-768x528.jpeg 768w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1494034045-1536x1056.jpeg 1536w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1494034045-2048x1407.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"></p> <h2><strong>3. Aaron Ramsdale</strong></h2> <p>Aaron Ramsdale has had his fair share of praise this season, but what is being heavily overlooked is his development from the beginning to the end of the season, and the 14 clean sheets he kept.</p> <p>In many games, Ramsdale made crucial saves at big moments as a result of his bravery, his reflexes, and, most importantly, the improvements he has made in his starting position.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">These two saves of Ramsdale have been nominated for Premier League Save of the Season award. Which one gets your vote? For me it’s the Liverpool game. Being at the Kop end and all, Aaron kept his cool and made that spectacular save.🧤 Incredible. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/afc?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#afc</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/COYG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#COYG</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://t.co/7BS8DMVz4l">pic.twitter.com/7BS8DMVz4l

<p>— The Nomad Post. (@the_nomad_post) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://twitter.com/the_nomad_post/status/1663886032620617729?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 31, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>Those improvements can be seen between the goal he conceded against Man Utd back in September, when Anthony placed the ball past him with ease, and the big saves he made at Anfield against Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah.</p> <div class="embed "> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Yr75txhT6r"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/31/how-arsenal-came-so-close-yet-so-far-failed-title-bid/">How Arsenal came so close, yet so far in their failed title bid</a></p></blockquote> <p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" title="“How Arsenal came so close, yet so far in their failed title bid” — Pain in the Arsenal" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/31/how-arsenal-came-so-close-yet-so-far-failed-title-bid/embed/#?secret=OMGIiSWBqH#?secret=Yr75txhT6r" data-secret="Yr75txhT6r" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div> <p>These improvements have been steady over his two years at the club, and with him signing a new deal, Arsenal have a keeper with a huge personality and the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/06/01/3-unsung-arsenal-heroes/3/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/05/10/3-reasons-aaron-ramsdale-destined-go-top/">mentality to grow and win, which will help kick them on further next season.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">