Gabriel Jesus has revealed that he has been delighted to return to a more central striking role since joining Arsenal from Manchester City.
The Brazilian was Mikel Arteta 's star summer signing, moving to the Emirates Stadium in a £45million deal from City. While he was originally seen as the primary back-up to Sergio Aguero, Jesus was generally employed on the wing by Pep Guardiola.
That also saw him take up a similar position for the Brazilian national team, with Neymar taking the role as the central striker for the Selecao. But since joining Arsenal, Jesus has reverted back to a more central role, with Arteta seeing him as the direct replacement for Alexandre Lacazette as his side's attacking focal point..
That has already paid dividends for both Jesus and his new club. After impressing in their opening day win over Crystal Palace, Jesus stole the show against Leicester, scoring twice and assisting two more goals in a 4-2 for the Gunners.
And the striker has now revealed that he feels he is thriving in his new role. He also admitted that he is back "smiling" while playing and has gone back to feeling more like himself.
"Obviously, due to the circumstances that happened after the Cup, I ended up playing more at the winger in the Seleção and at City too. After the World Cup I thought that I couldn't play as a No.9," he told ESPN Brasil.
"I started playing much more on the wing at [Manchester] City and for Brazil. For a while I thought that. But I've changed my mentality, I believe much more in myself now. I'm smiling again playing football.
“I’m very blessed as I can play across all front three but I am a No.9. I am there to finish our chances. Not only that but to help the team as a whole. It's normal to pick up and think that you can't play with 9, that I'm a winger.
"I had this in my head for a long time. Now I have a different mind and I believe in myself much more. I went back to being the usual Gabriel, thinking that I'm 9, that I'm there to finish, to help, of course not just to score goals. I went back to being what I was before, a little like being a player on the floodplain. It is no longer that robot that used to be there."
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Jesus is almost certain to start again on Saturday when Arsenal travel to Bournemouth. And his new boss Arteta has also revealed his delight at the way Jesus has started his career with the Gunners.
"We know what Gabby can do. He scored two and assisted two and he's still disappointed in the dressing room because he said he could have scored four. That's the standard, that's the mentality that if you want to go to a different level you need that mentality," he said.
"I wouldn't like to play against him. I have never been a defender but I can imagine that they don't enjoy it. He's so mobile, so intuitive and is always sharp and proactive to play in any moment and any phase of the game and he's a real threat."
