Set pieces are (essentially) very simple : around 18 fully grown top level athletes packing the most important area of the pitch and competing to get their head on the ball. This means that there's going to be grabbing, pushing, shoving... Can you take advantage of that ?

Another way to put it would be : set pieces ain't Wifi. If you want to connect (with the ball), you better make contact (with your opponent) to clear your way and be free. And Gabriel has a very complete array of weapons to find separation on set pieces to clear his way.

Blindside + push : Yesterday in the NLD. Look how he disappears from Romero's field of vision, pushes him in the back to create space for himself https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...

Countermovement : this is some wide receiver shit from Gabriel who started from the penalty spot on both examples. Throws his shoulder one way, burst the other way and uses his arms. https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...

(Btw when I say "wide receiver shit", I would really not be surprised if he'd seen some tape. Arsenal are heavy on implementing stuff from other sports.)

Back to "soccer". Offside + push : Starting from offside position, getting back onside, putting his arm on his opponent's chest to set himself free. https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...

Arms above : Again starting from the penalty spot, Gabriel gets his arms above Chris Richard's ones. From that point he can "slap" his opponent's arms out of his way and get a free run to the goal. https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...

In fact, finding separation on set pieces is A LOT about getting your arms above your opponent's ones to knock them down so he can't hold you while you move towards the goal. And so, size matters.

Azpilicueta was a proper defender. He was also 12 cm smaller than Gabriel. So when he (smartly) puts his arm as high as he can on Gabriel's chest to control his run, the Brazilian can easily get his arms higher and even around Azpi's body to get past him. https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...

Thread's getting long so I'll finish with this : do you know who happens to be another great player in terms of separation on set pieces ? Amadou Onana. https://x.com/Victorvid2/statu...