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Before the crowds have filed into the stands at Arsenal matches this season, it is common to see the animated 5ft 10in figure of Gabriel Heinze shouting instructions to the Gunners defenders.
And these are not gentle warm-ups either. No matter the opposition, Mikel Arteta's assistant coach Heinze puts the players through intense drills, many one-on-one. There may be a good reason Arsenal have only conceded three goals this season.
Some of Heinze's drills revolve around defensive positioning, others are fierce running workouts. Either way, the barked instructions reach the stands.
The Argentinian has been particularly hands-on with young left back Myles Lewis-Skelly this season, working hard on his crossing into the box and how he can be better in attacking scenarios.
Arsenal sources say that Heinze, who has managed five teams himself, is well-respected by the players, and someone who does not mince his words. They know he’s not at the club to mess around.
When asked about Heinze on the eve of Arsenal's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid, Arteta said: ‘Gabi added something different, that willingness to win. And we've seen that obviously through his career: that experience to win and to elevate somebody's level and ambition and drive to the highest limit. He's extraordinary at that. I mean, if somebody tells you, “If you do that, you're going to be successful” and you know that he's done it and he's been successful, there's a lot of credibility there.’
Gabriel Heinze and William Saliba (left) talk defensive tactics in an Arsenal training session
Heinze and Mikel Arteta's friendship goes back to their days as players with Paris Saint-Germain
The no-nonsense figure within Arsenal’s coaching team has already more than made his mark. Heinze replaced Carlos Cuesta in July, after Cuesta was lured away to become Parma head coach in Serie A at the age of just 29.
The Argentinian has a long-standing relationship with Arteta, dating back to their playing days at Paris Saint-Germain when the Spaniard was 19 and Heinze 23.
And insiders say his steely character has added to the firm defensive foundations already set in place at the north London club, which saw Arsenal concede the fewest goals of all Premier League sides in the 2023-24 (29) and 2024-25 (34) campaigns.
The Gunners are again defensively on track this season. Arsenal did not even face a shot on target in their last two league matches (the wins over West Ham and Fulham). It is the first time this has happened since November 2003 - and that campaign ended with the title.
In fact, across 11 competitive matches this season, Arsenal have conceded just three goals. The only teams to score against them are Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle United, with Erling Haaland's goal in the 1-1 draw at the Emirates in September the only concession from open play. It's eight clean sheets and counting.
No one should be getting too far ahead of themselves yet, but were Arsenal to keep up this rate of conceding goals, they would break Chelsea's astonishing Premier League record of just 15 allowed in Jose Mourinho's debut season of 2004-05.
It’s a remarkable set of records of which Heinze can be proud, but he won't rest until he actually has them under his belt. He has a winning mentality, reflected by his playing CV — he's won titles in the England, Spain and France with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Marseille respectively — and those at the club believe he's added an extra bit of fire to a fearless backline.
At Newell’s Old Boys, his most recent managerial assignment, he built up a fearsome reputation and was ruthless with his players. He would weigh them twice a day and pinged them training assignments via WhatsApp at any given moment. If players turned up to training and did not already know what they were meant to be doing that day, they would be punished.
As a player he was not scared to get his way either. He famously forced a move from Manchester United to Liverpool after becoming disillusioned with manager Sir Alex Ferguson due to his lack of regular first-team action.
Heinze brings a wealth of experience to Arsenal having won 72 caps for his country, including at the 2010 World Cup under manager Diego Maradona
He also played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before their relationship turned sour when he tried to force a move to rivals Liverpool
Heinze would not take all the credit for Arsenal's resilience. He is one ingredient, alongside the likes of assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg.
And the defensive records of recent seasons has been made possible by a backline led by William Saliba and Gabriel, a duo who have arguably become the most-feared centre-back pairing in the Premier League.
Arsenal have reinforcements too: Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are able deputies, while Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White and Lewis-Skelly offer a wealth of quality in the full-back department.
It creates a fascinating backdrop ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League encounter with Atletico, pitting two defensively solid teams against each other.
During Diego Simeone's 15 seasons in charge of Atletico, they have become known as one of the most formidable defensive setups in world football.
Simeone, another Argentinian whose career did not quite overlap with Heinze, has crafted a team where defence is the bedrock, consistently ranked highly in key defensive metrics, such as winning duels, making interceptions, blocking shots, and winning aerial battles.
That solidity is Arsenal’s thing now and it can be argued that the Gunners have taken that mantle of the meanest team in Europe off the La Liga club.
Arteta has been inspired by Simeone and they share feisty personalities. Simeone received a one-match ban for ‘unsporting conduct’ following his clash with Liverpool supporters at Anfield in September when his side went down to a late goal.
Heinze shares a joke with Arsenal keeper David Raya during training
The Argentinian puts Declan Rice through his paces before kick-off ahead of Arsenal's victory at Fulham on Saturday
‘Simeone is someone that I look up to and learn from him in many situations,' Arteta said on Monday.
'What for me is outstanding is his passion. For how long he's been in the game and with the same club with the same players, how you still have that handle and that capacity to transmit such an energy and willingness to win.
‘It's a very tough environment that we live in and to keep convincing players you have to be extraordinary.’
With Heinze, Arteta and Simeone on the same touchline, Tuesday night at the Emirates won’t be short of fiery personalities - or defensive solidity.
