Wenger's weird theory on Gabriel Paulista costing us goals

Wenger seems convinced Gabriel will end up costing us goals as he settles in, because of his poor English:

At the moment, he doesn't speak a word of English, and that can cost you goals. If you mix 'going forwards' with 'going backwards', it can cost you.

He went on to say:

You always have to give players time to adapt, especially in a defensive position, because you need to know your partners and need to communicate as well. He's ready to go. He'll be in the squad, certainly. He started his training yesterday and looks fit.

Is it just me or is this a weird statement? Jamie Carragher doesn't know a word of English and he still managed to be a somewhat successful defender.