Arsenal: Gelson Martins an expensive solution to an expensive problem

Arsenal have no wingers. That is a major problem, and one that would take a concerted effort to fix. But Gelson Martins is one hell of a way to start the fix.

Arsenal did one thing in 2017/18 that is kind of alarming (other than the defense). They essentially eliminated all forms of a Plan B. It started with the sale of Olivier Giroud, who was the ultimate Plan B. Just hurl in crosses and something could come of it. It’s a nice deviation if the speedy, incisive strikers aren’t working.

But the Gunners also made it clear that they were narrowing their attacking build up. Other than their fullbacks, they have no other players whose job it is to play primarily out wide.

Loading up on central attacking midfielders set the Gunners on a pretty specific, narrow-minded attack going forward. Narrow as in literally. They didn’t have width, and that could potentially cost them.

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The shocking lack of wingers, which is a vital Plan B, is, well, shocking. Alex Iwobi is about the closest thing we have to winger and Alex Iwobi is not a winger. He may not even be an attacker. He’s an attacking midfielder, plain and simple.

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There are gobs of wingers available, but they aren’t exactly on the cheaper side of things. Leon Bailey, for instance, will run a team 50m, which is supposedly Arsenal’s entire transfer budget. It would be hard to drop that all on a winger and call it justified.

That said, a winger is an absolute necessity, and it’s an expensive necessity. So if it’s going to be expensive, we best just come to terms with it and do as good as we can with that necessary shopping trip.

Leon Bailey? Not really available, so they say. So who else is there in that same price range? Gelson Martins. Speedy and deadly, Martins split 26 goal contributions right down the middle with 13 goals and 13 assists. Hard to do much better than that as a wide attacker.

Rumor has it he can be filched away for £57m, which is, again, right in the Leon Bailey price range, which is completely and totally worth it. Lock up this expensive problem with an expensive solution.

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There are other options, sure. But if we’re looking for solutions we can be confident in, Gelson Martins is a fantastic bet.