Arsenal: Don’t rule anything out with Gabriel Martinelli

Unai Emery has essentially ruled out Gabriel Martinelli playing as a striker for Arsenal, but what’s the point in ruling anything out at this point?

Arsenal‘s abundance of youth gives us so much to be excited about. So much. And I’m guilty of sometimes forgetting about Gabriel Martinelli, simply because names like Bukayo Saka, Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe (and Eddie Nketiah, and Folarin Balogun) have been here so much longer.

But Gabriel Martinelli is at or near the top of the pile, and after his two goals in his first ever start at striker against Nottingham Forest, with another two against Standard Liege in a near perfect performance, we have added reason to be excited. The young man has had the versatility to play across the board in the attack.

Yet Unai Emery went out of his way to remind us that the future for Martinelli is on the wings, not up top as a striker.

Why rule anything out? Sure, with a young player, being specific with their positioning helps them settle into a permanent home, so you avoid situations like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and now Ainsley Maitland-Niles are running into.

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But being so early in Martinelli’s career, drawing that line now seems a bit unnecessary, especially after bagging a brace against Nottingham Forest, playing a cohesive striking role, and then following up against Standard Liege with an even better showing.

Martinelli can play striker. He has that killer instinct. We’ve seen it, and in such little time. So why not at least leave the door open to a potential move over at some point in his career?

Plus, it’s hard not to think of the Arsene Wenger special—turning a young winger into a world class striker. It’s happened once. It’s happened twice. Who’s to say it can’t happen a third time? All Unai Emery needs is an open mind and a talented young winger. Gabriel Martinelli is that. Unai Emery is… flexible.

Martinelli has Saka, Nelson and Smith Rowe to compete with on the wings, but he’s got Nketiah and Balogun to compete with in the middle, not to mention Tyreece John-Jules. Yet it’s Martinelli that’s here now, and Martinelli who is, by default, slotting in up top in the here and now. Is it a waste of time, then, to give him this experience if his long-term future doesn’t accommodate his current usage?

It’s still early, that’s my point. If Emery has a vision for Martinelli, that’s fine, but there’s nothing to be gained by closing doors this early.