Arsenal: Where does Gabriel Martinelli fit in next season?

Gabriel Martinelli May Struggle for Arsenal Minutes

Ask any Arsenal fan whether Martinelli deserves to be starting and they’ll say yes. Ask any Arsenal fan who should drop out in place of Martinelli and they may be stumped.

The latter point isn’t entirely true, since the majority will insist he should be playing centre-forward instead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. While the case for that is strong enough, Gabi as a striker is still relatively hypothetical at this point.

In his debut season he was scintillating through the middle away from the Premier League but that has yet to transpire against tougher opposition. That shift is still a work in process despite him boasting all the tools to lead the line. He has the best aerial threat, for starters.

Arteta will not make that call, however; the captain won’t be dropped for Gabi.

James Maddison, or whoever comes in to share the creative mantle with Smith Rowe, casts further doubt. If it is Maddison it will be under the proviso that he starts every week. If he plays No. 10 then Smith Rowe goes out onto the left wing.

That leaves Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe to battle it out for the right-winger spot, a duel with only one clear winner.

And even that begs the question of where does Pepe play when all are fit? The Ivorian finished last season in blistering form, the most destructive version of him we’ve seen since he arrived and one that can’t be cast back to the bench as Arteta did in favour of Willian for the first half of 2020/21.

Martinelli has to play. There is a case for him being the most naturally talented youngster at the club. No other player anticipates space like he does; no other player works as hard off the ball as he does; no other player is as direct as him; he’s rapid; he’s two-footed; he’s penetrative.

Rotation is essential, but with no European football to contend with it limits the opportunities for more than just Gabi. Willian’s minutes from last season should be distributed out accordingly with Pepe taking the majority, but in that front four it still reduces the chances for the Brazilian.

Should he be worried? Should the fans be worried?

Continued…