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Arsenal: Where does Gabriel Martinelli fit in Arteta’s plans?
By Adam Schultz
What Next for Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal?
Martinelli has since been an unused substitute for the last five Premier League games with his only action coming in the EFL Cup. He came on for the last 14 minutes in Arsenal’s 6-0 demolition of a youthful West Brom team and then 76 minutes in a 3-0 over AFC Wimbledon.
To further illustrate Martinelli’s fall in the pecking order, against Brighton in Arsenal’s last league outing, Bukayo Saka went off injured as the game was at a 0-0 stalemate, Arteta opted to go for a defensive approach with Ainsley Maitland-Niles instead of chasing a winner with Martinelli. It felt like the perfect game state to introduce him.
So, where does Martinelli stand at Arsenal? Not in a good way at the moment. It’s hard to see where the minutes will come from.
Arteta stated that Martinelli has to earn his time and at this stage, he isn’t. It is likely that Martinelli will only get chances as a substitute in the league and possibly starting in cup games but if Arsenal does not progress, then his playing time could be extremely limited. More so than currently.
One saving grace for Martinelli could come in January. With Arsenal set to lose both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe to the African Cup of Nations, the young Brazilian could potentially get his chance to get an extended run in the team to show Arteta and the fans that he still has all the talent people know he has. He will be hoping Gabon and Ivory Coast have fruitful campaigns.
Whether he gets the chance under Arteta remains to be seen but Arsenal fans do not want to see another (yes, it’s coming) Serge Gnabry situation in which he saw limited game time before he was sold and is now a German international and a world-class winger for Bayern Munich.
One thing is for sure, Martinelli’s Arsenal career has stagnated and is at risk of being cut short. The talent is undeniable but has not been seen regularly. Is Martinelli a part of Arteta’s plans going forward or will he be the latest young star to seek a new challenge away from the club? Someone of his ability needs to be playing senior football.
dark. Next. #JackIsBack
One sincerely hopes we see the best of Martinelli in an Arsenal shirt in the coming months.