Arsenal: 3 benefits of Gabriel Martinelli’s red card

Arsenal have got 2022 off to a flying start as their bid to record the most red cards in a calendar year has seen them rack up a commendable four in just six short matches.

Mikel Arteta has come in and set his stall out early: the awards this club should be winning are the one that nobody else wants. Start small, finish big.

If only, eh?

This seemingly endless spate of red cards saw Gabriel Martinelli to become the latest in a long line of incredibly dumb Arsenal players to get himself sent off. We love him, we love them all, but there is a genuine stupidity problem within this group.

Arsenal: 3 benefits of Gabriel Martinelli’s red card against Wolves in the Premier League ahead of Brentford visit at the Emirates Stadium

It was one of the more bizarre sending offs we’re likely to ever see, and one that isn’t set to happen again for quite some time: Michael Oliver waved play on for a foul committed by Martinelli, only for the Brazilian to commit another foul in the same sequence and be brandished a yellow card for each.

As remarkable as it may have been, can anyone really complain? The argument that he didn’t know he was on a yellow for the advantage doesn’t have legs because it was as clear as day that it was a yellow card foul. If he didn’t know that then it shows unbelievable naivety.

Arsenal held on though, so all is well, right? Well not exactly, since Martinelli has been one of the better players in the squad over recent months and his actions at Molineux mean that he will miss the upcoming home match against Brentford.

Arteta insisted every game between now and the end of the season is a cup final, so losing Martinelli is, of course, not positive. But, considering it has now happened, are there any benefits we can draw of it as a result? It’s worth exploring.

1. Emile Smith Rowe Will Come Back Into the Team

Here comes the obvious klaxon.

With no Martinelli to select from it quite clearly means that Emile Smith Rowe will come back into the fold, someone who has only started one Premier League game for Arsenal in the past eight top-flight matches, and thus has been unable to find fluency in the side on account of his teammate’s brilliance.

The Brazilian has deserved his place in the team and just like he capitalised on Smith Rowe’s previous injury absence, it’s the Hale Ender’s moment to remind everyone just how superb he is.

Nobody really needs reminding though, do they? He is the top scorer at the club, and was on course to romp home with Player of the Season having put in excellent outings regularly and made the No. 10 shirt look right at home on his back.

When he has played, barring that remarkable scoring run off the bench in December, he’s looked off the pace physically, which stemmed from niggling injury issues he had and a lack of regular minutes.

Set to be back out on the left again for the visit of the Bees, his best position, there are no huge concerns over Martinelli missing out for that exact reason.

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