Arsenal must consider Martinelli tactical change

With six wins from the last seven matches with that defeat coming against a side vying for the Premier League title, there isn’t much reason to deviate from the formula Arsenal have in place.

The starting lineup is fairly cemented. A front three of Gabriel Martinelli, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka are reinforced by a midfield trio of Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard. Behind them, with Takehiro Tomiyasu injured the back five picks itself.

Mikel Arteta’s constantly refining tactical blueprint is seeing Arsenal concede fewer shots and concede fewer goals, create more chances and score more goals, and exude their dominance on and off the ball with their well-drilled shape.

Everyone is aware of where the upgrades need to happen, with centre-forward a position that can transform this team, but until the summer window comes around there are ten matches where the system that is producing results has no reason to be tinkered with.

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Arsenal should consider Gabriel Martinelli tactical change at striker with Smith Rowe and Saka out wide to provide threat in behind

Not from the start, anyway.

The trio of young attacking talent Arsenal have is the envy of so many. Sides in the Premier League and in Europe would dream to have just one of Martinelli, Saka or Smith Rowe on their books. Not least since two of them cost nothing and the other arrived for £6m.

Arsenal are blessed to have this exuberant quality, one of whom doesn’t even start every week. There will come a stage where that isn’t the case and all three with be angling for their involvement from the start, and should that be coming late on in matches?

1-0 to the Arsenal, or, 1-goal margin to the Arsenal, has been a reoccurring feature of late. Whether it be tight margins due to missed opportunities or opting to revert to the Rob Holding-inspired back five which is garnering a cult following, games are being won by the odd goal.

When this does happen and the opposition piles on the pressure late in games, a flagging Lacazette tends to make way for Eddie Nketiah. It’s the go-to substitution.

Naturally, the point will be made that it’s working, to a degree. But even when we see Arsenal slowly sinking deeper or being pegged back late on when the points aren’t wrapped up, the need for threat through the middle and an out-ball in behind arises. Lacazette doesn’t offer that: he can’t run. Not without lead in his boots. It makes it easier to defend against, too, as teams know they can squeeze the pitch and leave spaces in behind with no fear of being beaten in that area.

Not all the time, but at some stage Arsenal should be looking to field Martinelli through the middle where his finer traits are accentuated and he isn’t forced to play as regularly with his back to goal. Lacazette offers a different kind of out-ball, often shielding and trying to win a foul, yet he is a small space player who can’t contribute in the open.

Nketiah, meanwhile, is already at Borussia Mönchengladbach or wherever he ends up. He’s not offering enough energy off the bench, let alone quality.

Looking at the Villa win as the most recent example, Arsenal had no threat to rely when they won the ball back. It was hopeful kicks out into wide areas. This young trio are all too fabulous not to be given their chance together, and while for the moment Lacazette has to stay in the team from the off, late on there is no use keeping him, or Nketiah, on the pitch in such game states.

Martinelli is excelling operating in the exterior but he has the capacity to be that central option when Arsenal aren’t as dominant in possession. With the passing range of Thomas Partey and the creativity of Smith Rowe and Saka either side (or even Smith Rowe through the middle and and Martinelli out wide) Arteta has options at his disposal that can continue making Arsenal a goal threat even when they’re defending a lead.

It doesn’t have to be as binary as simply hauling off Lacazette for Nketiah and swapping Martinelli for Smith Rowe. Change it around, play your best players, and maintain danger in behind from someone who can keep the pitch stretched and ease some defensive pressure on the team.