AFTER a spectacularly well-taken goal to seal the points against Newcastle on Saturday it is understandable that Gabriel Martinelli has grabbed his fair share of coverage this week.
The Brazilian’s 25-minute cameo replacing Bukayo Saka has unsurprisingly re-opened the debate in the Arsenal community as to what the youngster’s role might be, both in the very near future and longer term.
That there is a debate about whether Martinelli should feature at Old Trafford tonight illustrates how swiftly sentiment can change, as many Arsenal fans were beginning to wonder if a short-term loan might be an option in January, with so few minutes gained in the Premier League.
What does seem certain is that Martinelli has moved ahead of Nicolas Pepe as the first change wide attacking option, and this would appear to coincide with stories that Arteta might be willing to allow the inconsistent Ivorian to depart as early as January.
This would fit with the recent re-balancing of the squad into one with youth and talent combined with a work ethic and a willingness and ability to press throughout the match.
Of course, the other backdrop that must be considered is the apparent contract impasse with Eddie Nketiah and decision to not extend Alexandre Lacazette, whether his own or the club’s.
It would appear that after an explosive debut season, followed by an injury plagued second campaign, it is now time for our young Olympic gold medallist to shine again. But in which role?
Martinelli himself has often expressed that his favoured position is on the left of the attack, while the fanbase have wondered whether he can be the heir apparent to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
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The Arsenal captain, while currently being asked to play centrally, has often looked more comfortable from the left throughout his career. It never did Thierry Henry any harm!
I believe we will learn more in January when we see whether Edu and Mikel Arteta do move for the type of player to truly play the lone striker role, who can combine hold-up and link play with pace and the ability to play on the shoulder of the last defender.
In the short-term we may see Martinelli used as a second half substitute for his skipper to see if the Brazilian can play centrally.
The timing and arc of the run for his volley against Newcastle was extremely positive and Martinelli has the speed and acceleration to make those runs in behind that Aubameyang is not making as regularly as he once did.
The young pretender also has the willingness to chase seeming lost causes, harry the opposition defence and keeper and be a leader of the press, something Arteta must value.
However, his fitness and pressing will also make him a very viable option to stand in for Emile Smith Rowe or Saka, as both are arguably being asked to play more football than is desirable at a young age.
The fact that he is not a like for like alternative for either could be seen as an advantage to vary Arsenal’s play. It would offer perhaps a more genuine wing option and ability to attack a full-back on the outside.
The final option, and a viable one, with Lacazette leaving and Odegaard not quite at the levels we all know he is capable of, is to move Smith Rowe more centrally and play Martinelli in his favoured role.
The tactical advantage of this option is that Aubameyang and Martinelli would be interchangeable during any match. This potential fluidity might be appealing, and this set up also brings Smith Rowe and Saka closer together, which given their obvious chemistry, built over years of playing together, might be exciting.
Whichever way Arteta goes, and it could well be that our Brazilian wonderkid is used in a variety of roles, as described, I feel it is certain we will be seeing more of him in the run up to the January window.
What Arsenal’s management decide to do in the transfer market may be influenced by how Martinelli rises to the challenge in the coming weeks.
And he will not be short of confidence after his beautifully executed volley against Newcastle and the public confidence his manager has expressed this week.
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