Arteta sees Martinelli as a striker.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said he sees Gabriel Martinelli as a centre-forward despite playing both him and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in wide-left roles at points this season.
Martinelli has had a hugely impressive debut campaign with the Gunners, looking one of the most exciting young talents in the game at the moment with ten goals in all competitions at the age of just 18.
Some of those goals have come from a wide-forward role, but it seems in the long run Martinelli will play more centrally, with Arteta suggesting the reason he’s had to tweak his system this season is due to injuries, which has also involved winger Bukayo Saka moving into a new position at left-back, creating a vacancy further forward.
“[Aubameyang and Martinelli] are centre forwards but with the squad balance that we have at the moment, to play on those positions on the left we don’t have five players,” Arteta said, as quoted by the Metro.
“We are using one left-winger to play as a left-back [Saka] and he is not a left-back so we’re just trying to adapt to the situation that we have today, trying to create an amount of goal threat that can be successful for the team. that’s part of managing the players that we have.”
Wherever Martinelli’s best position is, Arsenal look to have a real talent on their hands and it will be exciting to see how he develops in the next few years.
MA has certainly seen something in Martinelli that makes him say he would be a good CF. Auba is also a good CF but can play on the wings as well. Not sure how Martinelli will adapt to the CF position but surely MA has seen something in him.
If we don’t give the boy games, we’ll live to regret it. He’s a rare talent.
That,s why I am not worried about Martinelli future,MA must have a chat with him about his best position in the future and the way he’s being coached,he is only 18 years old,he needs to keep learning and getting more experience and before long he’ll be playing regularly,I know people say if you’re good enough you are old enough but I think it’s only true to a certain extent.
Its just mind game. Arteta does not want to see anyone competing with Ozil in that position
😏👍
“COMPETING WITH OZIL” EH? THAT ASSUMES THAT OZIL HIMSELF COMPETES but I see litlle evidence of any competitiveness from him, ever!
Why would that be Top Gunner?
Arteta you’re the best. I have always complained about why he’s playing from the wing. Arteta please save our team 🙏🙏
He is a CF, that killer instinct, head, both feet and explosive; not pure winger Saka is but an option to add goals…
Arteta please sign back our former midfilderfilder santi cazora
Martinelli can be highly effective when playing behind strikers. Not from the wing
Even Maitland-Niles, he doesn’t want him to compete with Xhaka in defensive midfield postion. Niles is playing in that position for England under 23. Anyone with eyes to see will realise that Niles and Martinelli are not Arteta’s favourites