Gabriel Martinelli: Dogged and Determined

[GoonerJeeves]

Duracell rabbit really.

 

[RunTheTrap]

He’s sh*t. If he was called Gary Martin no one would rate him.

Hope you’re still on here when he’s playing for Celta Vigo in five years time.

Rah, this is a howler. What did Martinelli do to make you this angry?

 

[Vinci]

He is only 21 and Arteta even managed to make Sterling look potent in the final third. Should be even easier with Gabby.

 

[Tourbillion]

Pleased with his general play but he needs to become much more threatening and providing G/A.

 

[A_G]

@Trilly

 

[RunTheTrap]

Pleased with his general play but he needs to become much more threatening and providing G/A.

He got the assist for Xhaka’s goal.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

He got the assist for Xhaka’s goal.

We had people doubting Saka before and he's on 5 G/A in 8 games, and now Martinelli has 4 G/A in 8 games (or maybe more? I'll have to check...) and is getting the same treatment. Kinda strange honestly. these aren't top numbers but for 21 year old wingers they're perfectly acceptable FFS

 

[Wrighty4eva]

Current favorite player at the club.

 

[G0D]

We had people doubting Saka before and he's on 5 G/A in 8 games, and now Martinelli has 4 G/A in 8 games (or maybe more? I'll have to check...) and is getting the same treatment. Kinda strange honestly. these aren't top numbers but for 21 year old wingers they're perfectly acceptable FFS

This is true, but the doubting is going to happen when there’s a drop-off in his play. Those first few games he was totally electric whereas now I’d say he’s being overshadowed by Saka. Still performing pretty well but not to the level of the first few games.

My biggest concern with Martinelli is that he doesn’t appear to put in as much defensive effort as Saka does. Atleast not consistently.

 

[Oxeki]

He must be creaming his pants at the thought of facing TAA next week.

 

[Rasmi]

He must be creaming his pants at the thought of facing TAA next week.

TAA wont play. I think he was so bad against Brighton he will be taken out of the team. Has to protect him now

 

[Fabregasm]

This is true, but the doubting is going to happen when there’s a drop-off in his play. Those first few games he was totally electric whereas now I’d say he’s being overshadowed by Saka. Still performing pretty well but not to the level of the first few games.

My biggest concern with Martinelli is that he doesn’t appear to put in as much defensive effort as Saka does. Atleast not consistently.

He is a power workhorse and track back whenever we are defending. It was his defensive effort that caused Sp**s to be reduced to 10 men

 

[14Henry]

Hes brilliant. Goal threat. Assisting. Putting the hard yards in. Also able to maintain his intensity the whole match and control himself running about wise.

Another one needs to have his contract renewed soon along with Saliba and Saka.

 

[SA Gunner]

Martinelli my man just wish he get his head up a bit more.

This is his problem right now yeah. If he can resolve this by looking up and see how things have moved around him, he will make better decisions, faster.

But we have a player here, along with Saka he is a big part of opposition planning right now.

 

[drippin]

He is very important to us. Saka on the other side, and Martinelli on the other.. you almost never lose the ball, and both can go past their players. They are doubled teamed, so they will drag the defenders and give more space to other players.

Xhaka, Partey and Ødegaard (and Vieira) all have pretty good shot, but need time and space for it. Our wingers should be able to make that possible, more and more.

 

[Tom349]

Less concerned about getting his head up and more concerned about using his team mates when he does have his head and chooses to go solo. Becoming too predictable and his team mates have visibly been frustrated by his selfishness.

Also this is the worst kind of selfishness. As often he will try and do everything by himself until the final actions where he will then try and find a team mate by which time the opposition has flooded the box and all it does is result in a blocked shot. Whereas if he uses his team mates more in the build up, the entire move will be more fluid and we will break down the defence earlier meaning less numbers in the box and more space to get a shot off.

Looking forward to this development in his game as right now he is contributing by over working and forcing things. Once it becomes less forced and more fluid, it will both open his game to be more productive and also help his conserve energy for the more important moments but on the ball and off of it.

 

[Maybe]

He improved his game on the ball and keeps it well around the pitch, but looks very Iwobi-like in the final third.

I think people waiting for some sort of development there should accept that he will never be a tidy and smart player in the final third, more like he will brute force his way into the box or will try blind crosses until he finds someone.

That's all fine by me, atm we have enough of smart players in the team and someone like Martinelli is much needed

 

[14Henry]

He improved his game on the ball and keeps it well around the pitch, but looks very Iwobi-like in the final third.

I think people waiting for some sort of development there should accept that he will never be a tidy and smart player in the final third, more like he will brute force his way into the box or will try blind crosses until he finds someone.

That's all fine by me, atm we have enough of smart players in the team and someone like Martinelli is much needed

Mane often used pace and power to get into the box. He wasn't one to weave through a defence etc. And he was a pretty useful player for Liverpool.

 

[Trilly]

He’s a fan and pundit favourite because of his pace and intensity but he does tend to have games where he doesn’t actually do much but glosses it over with some pressing or exciting runs.

At the end of the day it’s a numbers game and that should be his focus, I reckon Mikel will be looking at adding a Raphinha level forward next summer so he’s got a challenge on his hands.

 

[14Henry]

He’s a fan and pundit favourite because of his work rate and play style but this was another game where he didn’t really do anything impactful in the final third. He does tend to have them quite often but glosses them over with some pressing or exiting rubs.

At the end of the day it’s a numbers game and that should be his focus, I reckon Mikel will be looking at adding a Raphinha level forward next summer so he’s got a challenge on his hands.

Hes a fan favourite because he's a really good player. He's threatening. Can come inside or go outside. He's young and has the ability to develop (no guarantees but the probability is that parts of his game will improve).

He scores goals and creates them. He played against a team that defended deep which can be hard for more explosive wide players like Martinelli but he's a hell of a player.

Is Diaz at Liverpool performing better? Sterling at Chelsea? Mahrez been tearing it up at City this season? Did you see more from Richarlson yesterday? Or Son? Because these are some of the so called top wide forwards in the league. And in my opinion Gabi is doing as well if not better than all of them.