Gabriel Martinelli: Dogged and Determined

[BigPoppaPump]

A-M playing favourites again

No trolling or pettiness, you can honestly see why people cut more slack for a young player that cost 7m while we’re top of the league compared to people in their prime that cost 50m+ while we were 5-8th right?

I was a big fan of Auba I don’t think AM really got onto his case until the end when he was crap anyway.

 

[Tnegs]

Reminds me of when Auba was scoring goals but the general play wasn't benefitting the team. I stood up for Auba but A-M beat me into acknowledging that just scoring isn't good enough, in hindsight I have to admit that A-M was right, but now with Martinelli it's apparently fine again.

A-M playing favourites again

His goalscoring run has heavily been based on the good play of others...but he kind of sticks out as as the one in the front three who doesn't really enable others. I don't have an issue with a guy who just finishes his chances but our attack isn't set up for that kind of player (as we saw with Auba).

The difference between him and Auba is that when Auba wasn’t scoring he contributed very little. Martinelli with his pace keeps the opposition fullback pinned back, is a real danger on the counter and in games where there is space behind and presses like a mad dog. He’s also 12 years younger than Auba. He’s been off form recently but he’s still an asset to the team for what he offers.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Reminds me of when Auba was scoring goals but the general play wasn't benefitting the team. I stood up for Auba but A-M beat me into acknowledging that just scoring isn't good enough, in hindsight I have to admit that A-M was right, but now with Martinelli it's apparently fine again.

A-M playing favourites again

His goalscoring run has heavily been based on the good play of others...but he kind of sticks out as as the one in the front three who doesn't really enable others. I don't have an issue with a guy who just finishes his chances but our attack isn't set up for that kind of player (as we saw with Auba).

Yeah but Arteta didn't want a pure goalscorer up top as he got into his second season. He wanted someone with more workrate / link up play etc that's why he pivoted to Laca even though he wasn't ideal himself. Auba just wasn't the profile of player Arteta wanted to play up top. It just became convenient that the goals dried up for him so he could be binned without too much pushback.

Martinelli on the other hand is doing the role Arteta wants. He's not there for creativity or bringing others into play, there's more than enough of that with Jesus / Trossard and Saka in the front 3. Martinelli is there as a battering ram / up and down workrate / goalscorer.

He's also getting significantly less help on the left from Zinchenko / Xhaka than Saka does from White / Ødegaard. I think that's intentional from Arteta too. He's by design a periphery player in an attacking sense.

It seems to me you dislike the role Marinelli is given in this side, more than Martinelli himself.

 

[HaffBR]

For a player who contributes very little, he is better than expected tho.

Expected Value Added:
Martinelli: 0.32
Expected Threat
Martinelli 0.16

Gabriel Martinelli (ARS) | profile stats | Soccerment | Soccerment

analytics.soccerment.com

I don't think he is a complete player, but for a Inside Forward who has on average of 1 non-penalty goal in 2 matches he is more decent than people think, especially taking into account that is his first full season as starter.

Just an comparison ofc.

Player Comparison: Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Gabriel Martinelli | FBref.com

Player Comparison: Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Gabriel Martinelli

fbref.com

 

[Maybe]

I was a big fan of Auba I don’t think AM really got onto his case until the end when he was crap anyway.

I was on his case when he was the top goalscorer in the league, AM experts never forgave me when I was against giving him a new contract

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Direct forward remains very direct. Confusion abounds.

 

[Rasmi]

Direct forward remains very direct. Confusion abounds.

Almost every time he got the ball on the wing he passed back. Unless he is played in space he is rarely direct with the ball nowadays

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Almost every time he got the ball on the wing he passed back. Unless he is played in space he is rarely direct with the ball nowadays

Check the dribble stats and get back to me

 

[Trilly]

No trolling or pettiness, you can honestly see why people cut more slack for a young player that cost 7m while we’re top of the league compared to people in their prime that cost 50m+ while we were 5-8th right?

I was a big fan of Auba I don’t think AM really got onto his case until the end when he was crap anyway.

I can see why but those things shouldn't matter.

If the team requires a certain level/type of player then they need that player. You can cut him slack for not being that player (e.g. he's young and needs time - which is completely valid) but it still doesn't change the fact that the player isn't what the team needs to meet it's goals.

Money payed is completely irrelevant if the club were happy to pay it tbh.

 

[Trilly]

Martinelli on the other hand is doing the role Arteta wants.

I'm not sure he is. I think he's doing parts of it but I don't think he wants anyone in the first XI having a limited role.

Complete guess work but I think he wants someone like Sterling there, same level of pace and directness but with better playmaking too. Links to Mudryk, Neto and Pino seem to confirm that as well.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

I can see why but those things shouldn't matter.

If the team requires a certain level/type of player then they need that player. You can cut him slack for not being that player (e.g. he's young and needs time - which is completely valid) but it still doesn't change the fact that the player isn't what the team needs to meet it's goals.

Money payed is completely irrelevant if the club were happy to pay it tbh.

Of course they should matter, why wouldn’t it? Money paid isn’t irrelevant the more you pay the higher quality you should receive. Even Tag Hag was moaning about Man Utd spending too much money on mediocre players. Same issue we had throwing money down the drain for years, money should buy higher quality.

We’re top of the league with Martinelli starting most games isn’t that enough to reach the goals? Not sure how much more you can expect.

Again not trying to start anything but I do remember you being much more lenient on Lacazette and Pepe. You even told me once Lacazette can’t be criticised for being a poor goal scorer because he was ‘secondary striker’ I just find it a bit strange that your standards changed especially for way younger players.

 

[HaffBR]

I think Milan's designated replacement for Leão was Martinelli in the winter, I think they would trade both if Martinelli is offered plus 50 million or one or two players such as Nketiah/Balogun type... but it is just a guess.

 

[Gooner Zig]

He was brilliant last night.

 

[djpeat]

The kid missed a penalty.. KID..
All that matters is he uses this as a learning experiece. He will score on sunday.
We would not be where we are without him
And we will not win the league without him

 

[Trilly]

Of course they should matter, why wouldn’t it? Money paid isn’t irrelevant the more you pay the higher quality you should receive. Even Tag Hag was moaning about Man Utd spending too much money on mediocre players. Same issue we had throwing money down the drain for years, money should buy higher quality.

We’re top of the league with Martinelli starting most games isn’t that enough to reach the goals? Not sure how much more you can expect.

Again not trying to start anything but I do remember you being much more lenient on Lacazette and Pepe. You even told me once Lacazette can’t be criticised for being a poor goal scorer because he was ‘secondary striker’ I just find it a bit strange that your standards changed especially for way younger players.

money paid and age is irrelevant on the pitch is what I’m saying. If your team needs a 20 goal a season striker to hit its targets then that’s what it needs.

Your objectives won’t care if the players failed to hit them because they were young, or were really good value, or a secondary striker etc.

Your last paragraph is spot on, I used to be lenient and think about why players were struggling rather than judge them based on clear targets. A-M had absolutely no time for that though so I now do the same thing and it’s a problem.

These are de foggin estandads.

 

[MaraDon]

He was probably our best starter yesterday along with Gabriel.

He fought for absolutely everything from first minute to last. Was a constant threat and outlet on the left. Never stopped running.

PK was poor but it happens sometimes, look at Saka.

this.

He is still developing, but his work rate and willingness are much more important to us than a couple of mistakes here and there. He allows Zinni to play loose and his availability to be a threat on the counter converts the team into a very hard beast to dame.

He offers a depth in our game that we don't have without him, simple. Erratic? yes, but we produce enough volume of football to afford it.

 

[Rattata]

I can't with some Arsenal fans. Martinelli is our only direct player besides Eddie. All our other attacking players prefer to pass than to shoot. You need someone like Martinelli in the team otherwise all you do is trying to walk it in and we Arsenal fans should know that this isn't always going to work. Sometimes you need a rebound from a Martinelli shot to give you a goal like we saw against Sporting. Sometimes you need a Martinelli cross to hit the defender for an own goal.

 

[Maybe]

The kid missed a penalty.. KID..

The moment you ask for 180k/w you are not a kid anymore and some expectations are there. His penalty was piss poor, someone like Holding would strike it better than he did.

With the team around him, I'm not concerned anymore with his general play (which is poor), he is only there for the end product and once we have a full squad he will do better. Arteta should avoid involving him that much in the build up, he is clueless when he needs to make decisions about how to start the attack

If he gives us 15 goals a season in the league and works hard on the pitch, I'll take it. We're gonna be left disappointed if we expect something else from him, even though some stats merchant will tell how many dribbles he had, my eyes can't see that as it's mostly kick and run thing if there is enough space for him

 

[14Henry]

Top player and top personality. Wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up with a winner or an important contribution at the weekend.

 

[Riou]

Hopefully he gets a goal this weekend, deserves it after having the bottle to even step up for a penalty.

Have no doubt our fans will give him a great reception this weekend, as they have been brilliant these past two seasons.