Farewell Gabriel Martinelli
By Vuyo Mataka
On the 2nd of July 2019, Arsenal brought in a young winger from a club in Brazil’s fourth division, Ituano. This player came in for a small fee and was considered to be a prospect that would develop into a future Arsenal first team player. His debut season did not play out the way we thought it would go. He went from a prospect to a pivotal player for the team. His high energy and persistence on the left reminds us of a younger Alexis Sanchez. His goal contribution and consistently high level of performances won over the hearts of the fans.
He has went on to earning his first international cap with Brazil to winning an Olympic gold medal. We have seen him grow from a young man from Brazil with a lot of promise to a rising star destined to be a starter for Arsenal. Unfortunately, not every story has a happy ending. Gabriel Martinelli is not the starter is not we thought we would be.
With limited minutes and unimpressive performances, Gabriel looks like a shell of his former self. The longer he is at Arsenal not getting the minutes he needs to prove himself, we will end up with a dispirited and frustrated player on our hands. Gabriel’s withdrawal from the squad was not his fault, injury hampered his progress and with his growing absence, other players moved up the pecking order. With Arsenal not having any European football, Gabriel does not have many opportunities to force himself back into the team again.
With him having two years left on his contract at the end of the season, the club need to see if they offer him an extension or sell him so he can shine abroad. The young Brazilian is a great talent but he does not fit into Arteta’s plans and his presence would prevent the likes of Taylor-Hart and Hutchinson from getting their first team opportunities. It will be sad seeing him go, but it might be time for the young winger from the Brazil to leave the nest and let his career take flight at a new club…
Vuyo Mataka
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Arteta is brutally sidelining ALL of Emery’s signing… Leno, Saliba, Guendouzi, Torreira, Martinelli, Papastoplos, Pepe.. Im worried it’s only a matter of time for Tierney.
– Smith-Rowe is very productive as an LW, so Martinelli should wait until Smith-Rowe gets injured
– Saka is better for linking up than Pepe
– Tierney currently doesn’t deserve to start ahead of Tavares. His attacking style is too predictable, he’s been skinned by many top wingers and his aerial ability is inferior to Tavares’
You have spoken well Gai.
For a coach (Arteta) who was under pressure weeks back, no one can fault him for using his best to get results and we are in 5th. No sentiments ESR, Saka & Tavares are sweetly on form at the moment. It’s a good thing to have 2 players for each role. So Matinelli, Pepe & Thieney are good as options. They will surely have their own opportunity like M. Niles and Lokonga.
Thanks bro and yes we’re endowed with strong internal competitions among our players
I wish all fans use their logic instead of their emotions and personal vendetta against Arteta, before making unconstructive comments. I wonder where that silly Logic guy goes when we’re unbeaten
Gunner4life, just a little correction.
They were not UE’s signings, it was gazidis who did all the signings /contracts from Aubemeyang onwards until he left the club.
I’m not too worried about Martinelli being on the bench now with the team doing well and I think he’s understand that currently too.
I think his frustration is coming from when the team was severely underperforming and our strikers struggling for goals that he still could barely get game time over players that were terrible at that time. I’d also probably think to myself that the coach must have zero plans for me if i can’t even get the odd start or at least 20-30 mins when no-one was playing well.
Let’s be realistic, will this Martinelli be a starter in any of top 6 contenders.?
How many of those teams has young guys like Saka and ESR as main fulcrum?
We can’t rely too much on young players, we need a proper blend and Martinelli form isn’t great atm, why is he frustrated? His time will come, he should be ready to grab it when opportunity arrive, he is young, he has lots of time ahead of him
Smith-Rowe’s playing style attracts hard challenges from the opponents, so he’d likely be injured next year
Smith-Rowe’s playing style on the left wing and his stature are currently more suited to Arteta’s system, as compared to Martinelli
The left wing position is Martinelli’s only chance to thrive at Arsenal, because he is too small and too green for the CF role
Liverpool are looking at Martinelli so Arteta needs to wake up and smell the coffee
This has to be a joke right? How do you guys accept and post some of these articles?
Farewell Martinelli?
Two years left?
The same Martinelli that signed a new 4 years deal with an option to extend with one more year contract after Saka months ago?
Added to the years left on his first contract?
The same one the father few days ago said Arsenal ain’t ready to lose him?
Y’all abuse the media for cooking things that ain’t there, when the media stops doing it.
Y’all step up to do the same shít.
Lol i myself thought the article was utter nonsense.
Actually when they sign new contracts, the years don’t add up to the previous contract, the terms are just renewed, effective immediately. So Martinelli did sign a new 4 year contract in 2020 and it expires on the 30th of June, 2024. Therefore the article’s info is correct, two years after the end of this season. That being said, i dont think that he is leaving or that he is even considering it, but i can understand his frustration for not getting at least 20 mins in games where it is clear that certain players lose stamina or underperform.
Did we not cover this ground only a few days ago?
I might be wrong, but I thought Martinelli signed a new long term contract at the end of last season.
Reported as either a four or five year contact signed in 2020, probably 4 with an option to reverted 1 year ie. potentially runs until 2025.
Also he hasn’t been caped for Brazil’s senior team yet, the Olympics squad is considered the under-23 team (despite the inclusion of up to three over-age players), and the competition isn’t recognised as an official event by FIFA.
First and foremost, Martinelli has no intention of leaving and Arsenal has no intention of letting him go, his Father has made it very clear. Secondly, as regards the frustration, I agree he deserves atleast 20-25 minutes each game, when the other players are tiring or not playing well. He is a talent, no doubt, the only thing he needs is consistency and that will come with game time. I hope MA gives him more opportunities and does not rest him after just 1-2 games.