Ronaldinho heaps praise on Gabriel Martinelli as he compares youngster to Ronaldo.
Ronaldinho is full of admiration for Arsenal starlet, Gabriel Martinelli and the World Cup winner has compared the attacker to his former teammate, Ronaldo de Lima.
Martinelli joined Arsenal as an unknown quantity this season from unfancied Ituano. He wasn’t expected to be a member of the first team so quickly but he has taken his chances and now has 10 goals in 21 games for Arsenal.
He has been praised by several managers this season for his hunger and determination and Ronaldinho has become the latest to single him out for praises.
The former Barcelona man claims that Martinelli reminds him of Ronaldo.
‘We as Brazilians are very excited about him and his future. It is one thing to have the talent – but another at the age of 18 to have the confidence,’ Ronaldinho told the Mirror.
‘He reminds me of Ronaldo his first season in Europe he scored 30 goals and people were thinking: “who is this 18 year old Brazilian kid?”
‘He wanted the ball, he would run at players, there was no fear no matter what players or team he was playing against – and I see that similar attitude in Martinelli.
‘He just wants to be on the ball and score goals. Ronaldo went on to be the best player in the world – and that can also be the aim of Martinelli.’
The praise for the teenager is obviously welcomed, it is always nice to hear so many applaud him, however, as Mikel Arteta has already urged, he needs time to develop, he is not the finished article just yet and expectations need to be managed.
That said, he is something special and I am not going to argue with the assessment of a former player like Ronaldinho. You have to think he knows a world-class Brazilian when he sees one.
Well, let’s wait and see.
He’s young and needs nurturing and no major injuries
But I’m happy with him so far
Time to give Martinelli a break. I pray that this doesnt turn into a Lingard/Martial circus:two players who sycophants blew smoke up their behind so much they tbought they were already worldbeaters and didnt need to work harder. We’ve all seen how those two have stagnated over the past two seasons its shocking how Martial’s work ethic continues to deteriorate he’s hardly the 2015 golden boy winner who worked his behind off to win the ball.
I hope people will allow this young talent to progress gradually. To much of these talks bring heavy weight on his shoulder. But am happy he’s in good hands (MA).
Am GB’s fan.
I hope we just treat him like a normal player and play him. Look at ronaldo fergie played him and he stood up the the challenge.
I say we give him Laccas spot. I would like to see MA use lacca the way pep uses Jesus. We all know jesus has bags of talent but aguero is the go to guy. Lesser games jesus gets a start or gets subbed off. Let’s do that with lacca and auba and let martineli get more starts.
If you are playing well and scoring why not start. He doesnt need to play all the cup games leave that for someone else
I predict Arsenal playing at away tonight in the FA Cup 4th round match against AFC Bournemouth will beat them in their backyard and qualify for the 5th round draw unfailingly. But I think the beating can only be achieved if the Gunners first and foremost in the match become defensively well organised to not concede any goals to the Clarets during the match. But if they do, the game could end in a score draw match. Or even goaless draw game should the Gunners failed to register a goal or goals in the match. But Arsenal should not allow Bournemouth to play them to a draw game in the match so as to avoid a replay of the match from happening amid a fixture congestion program schedules for Arsenal in the PL and ELC campaigns.