Hi Gooners! by Sarah
A week after the Wolves game and I’m still ecstatic! It was one of those games again where I was waving my arms about, jumping up and down, shouting at the TV, scaring the dog. He got so fed up he left the room! Proud of the support the team had from the fans. I don’t think I’ve
heard the place rocking like that in a long time.
One thing I keep hearing even though there’s fourteen games left of the season, is which striker we should bring to the club in the summer. Why? Our striker situation is staring us in the face and most of us are still overlooking it.
We have three players who have the potential to be our key forward. Why do we need to look elsewhere? Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Pepe. It’s already been said that two of them are being tried out in this position.
I can’t say I’m an expert in European football and watch every league to know which striker we should be bringing in, but so far, our pursuit of players to take that role this past window, well putting it lightly, fell flat as a pancake!
I would much rather have one of the three I mentioned take up the role. We all know ESR and Martinelli compete for the same position, which is good that there’s competition, but I can see it is causing problems in the long run, as they both want and need regular starts or we will risk losing one of them. They will both be hot property by the end of the season. I wouldn’t have even thought of any in my plans as a forward, but where there is a constant rotation system between them. Well not really, if Martinelli can’t play, whether being injured or banned, ESR takes his place.
Maybe we have a better chance of bringing in a key midfielder in the summer and stick with trying to integrate one of the three into the forward role? With the uncertainty over Lacazette’s future, and Nketiah not up to the standard to get first team starts, something has to happen.
Pepe’s not getting enough game time. He had a great AFCON and came on against Wolves and showed in that short space of time what he is capable of. Pepe struggles to get in the first team as he is down in the pecking order and probably not one of Arteta’s favourites. Could a new position change his Arsenal career around? He loves short passing and can be a strong finisher at goal. He has played in the position before with previous clubs. He would be my second choice to train in the position. That’s if Arteta doesn’t flog him come June…
ESR is more suited to the winger role, he creates more chances for his team, holds the ball better and runs at the defence and is very clever with his possession of the ball and is an assister. He’s been likened to Gazza by quite a few people including our old player Petit saying “He reminds me of Paul Gascoigne when he has the ball at his feet and runs with it, he’s a natural player in his mind and feet”.
Even Arteta said about Smith-Rowe: “I think he can play in four positions.
“He can play as a left-winger, he can play as a left attacking midfielder, right attacking midfielder and he can play as a 9; very, very well I think.”
He is probably one of the best midfielders in the Prem at the moment and that is not even getting regular starts. Even scoring the goals as a midfielder. Why chance taking that gem out of this key position?
For me it has to be Martinelli in pole position to take the forward role on. During lockdown he bulked up and his physique is now more muscular, which would help him backing into and holding off defenders, but still has the pace to leave them behind. He’s a clinical finisher and the style of play Arteta now has us playing is already allowing Gabriel to get into central positions more. He can also get into dangerous spaces and take shots which is needed if we want those goals going in. He is known to be a strong header of the ball, this would also benefit us when the crosses come in from mainly Tierney. With the recent debt update, surely the club would love to save money splashing out on a striker that might or might not be a success for us and focus on who we already have in the team?
Looking forward to the next game. Keep the fantastic support going everybody!
Sarah Rohan
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