Martinelli or Trossard?
Arsenal have had a great start to the season, only losing twice in the Premier League and have again become one of the teams to beat. With the year coming to an end and every Arsenal fan anxious to finish the year off on top of the league, the game against Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon is extremely important, and if we can manage to walk away with the three points we could be sitting pretty at the top as we go into the new year.
Our front line has probably been the main issue for Arsenal this season, last season we struggled a lot in defence and were conceding a lot of goals, this season we seem to have fixed our defence but now can’t score as many goals as we were last season. With a dynamic front three like ours, it’s hard to pin point where the problems are coming from, but if we don’t find a way to fix it and find the back of the net more often, we can kiss our title hopes goodbye.
For me, Arteta must make a big change against Fulham and although I love Martinelli and know he’s extremely talented, recently he just hasn’t been at his best and looks to have entered some form of slump. Martinelli is a huge part of this Arteta system but for a 22-year-old, he’s played an insane amount of games without a break. I personally think the workload has got to him a bit and he might just need a rest.
Personally, I think Trossard should be starting against Fulham on the left wing. He’s proved he’s a great player and when he has started out of the left, he’s been electric. I know it’s somewhat of a big move because Martinelli brings a lot of things that I think Trossard can’t, but the door swings both ways. We need to be scoring more goals and if tinkering with the frontline is what it takes, then I think Arteta need’s to bite that bullet and take a chance.
Martinelli has played 17 games this season, starting 16 of them, he’s scored 2 goals and bagged 2 assists and Trossard has started played 15 games, started 6, scored 3 goals and bagged 1 assist. Not too much to separate the two, but Trossard does seem to be doing a bit more when given the chance.
He may have been a surprise signing but he slotted into Arteta’s system perfectly, and I think the game against Fulham is the perfect type of game for him to get a chance.
What’s your thoughts Gooners? Would you go with Martinelli or Trossard against Fulham?
Daisy Mae
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Martinelli to me, is as important to every single game Arsenal plays, as Saka is to some people. The pressure Martinelli exerts on the left flank, far exceeds what Saka has been doing the last few games. Something is just not clicking with the introduction of new players in the team. The free flowing, rapid attack moves have been replaced by sluggish passes and tired runs into the box, ending with timid goal attempts lacking precision and thrust.
Anyone ever wonders what happened to the unpredictable switches in the flanks between Saka and Martinelli? Is Havertz worth everything that Arsenal has lost?
I would go with Reiss Nelson, he is more of a like for like replacement. He has played well this season and needs to be given a chance otherwise we may as well sell him. Put him in against Fulham, hopefully keep him there for the FA cup them see how things like after Martinelli had had a break for a few weeks.
If Nelson messes up, we switch back to Trossard as reliable back up.
I’d also like to try Nelson as a starter on the left wing. Trossard lost the ball too many times when he became a starter, so we’d better keep him as a sub
I concur absolutely. Apart from Nelson ESR can also be tried. Matinelli needs a break
The biggest worry I had at the beginning of this season was that out two young wingers would not repeat the stellar success of last time. After all, it is not usual for a pair of 21 year olds to be getting 14/15 goals a season and they both had heavy schedules with international commitments.
Saka has sipped slightly but has so much in his locker that he can play well even when knackered. Martinelli is bit more reliant on pace plus he has lost his natural touch in front of goal but all things considered has played well, he still causes a lot of problems for defenders. He just needs a bit of time out
Trossard up front and Jesus on the left for this match. Would love to see ESR on the pitch as well, but Havertz will start…
Arsenal are too predictable and need to mix it up in the forward positions. Teams know to double up on Saka and Martinelli which makes it difficult for us, especially when so many goals come through these players.
People have eluded to a plan B or lack of one and I think they are right.
Start Trossard, play as winger or as 9.
Anyone of them will do just fine.
Opposition Teams double up on both Saka and Martinelli because they believe we have no real goal threat in the middle. I still believe Tossard has the best shot to goals ratio and his real best position has always been a false number 9. The problem is that Arteta is soft in his decision to always make either Nketiah or Jesus the number 9 player in the team. I believe Tossard should be first choice 9 and not 3rd choice. I can’t remember any games we have lost when Tossard has started as a number 9. Also it’s time to start smith Rowe in the middle because of his long range shots and fast link up play to add an extra threat in the middle and stop the sluggish and negative passing play.
Martinelli finishing or last pass has deteriorated a lot this season. He still gets pass his opponent despite being double teamed because that’s how good he is same as saka on the opposite flank but almost always makes the wrong choice in the end.
But our biggest issue is not our wingers but the players in the middle especially jesus, odeggard and havertz who should have profited from more space in their zone with 4 players occupied with our wingers. Odeggard misses vs Aston villa and Jesus misses vs West ham are the most glaring examples.
Out of the two it has to be Martinelli .
Martinelli hasn’t been great lately but Trossard has been terrible.
Trossard isn’t good enough to start.
Not exaggerated
Saka and Martinelli have been lacking fullback support since Tommy got injured. Their hasn’t been much over running by the fullbacks as they tend to hang back waiting for a negative pass rather than moving forward for a positive pass.
For Daisy Mae
Your article has a little error on it. We have lost thrice (not twice) in the premier league so far (2 away games: Newcastle and Aston Villa and 1 home game: West Ham).
The answer to the pertinent question is that:-
I would prefer Reiss Nelson on the left. Although I would like MA to mix it up a little by playing BS on the left and RN on the right to confuse the opposition.
On current struggles, Xhaka is easily worth £50million to Arsenal. He has been hard to replace. His over the top pinged balls makes Saka and Martinelli look so special and dangerous throughout past seasons. Now we just slog it leadenly through the middle.
Also, coach should sit one of the players down and make him study Partey’s catalogue of through passes. We can’t hope to huff and puff it throughout an entire season. Ball use efficiency is sorely lacking.
A huge volume of energy is been consumed and exhausted almost to no avail. Efficient use of the ball as seen from last season, is gone.
Raya to Partey to the front 3 link-up would have made Arsenal a different beast.
I think it will be Trossard, but Martinelli performs quite well in the Zinchenko, Havertz, Martinelli triangle. I still think Trossard will get the start and perhaps Martinelli comes on later if it doesn’t work out.
Neither for me, at leaSt not in THAT normal formation.
I would play Jesus on the right, Saka on the left and try Martinelli OR Trossard as a proper striker and ensure whichever of those two plays centrally , STAYS centrally , so that at all times we have SOMEBODY ar least in a position to score.
Of course nothing of the kind has ANY chance of happening, with MA.
I have given up expecting him to ever tweak a clearly ineffective front line.
I also foresee no formation change then meaning NO title, for sure sadly Sigh!
I would reinstate HAVERTZ, now his susoension is finished, to his usual midfield position.
Perhaps our New Years formation Jon.😉
I would prefer ESR before either but I suspect Arteta will continue with our very predictable front three.