As we all know, Arsenal face a massive game today against high-flying Sheffield United at home, and we have to do it without our top scorer Aubameyang after his red card. When we have discussed on here as to who will play in the Gunners forward line in Auba’s absence, it would seem that the concensus feels that Martinelli should be the most deserved of our youngsters to play today, alongside Pepe and Lacazette.
But it seems that Mikel Arteta has got other ideas as he has spoken out saying that he wants Reiss Nelson to step up and prove he can play “every three days”, so it sounds like he intends to make him a regular starter in our line-up.
The Boss told Arsenal.com: “I know Reiss because I coached him when he was 16 and straightaway he caught my eye,” Arteta said. “He is a boy that is willing to learn and loves the game but I think he has been a little bit confused in the last few years – what direction he had to take, some of the decisions that he made.
“Now I can see that he really wants it and I think he has the potential to do whatever he wants. He needs guidance, he needs a little bit of a stick, and he’s up for it. I put him to play and I trust him because he wants it and I think he can deliver.
“He needs to take responsibility as well. If he wants to play for this club every three days when yo have to step in there you have to be almost perfect and at the moment I see this kind of attitude and desire.
“If he wants to do it, wants to learn and wants to challenge himself he can be a top, top player for this football club. At the moment I think he is on the right path, with the right attitude and then there are a lot of factors, he needs to deal with pressure, deliver every three days, score more goals and make the difference more for the team because he has the quality to do that.”
Now, as you know, I am not sure that all Arsenal fans will agree with Arteta on this one, especially after watching Martinelli impress every time he gets a chance and the young Brazilian also always seems to get on the scoresheet.
It would appear that we are going to have to trust Arteta on this, as it is him that watches all his players in training every day so should know their strengths, but for me Nelson’s record so far this season does not suggest he is ready to be a regular starter at all, whereas Martinelli has proven himself regularly.
