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Record-breaking Martinelli will be raring to go after Olympic triumph

Martinelli can kick off his Arsenal career after Olympics triumph by Yash

Although playing just 22 minutes of football at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Gabriel Martinelli can surge to the very top with the experience he got from the tournament.

Despite the fact that the Olympics is not what footballers truly dream about, it’s still a great platform for young athletes.

Arsenal will hope that Martinelli’s experience at Tokyo aids him in reaching a different level.

Everybody knows that he is a fighter but after Tokyo’s triumph he could become a beast.

The Brazilian has impressed since he made the switch to one of England’s most successful clubs as an 18-year-old from the fourth division of Brazilian league in 2019.

In his debut campaign, Martinelli became one of the most sought after teenagers in Europe, as he scored 10 goals and recorded four assists in just 26 appearances.

That’s one goal involvement in every 1.8 games, an impressive feat for a teenager, who was not even close to the first division of Brazil.

Arsenal fans naturally expected more from the player who oozes energy. But an ankle injury in June last year disrupted his development and sidelined him for several months.

Speaking about the serious ankle injury to English news outlet Daily Mail, he said, “I went to the club for the examinations, and they said it was not good and I would need surgery. It broke me. I cried a lot.”

Time out of football was a pivotal moment for him. Injuries are part and parcel of football and the Brazilian learned how to deal with them physically as well as psychologically.

When the former Ituano man made a return in December, it was a blessing in disguise for Mikel Arteta’s men, who were desperately looking for a spark in their Premier League campaign.

The U23 Brazilian international provided it, bringing home a massive performance against Chelsea alongside the newly added Smith-Rowe. That was the turning point in the Gunners’ season, who went on an amazing run.

If Martinelli is given more opportunities, he has the ability to come good every now and then. But Arteta being reluctant to introduce Martinelli’s lung-bursting runs last campaign was somewhat frustrating for the Arsenal faithful.

The Spaniard kept on using the underwhelming Will*an and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who cannot be expected to run up and down on the flank consistently, due to his age.

Using players who are better, rather than using players which were good in the past but continue to be poor in the present, was a common theme in last season’s first half period.

That certainly needs to change this season. Just play players who are in good form and are performing well. The team will automatically do better.

If Arteta does not learn from his mistakes, his journey with Arsenal might eventually end sooner rather than later.

Yash Bisht

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59 Comments

  1. Martinelli will set the PL on fire after learning from his Olympic tournament, just like Walcott did after learning a great deal from his 2006 World Cup involvement.

        1. Sue P and Phil, I’d call it deadly accurate rather than acerbic, since it is profoundly TRUE!
          COASTER Walcotts career disappeared up his own coasting back side. And since leaving us TOO, I notice with grim satisfaction.

          I loathe all lazy players, just as I loathe laziness with anyone, in or out of sport.

          We have just one life and if we waste it by not using whatever gifts or talents we may have, esp with elite sportspeople, then we are insulting and CHEATING ourselves and those who pay to watch us.

          I make a serious point as ever and am deadly serious.

          Please give me your considered opinion on the subject of laziness, esp with footballers(since this is an Arsenal site).

        2. Acerbic Sue? Or simply plain truth? I’d say the latter, as I loathe all lazy players from George Graham as Stroller way back then, to Ozil, to Mkhi and for an oh so dismally long run(or should that read “walk”) the arch coaster Walcott himself.
          I saw though this non tryer within weeks of him first starting in our team and never had cause to change ny mind.
          I note even since he has mercifully left us and with grim satisfaction, that nothing has changed with idle Walcott.

          As you will know I loathe all laziness, whether in or out of football and in life generally. We all have but one life and a sacred duty to use whatever gifts or talents we may have to our utmost. I am deadly serious!

          All elite athltes have a gift, albeit at various levels and if they choose to coast through their career, they CHEAT themselves and worse still they cheat those who PAY and spend time and emotion on watching them.

          They are, in my considered opinion, a disgrace.

          I would love to hear your opinions please both Sue and Phil, ON THE SUBJECT OF PLAYER LAZINESS.

          1. jon, I would take a prime George “Stroller” Graham back in the Arsenal midfield tomorrow and as manager yesterday.

      2. Guess you still haven’t come out of your decade long sleep yet, Phil. Else, you’d have caught my drift

        1. What drift PAL- just explain exactly when Walcott set the Premier League. on fire.And Walcott didn’t even get on the bench for any game in the 2006 World Cup and very rarely played for Arsenal in the premier League until a few seasons after that. And tennis set it on fire???
          I think you must have been watching Trumpton PAL not football.

          2. When I equated some future events to the one that didn’t happen in the past, I meant the future prediction won’t happen too.

            In simpler terms, since Walcott gained absolutely “NOTHING” from his 2006 World Cup peripheral involvement to bolster his club career, Martinelli wouldn’t have gained anything from the same kind of experience from his Olympic involvement to warrant any improvement in his club career.

        2. Vas C Do I take from this post that your first post was being ironic then? There seemed no hint of any irony- IF that was intended – either to Phil, Sue P or myself.!

          Care to please explain what you DID mean then?

          Personally, Id really like to know, as I do not appreciate, seemingly, ambiguous posts, IF indeed it was !

          1. I was in 2 minds but plumped with Phil and you. Irony was thin on the ground but it gives an insight into VasC’s thought processes as a future reference

        3. Vas C As a LITERATE fan yourself, forgive me for saying that you would be better advised when writing, NOT to be ambiguous in meaning. That is why I always write decisively and straight to the point, as Phil does too. Also Sue P, though she is far kinder than both Phil and myself. There is room for irony but make it clear!

          MANY WILL LOATHE ME FOR BEING BLUNT BUT NO ONE WILL MISINTERPRET WHAT I THINK.

          I maintain that to write to the point is honest and fools no one. We owe people that respect not to take them for fools by misunderstanding us, as three of us older, more mature fan clearly did with your non ironic sounding, but “ironic” post.

          1. Dear jon fox,
            If there is one thing that I’ve learnt from my regular visits to JA in the past couple of months, it is that you appreciate and respect an honest answer. Apologize me for taking my time to reply to your earlier comment as I was trying to put together the words very carefully in my mind before posting it.

            Was my first post being ironic? Without any doubts, YES.

            Was it intended towards you or the other users you’ve mentioned? In all honesty, NO.

            As for my explanation, do you still need one after I’ve admitted that my post was being ironic.

            I’ll try to remember your words of wisdom, you’re kind enough to share with me, when I post my comments in the future. And I won’t make any excuses for others misinterpreting my comments in the first place because of their perception about me from my earlier posts.

            If you remember me using the “Don” moniker in one of our earlier exchanges, it was out of the respect I had, and still have, for you. I stopped using that just because you didn’t fancy being addressed that way from your reply.

            I really appreciate your effort and the time you took to guide me in the right path and I’ll remain grateful for that.

            ps.: Being a dimwit and non-English, I still can’t understand why/how/what you consider my first post being “TRUE”, in whatever way it’s interpreted.

          2. DEAR VasC. Firstly, I much appreciate your humble and too modest post, though I feel you have little to feel modest about, as you write so well. You are in no way a “dimwit”, quite the opposite and I believe we will debate with great mutual respect from now onwards.

            Please don’t ever feel afraid of me just because my language is blunt. I mean no harm to anyone and have enormous respect and admiration for any human on earth who is trying his or her very best.

            But I do look down on lazy folk, who are IMO letting themselves down – and when they are players, they are also letting down their club, their teammates, the manager and most important of all, WE FANS!

            On your points raised, firstly I took “DON” to mean a sort of mafia type and therefore not a decent person, so naturally replied in kind.

            That was not decent and not wise of me and so I APOLOGISE PROFUSELY to you. It was simply a misunderstanding.

            But what that misunderstanding shows is how important it is to write plainly and without ambiguity. Irony and even sarcasm are both OK, as long as both are clearly understood.

            I AM to the point, as I maintain all are equal, though some have not English as their first language , as you don’t. But your English IS good.

            Everyone has the SAME right to be able to fully understand what I write. I am privileged to be able to write on this site, as are we all and we all have a duty to be properly understood, to the best of our own abilities.

            Secondly, my writing “TRUE” was in reply to Phils view and did not refer to your first post but to his post instead.

            FINALLY, I WISH YOU ALL BEST WISHES FOR YOUR LIFE AHEAD AND HOPE WE CAN DEBATE OFTEN AND ENJOYABLY.

    2. Wow, I can perfectly understand the irony behind your words VasC. Caught your drift when you mentioned Walcott and 2006😂😂
      Guess Phil, Jon and Sue missed that part. Well it was a little too cleverly written though(without exclamation or emojis), and I kinda agree with Jon for that part. But having seen your earlier posts, it fits your style I must say.
      Cheers!

      1. Amidst all the gloom and doom surrounding our club, I was just hoping to set a lighter tone while posting that comment. As you’ve noted, an emoji would have gone a long way in letting people know what I really meant. Things are just the way that used to be again, good as gold. Cheers, mate!!!

    2. @VasC- you are embarrassing yourself now PAL. Just look at what you wrote in the first post. Then explain how that is remotely recognisable to what you are now suggesting.

      1. Dear @Phil,
        I don’t feel embarrassed for others failing to see the irony in my post.

        p.s: I’ll be much more respectful to you in the future, as I do with jon fox. I tender my sincere apologies, if I’ve meant anything disrespectful towards you as I wasn’t aware of your age until jon fox let me know through his latest post.

          1. Just a classic case of a little “Failure to communicate”, if you get what I mean. All’s well now! Let’s enjoy the new season.

  3. I truly miss the days when football was judged by pure talents. Not all these unnecessary stats. Nowadays, I see things like Grealish would draw fouls(and it’s made to sound like it’s of great relevance). Please can we get to the days when we acknowledge a players talents based on just that….talents?
    P.S. I’m a biiiiiiig fan of Martinelli, so this is not, in any way, directed at Martinelli

    1. AGB, Totally agree!! The beyond mere silly reliance on stats is largely a gimmick, simply because we now have wonderful technology and so have the overpowering urge to use it!

      No matter that it is largely nonsense and eyes and brain are far better judges.

      It would not be so bad were stats used correctly and in great context.THEN they would have at least SOME relevance. Used in great context and intelligently they have a place, though a lesser one, in assessing players.

      But fans, in the main, do not properly understand the word “context” and many are unthinking (often being very young, it being a GENERATIONAL urge to overuse them)

      BUT so many stats slaves trot them out blindly without any context whatsoever and fool themselves into thinking they prove the particular theory that each stat slave thinks cool. They do not!

    2. AGB , Totally agree!
      (If this post appears twice , please forgive it. My posts often disappear, so I rewrite them only to find the original then mysteriously reappears).

      So many slaves to stats , almost entirely young fans, fail to comprehend that eyes and brain are by far the best judges when assessing any player.

      We have wonderful technology today, so many unthinking stats slaves feel the overpowering urge to blindly trot out any stats that they “think”(as if!!) will prove their own particular prejudice.

      STATS, WHEN USED IN FULL CONTEXT, and as an adjunct to eyes and brain, have SOME relevance, though a lesser one only.

      PERHAPS ONLY OLDER FANS FULLY ACCEPT THIS CLEAR TRUTH. IT SEEMS SO TO ME!

  4. It depends on Monsiuer Arteta.
    Monsiuer Arteta could say Martinelli is not ready to play because he just played a final at the olympics.

    Arteta has his favourites.

  5. Arsenal should take a decision on the future of the inexperience coach Arteta after the first ten matches of this season. Depending on the team’s performance and position in the premier league table, Arteta may be sacked and therefore, hopefully, our young talents will be given opportunities to play in the premier league.

  6. Well we all know what will happen, he is not in Arteta’s favourite book and we know what happens to those who are not in that book. He was benched last season and the season before it even when he was fit. I am afraid same will happen to him this season then he will look for another club while pro Arteta supporters will first say he was not fit and Arteta benched him to protect him then when he leaves they will say he was not good enough just another over hyped kid 😂😂.

    1. He was benched partly because he was carrying an injury, and partly because he was not playing well. He had his typical enthusiasm but everything else was off. I rate GM extremely highly and am sure he will become a great, but I get annoyed with fans who, once they like a player become so blinkered will never admit when he is off form.

      1. Abit like fans get blinkered when a certain manager is off form hey guy ?
        A football club is about everyone not just the manager when you talk about one cog make sure you mention the others as well.

        1. DAN, managers have ability OR lack of if, but not form!

          Form is what only players have, it being related to performance on any given day. Managers do not vary in ability from one day to the next as some players can do. So “form” is inappropriate for managers.

          That is the pedantic point out of the way! On the thrust of your post though, I much agree!

    2. He was so good he played only 22mins. He has to be our messiah then. C’mon get real. If he’s good enough and in good form Arteta will play him. Let’s not over hype Martinelli, he’s not even close to Smith Row and Saka for now. He’s competing with Nketiah and Balogun for a shirt.

      1. Jay and Guy, yeah like Willian was in fire and destroying the EPL when Arteta kept playing him. First it was fitness then not in form I mean what next …I am not saying Martenelli is some sort of our saviours but there have been games where it screamed for his high energy runs and running with ball but you guessed it right who did not bring him on your very own Arteta.

  7. Martinelli is a true talent who’s time will come at Arsenal I’m sure, maybe in this coming season, he was used sparingly in the Olympics as he has been at Arsenal so I don’t think we need to get ahead of ourselves

    Neither Guendouzi or Saliba were invited to be part of the Olympics as far as I know and neither were called up by France for the Euros

    Torriera was used sparingly at Athletico last season

    So we can have a pop at Arteta for having “favourites” for sure but maybe these guys just aren’t good enough yet or as ready as we seem to think they are for Arsenal or they possibly would have had more of a look in with these other Managers

    1. The Brazil football team won the gild medal with experience international Malcolm coming off the bench. No wonder Martinelli didn’t get many minutes! By the way did you see Malcolm’s goal?
      All Martinelli needs is an injury free season and Arteta to give him opportunities. Both he and Pepe will contribute this season if given the chance instead of Willian.

    2. FingersFurnell – Spot on. Martinelli has talent & potential but also looked naiive and lacking ideas + ineffective in some games last season. He will undoubtedly remedy this (Rather like Pepe did) in due course as his experience & knowledge grows, but he’s far from the finished article at present

    3. Saliba was named in the Olympic squad, but withdrew. He wanted to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place…

      As for Guendouzi, he fractured a metatarsal at the end of the season. Had that not happened, I’m sure he would’ve been in Japan…

      1. Thanks for the pick up on Guendouzi and Saliba Sue, I didn’t know that, if you are injured you obviously can’t be selected but Saliba choosing not to go and play for his country is interesting

        Anyway, looking forward to the Spurs game in a bit

    4. Agree with every word Fingers Furnell

      Like you, and Guy previously, I think Martinelli will get his chance

    5. Damn man… Arsenal caused this for them. If these guys aren’t treated as badly as we did them, their rating would remain high and they would fare better elsewhere.

      How good was SmithRowe or Saka when we weren’t playing them?

      I bet Saliba, Guendozie, Torreira and Martinelli would all be highly sort after right now if they were playing for Dortmund, or Lille.

  8. This season has a same old same old look.
    1st + 2nd.
    Man City and Liverpool are the two most consistent teams in the league and are most likely to finish one two under two very experienced managers.
    3rd +4th
    Man Utd always has a stella squad but only now 8 years on from Sir Alex have they started to find some consistency under Ole.
    Chelsea always has a stella squad too but seem to need a managerial change every 18 months to keep them motivated. May sack Tuchel by February which should give them the managerial bounce to make top 4.
    5th 6th 7th
    Leicester Arsenal Spurs.
    Rogers Nuno and Arteta are all seen as low risk economy managers required to keep spending low and make the EL.
    8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
    Everton Leeds Villa Newcastle Westham.
    Once big clubs trying to buy their way to the top but are likely to fall short.
    13th -20th should form a bottom 8 at the end of the first round.
    Bottom three to be releagated

    1. You are optimistic based on the current situation, without a midfield upgrade. You haven’t included Wolverhampton Wanderers in the group you believe will be competing with Everton, Aston Villa et al for fifth to twelfth. The battle below the top four will be as intense as the battle for top four.

  9. This is a silly article. Martinellii’s contributions to above mentioned trophies was minimal. All Arsenal fans with the exception of Arteta want him to succeed, but this is based on the glimpses of potential he has shown rather than actual game changing performances. The key now is the amount of game time he is given and how he combines with the likes of Saka, ESR,Pepe and co.

    1. Why on earth would Arteta (or any manager come to that ) not want a member of their squad to succeed?

      1. Gotcha! Sue P. Still Arteta out for me. Anyone who thinks having Xhaka back is like having a new signing is a full.

        1. Got me how?
          Was it worth it?
          I put the club over Arteta which may surprise you.
          I’m not a fly on the wall so have no idea of the goings on in trying to move on or move in different players. Xhaka does divide the supporters. I don’t know who decides the fee or whether there was ever any real interest.
          What I am keen to see is Arteta succeeding and I am surprised that anyone wouldn’t. The thought of starting all over again isn’t a thrilling thought to me. It works for Chelsea but then they always fully support whichever manager they employ in the transfer market

  10. He was so good he played only 22mins. He has to be our messiah then. C’mon get real. If he’s good enough and in good form Arteta will play him. Let’s not over hype Martinelli, he’s not even close to Smith Row and Saka for now. He’s competing with Nketiah and Balogun for a shirt.

  11. Aftere seeing several Brazialian players overcome with joy and crying with deep emotion on the pitch after winning, I’d firmly dispute the writers erroneous comment that “… the Olympics is not what footballers truly dream about…”!

    That is clearly untrue in the case of many players who did win this final. Their emotion was a joy to behold and I am pleased for them.

  12. I would strongly suggest that unless we make fundamental tactical changes, base formation-wise, I just can’t see Marts getting significant minutes….some on here have suggested that his minutes were negatively impacted as a result of both his injury concerns and poor performances, but I would suggest that his biggest stumbling block is the manager himself…of course, the former has merit, at least in the first-half of the season, due to his rather lengthy rehab stint, but the latter, regarding his performance levels, makes no sense, as even when he appeared to be all over the pitch against United, in a late January affair, he was “strangely” removed at half and never saw the pitch as a starter again until the second week of April

    now if there was some credible information making the rounds about him tweaking his earlier ankle injury, it might have made some sense, but that doesn’t appear to have been the case…for me it’s pretty simple, Arteta doesn’t rate him as highly as a good portion of the fanbase does, for whatever reason…I would imagine it has something to do with Marts tendencies to take some chances, by going off script at times, runs counter to Arteta’s stagnant zonal-based offensive script that our micromanager deploys…of course, it certainly didn’t help when he reached out, visa vie social media, to let the fans know he wasn’t injured and therefore available for selection, when some fans were questioning his continued absence…likely just the cherry on this sh** sundae…unless something drastically changes I would be very surprised if he’s at the club come this time next year, which would be incredibly disappointing, in my estimation

  13. He was not even on the bench for the final. Stop the hype. If he as half a finished Article like most of you here suggest, he should have been starting ahead of Richarlison. After all, you guys want him to start ahead of Auba, and Laca. Both are better than Richarlison in my opinion

    1. Malcolm started from the bench in the goal medal match, coming on to score the winning goal, one which Aubameyang would be proud of, if he remembered how to score them.

  14. In Martinelli’s 1st year under Emery, he scored 10 goals and 5 assists if I remember correctly. An 18 year old, new to England, from much smaller Brazilian league.

    Nketiah HAS NEVER come close to that, and how was his goal tally compared to Willian and all his minutes?

    Let’s stop pretending Arteta’s judgements and man management has been anything but a disaster.

    Martinelli clearly ready to contribute this year; a first choice attacker coming off the bench. Not at Saka or Pepe’s level yet, but clearly more productive than Willian.

    Let’s see whether a hard working passionate Martinelli or bone-idle & lazy Willian is Arteta’s substitution choice.

    1. Yet he didn’t earn a League game start under Emery Durand, that came under Freddie as caretaker and he then made quite a few under Arteta until he had knee surgery that has clearly set him back

      However the goals were indeed impressive in that short period but I think 7 of the 10 came in the League Cup against deliberately selected weaker teams and early rounds of the Europa League, still a good return and he is definitely a talent that will come very good again soon, let’s hope that is in this coming season because with Auba apparently drying up we need consistent goals don’t we

  15. The big question is how often will MA play Martinelli. In my opinion, even at this young age, he’s one of our best players. Actually he, Saka and ERS are our biggest bright spots in attack

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