Between Martinelli or Lacazette? by Lagos Gooner
It was a thing of relief to watch Arsenal finally win a game after nine attempts. The players on the field of play showed the hunger and passion needed to play for Arsenal, and it worked out well at the end of the game. One person who impressed me the most however, is our Brazilian hot cake; Gabriel Martinelli. That dude was on fire! Wow!!!
Whenever Arsenal is set to play, I always look forward to seeing our line-ups on JustArsenal about an hour before kickoff, so I know if I would love to watch the game live or just follow live updates online; I have not really been motivated to watch Arsenal play these days, for obvious reasons. However, when I saw the lineup against West Ham and I saw Martinelli’s name on the team sheet, I made up my mind there and then, to watch the game. I never regretted doing so.
Now after watching the game, the question I asked myself was “between Martinelli or Lacazette, who should start more games?” I bring this question to you guys, but while I await your arguments, I wish to state my points supporting……
Gabriel Martinelli, a Brazilian wonder kid, who was bought by Arsenal last July, has appeared 14 times (7 starts and 7 subs) in all competitions for Arsenal and has 18 goals to his name. He has mostly performed well in league cups and continental football games; his first Premiership goal was scored on Monday night against the Hammers. He is naturally a winger but Emery used him as a point man on a few occasions because he has an eye for goals. He scores with ease and makes one fall in love with his young talent when watching him. He started for the first time in the league on Monday and he scored. Now, if Ljungberg plans on playing a three man attack, then he has to consider Martinelli; he can either play from the flanks or centrally. By doing this, one of Auba or Laca has to be dropped; both are point men and neither is effective playing from the wings. Martinelli is capable of handling the spot-light, all he needs is encouragement.
Alexandre Lacazette, bought in July, 2017, has paid his dues in full at Arsenal. Lacazette alone is enough to lead Arsenal’s attack weekly. His game time and influence in the team was reduced partly due to the purchase of Auba; not a fault of his. Whenever he plays, he exudes so much energy and passion and he is known to be a team player. He has appeared 77 times for Arsenal has over 30 goals for Arsenal. However, with Auba scoring more goals per two games for Arsenal, Laca finds himself sitting on the bench most times. The only time he starts together with Auba is if the coach wishes to use a three man attack. This type of attacking formation has not really produced results, because most times, it lacks creativity and lacks wingers to create chances. Lacazette can be effective being a lone striker but then, he can’t play from the wings.
I can go on and on but I would love to pause here and hear you guys out. Who would you choose as first-choice starter? Martinelli or Lacazette?
Sylvester Kwentua
MARTINELLI IS QUITE PLAINLY A SIGNIFICANT TALENT WHO WILL QUICKLY BLOSSOM AND IMROVE FROM AN ALREADY HIGH BASE. He needs to be in the team as regularly as his consistently good form and wonderful gutsy character deserves it. That could be for 15 more years, giving a proper manager anD properly run club. I say this here and now,that for me he is already, note ALREADY,given his age, our single most financially valuable player and MUST be kept in the team. Anything else would be lunacy!
Coquelin also had similar work ethics, but his forms worsened after getting a bad injury
I hope Martinelli, Torreira and Guendouzi wouldn’t get injured in this season
We have lost too many great talents because of grave injuries, namely Diaby and Wilshere
What I love about Martinelli is the standard he has set for himself. He has said numerous times he models his game after Ronaldo, one of the best players in futball.
Martinelli exudes a coolness and calmness in his finishing, and his reading of the game is extraordinary. Anyone notice how he drifted inside to open space and a channel for Kola, then slowed down when he got in the box, and found that space before Kola crossed the ball, and directed it in the corner rather than smashing it.
I love watching this young man play the game; he puts in a full shift every time he steps on the pitch. He brings that work ethic that Alexis gave us, that ethic that too many are currently lacking in the side now.
Long may he continue in our Red and White, and hopefully stays to become another of our legends.
Perfect is the money we spent on him and i wish him a long prosperous journey in our red and white shirt.
Martinelli, because:
– He can play well as striker, RW and LW. Versatile attackers can make Arsenal easily implement overloads and change their formation with more flexibility
– He almost never hesitates to dribble past the opposition’s fullback and possesses the skills/ pace to do it. Arsenal lack penetration on the wings, hence they need skillful daredevils like him
– He has high stamina, incredible work rate and willingness to do rough work. We lost our tenacity on the wings after Sanchez left
Arsenal need to get more attackers with similar work ethics and mentality if they want to get a major trophy. They also need to sell the ones who lack the above-mentioned characteristics
Normally in football you play your best players, your most in-form players and your best formation.
Using this criteria, Martinelli is in form right now while Lacazette is off form
Our best formation is 4-2-3-1 in my opinion, which can only accommodate one striker except you wanna force one of the strikers out wide as we have been doing.
Our balanced formation is to have the front trio of Martinelli….Auba…..Pepe
This three needs to play more games regularly to start developing a chemistry between them. (Remember Pepe’s assist for Auba)
Martinelli all the way for me
I would play the both of them all out attack and drop Ozil from the front 4.
Against Westham, Ozil played just okay and I believe Lacazette can do better behind Aubameyang.
It’s high time Ozil and Xhaka needs to leave the starting 11.
Martinelli, Aubameyang, Pepe…
Guendouzi, Lacazette, Torreira…
Tierney, Sokratis, Chambers, Bellerin…
Leno.
Your statement shows that you don’t understand the game. Ozil was the reason why we won that game just because you don’t run the whole pitch or dive into tackles to show that you are hard working without end product. His calmness, control and forward passing on the pitch feeds of the whole team on the night which led to two goals. My fellow arsenal fans let us support the team as they need it at this time.
From both footballing and business angles, it would make sense to cash in on Lacazette (great team player BTW) to infuse life into our defense/midfield areas. Martinelli will however surely one day talk about his love for Arsenal, but his desire to play for his childhood club (Barca/Real?)… We will cross that bridge when we meet it.
Both should start.
_______________Aubameyang
______Martinelli Lacazette Pepe
Lacazette’s strengths are his link up play which suits the #10 role. He shouldn’t be our #9 as he’s not that prolific. Playing Lacazette in the #10 also allows us to press in attack, pushing Aubameyand further forward. Aubameyang gets to play his favoured central position. Everyone is happy. This attacking line up will be quite a handful for any team to face. If we’re lacking in “creativity”, Ozil or Ceballos can substitute Lacazette.
There isn’t a decision like that needed. We have some very goos forwards and its about who is in form, who is out of form and who fits best. Lacca is a brilliant forward, struggling for form at the moment. Martinelli is a brilliant prospect that is our future, he doesn’t want burning out. Auba, lacca, pepe, martinelli along with saka, nelson and Nketiah for the future look bright. Its not about who should play but who should play better and together each game. Pepe and Martinelli are good wide or in centre, auba is as well lacca better at center or dropped off, so plenty of variation.
I disagree laca doesnt offer us what martinelli can or what Auba does !! he simply doesnt play for the team !! He doesnt track back !! Martinelli gives us runs off the ball making sspace for others and tracks back he gives us another threat !! Pepe the same he give eactly what we need Auba last game traclked back and help out !! We need team players not players who play for thmselves !! simple as that !!
I disagree with you, when he lacca playing his best he does track back andxhe does work hard and he does score and make goals.
For me id have marinelli over Laca all day long. Laca doesnt put the work load in like Martinelli and doesnt play for the team like Martinelli or Auba !! I have been saying for sometime now that we lack our strikers actually tracking back and helping out !! Auba in the last game did that and we reaped the rewards as a team for that ! Laca just doesnt do that he might chase down a defender once then stand around waiting !! martinelli can play wide as well as Striker and he tracks back helps out and runs all game !! He allows us to play Auba where Auba should play up front as a striker !! Martinelli makes lovely runs off the ball and makes space of others to run into ! We need to play as a team from now til the end of the season and Laca just doesnt do that !! we need to score more goals from around the team and when Martinelli and Pepe play it gives us more options to score !! We got into a state of only looking towards Auba and Laca to score and teams saw that and closed it down easily !! Now under freddie we have more players scoring which causes team problems as they cannot put 2 players on every player !! that is what the invinicibles did they scored all over the park !! if henry wasnt scoring it was pires if he wasnt it was bergkamp if he wasnt it was lungberg and so on !! Its refreshing to see that mentality come back in the team !! Id give Freddie the job straight away from just what he has achieved in the 3 games he has taken !! and we will only get better !! the way we started to keep the ball knock it around for fun was lovely to see !! please let freddie be our manager !! he is what the team and fans need !! he will brong back the arsenal we all fell in love with !!
Aubameyang or Lacazette up front
OR
Lacazette CAM with Aubameyang up front
id rather see Martinelli in the team every time.
Kind of off-topic, did anyone else notice Martinelli’s reaction to Pepe’s goal? He held his head against Pepe’s for a good 5 seconds, screaming (presumably) celebratory exclamations. Great to see his passion. He has an amazing work ethic and seems like such a good lad.
Your question is not relevant.The question ought to be Auba or Lacazette.In my opinion the balance of the team is upset when Auba is played on the wing where he makes little effort to track back and regain possession.Basically he is an out and out “poacher” and a very good one at that.Lacazette is the better all round footballer who is very much like Firmino at Liverpool in that he can hold the ball in tight situations and bring others into the game whilst he is also a good finisher.If push comes to shove I prefer Lacazette and if Auba stalls on signing a new contract I would sell him to Barca or Real Madrid but not to an English Premier League side.Martinelli and Pepe should play wide in the front three with license to interchange as is necessary.
Agree 100% with this.
But with Auba as captain I can’t see it happening. The best thing to do is rotate them and bring the other one off the bench around 60 minutes.
👍 👍
I ain’t worried about who should play. Both are very good players, good to have the options.
I’m more worried about Arsenal talking to Ancelotti this week than any other thing. I hope he rejects the offer and go coach Everton.
Most of these old men hardly have the hunger to wanna fight at the very top.
He’s won everything, he’ll only be cashing in on us.
Another Dinosaur with loads of experience, and clearly experience isn’t the solution to every problem
I think people are underestimating the difference Ozil made in that game, among others. Our shape was much better and that was in part down to Ozil being in good distances from our CM players and our forward, then with the wide players out on our flanks easier to reach. The two CM players also looked more balanced and they used Ozil a fair bit, also had the wingers to look for instead of needing longer passes. The defenders/CB’s were not perched too far back and it made for an all round much better shape. People are underestimating the little differences. Our shape was woeful for much of the season.
I want to see more of Martinelli opposite to Pepe like that, two dangerous players, one is direct, strong willed and concentrated, the other is a difficult player to read and likes to to strike at goal, both are finding a bit of form so let’s build on it. They looked like midfielders come forwards rather than out and out wide forwards, I liked that. Martinelli does indeed have a future as the main striker if he so chooses, but his game will improve if playing in a midfield role also, as Messi too learned his trade early in midfield.
Always have been a fan of Laca, but
Martinelli is the preferred choice
ALL DAY LONG given his current vein
of form and as mentioned the much
needed INTANGIBLES the young
Brazilian brings to the pitch. His
DNA as a futboler is what the AFC
brass should be attempting to clone
throughout the 1st team as the future
of the club is constructed.
His emergence quite frankly has made
the Frenchmen unexpectedly expendable
and considering the necessity for
the club to bring in a quality CB
in January Raul and Co. should be
putting out serious feelers for the
former Lyon man.
Regardless of our appreciation for
Laca as a player, what level headed
Arsenal fan wouldnt trade the
Frenchmen for a top quality CB like
Upamecano, R. Diaz, N. Ake, P.
Torres, B. Kamarra, I Diop? Any of
these young talents would walk into
the starting 11 and could partner
with Saliba for the next DECADE!!
Exchange Xhaka and Bellerin for
Sander Burge ( or Ibrahim Sangare)
and Y Attal and AFC would be a tough
out the 2nd half of the season and
with proper investment in the summer
under Arteta or Naigelsman watch this
team once again seriously challenge
for EPL silverware and CL futbol
Am sure we are going to see both on the team sheet on Sunday since Pepe is bruised.
Hmm, typical Arsenal fans, comparing Martineli and Lacasette. Irrelevant question.
Agree completely and some really short termist answers.
I totally agree with Grandad on Laca and Auba! Every time we play Auba as our target man, he looks completely isolated and the team totally disjointed. This is because he lacks the hold_up play and ability to drop deep like Laca and get involved in built up play. I personally would therefore drop Auba instead of Laca for Martinelli. Playing Martinelli and Pepe in our flanks would bring a lot of unpredictability and penetration. Martinelli is a full package_good movement off the ball, eye for goal, skilful, exceptional work rate to mention but a few.. Cant’t wait to see what a player he’ll be in three or four years to come!!
Martineli a winger, Laca a central striker. So this depends on the formation and tactics the coach wants to use. They may bothe start together.
A lineup with both would give the opposition some serious issues to worry about. I’d say play Laca behind Auba, Martinelli LW and Pepe RW. Pep would hate that lineup considering how lost his defense is lost ATM. FL should try this on Sunday
Lacazette is the first sterter not martinelli