Morning all.
I read this description of Gabriel Martinelli’s recent performances. I say recent but this includes last season too.
He’s trying — that much is clear — but the execution is off.
Attackers often produce their best football when playing off the cuff, when trusting their instincts. In an Arsenal shirt, Martinelli frequently looks like a player attempting to adhere to instruction — a natural improviser who’s been given lines to learn.
Within the article, written by James McNicholas in The Athletic, he highlighted a moment during our game against Liverpool when Martinelli’s decision making was poor. We all spotted it I’m sure. During the first half, our winger was hot footing in down the left with the ball with Viktor Gyokeres running into space ahead of him. The best decision would have been to send our new striker on his way with a pass ahead of him but instead, he carried on down the left wing, the move fizzling out to nothing.
Today’s Gabriel Martinelli is very different to the one who first arrived at Arsenal during Unai Emery’s reign.
What I found interesting in the above clip, which I know is all his good bits, is the rapport he Martinelli had with Bukayo Saka who was playing at left back under Unai Emery. Partnerships in football are important. We’ve seen it with Ben White and Saka on the right for a few years now but our left side, doesn’t seem to be as fruitful regardless of whether it’s Riccardo Calafiori or Myles Lewis-Skelly playing at left back. Or Jurrien Timber for that matter.
Also, and perhaps his critics sometimes forget this but with our left back inverting at every given opportunity, Martinelli is often dropping deep to defend and defend well he does too. It might just be my perception but I’m sure Martinelli’s defensive duties are required more often than Saka’s are.
I’m not trying to find an excuse for Martinelli’s inability to spot Gyokeres in a great position, not that he’s the only player struggling in that department, but perhaps if he could get back to playing with more freedom, he’d get somewhere back to his best. As McNicholas pointed out though, it was when the team as a whole lacked organisation, Martinelli was very good so perhaps it’s the system stifling him rather than his own ability. He hasn’t got the silky or skilled footwork to get past his man but he pace to burn. Arsenal’s slow and steady buildup doesn’t help a player like Martinelli any more than not being able to bring Gyokeres into the game does.
It seems like everything Martinelli does is done under a microscope. Get something wrong and the media are on it, the fans are on it and his place in the team is questioned. If Gyokeres doesn’t score goals on a regular basis, he too will come under the same microscope and the same criticism.
Perhaps I’m just old fashioned but why can’t defenders defend, midfielders defend and create depending on their position, wingers be wingers and strikers be strikers. Nowadays, every player is expected to be everything and be everywhere. Great if we’re in total control of a game but hard on our forwards if they are back defending one minute before being expected to get forward quickly and do something magical. Hard on our defenders too as they are doing the same, especially our fullbacks.
But that seems to be football in 2025, for Arsenal anyway…
Catch up in the comments.
Hi Rico. I read your article with interest. Fact is Martinelli is low on confidence, and his decision making is poor which has surely has nothing to do with instructions from the bench. Yes, he’s quick and is a grafter, but “rapid grafters” playing as left wingers are there to create chances or better still, score goals. (Saka, Salah,great examples). This tendency to hold onto the ball as far as the bye line then run out of space before crossing is utterly frustrating! If Arteta picks him ahead of Eze, Madueke or even Trossard, for next weekend’s game against Forest then I’m clearly missing something.
Hi Exuberant, yet he still plays for Brazil ahead of Rodrygo….
Morning Rico
No mention of Smith’s wonder goal for the ladies yesterday,any of our men would have been proud of that one .
Martinelli is staying at least for now so he needs some space as i am sure he has read or be told about all that is being said these past few weeks .
I believe the club were asking £60 million for him which they were not going to get, and it was muted Saudia Arabia were keen but he wants to keep in the Brazilian squad so don’t blame him.
Many reports saying Saliba is out for 3/4 weeks which isn’t good news is it ?
England last night was a hard watch though MLS and Madueke both played well but Eze was hardly involved .
Oh potter I keep forgetting that I believe we went to the same school ,me at Quintin and you a few years later as Quintin/Kynaston is that correct ?
I’m thrilled that we didn’t sign Rodrygo who sits on the bench for Real Madrid anyway. Also, there’s a marked difference between playing for Brazil against Columbia than playing for us against Liverpool in the Premier League. Szoboszlai isn’t even a full back, and he had his number against Liverpool!
I’m just hoping that we come out of this international break unscathed!
Morning Kelsey, no, it was pretty special though.
My point Exuberant is that going by the social media activity, fans wanted Rodrygo.
Me too, we have enough walking wounded already and the CL gets going after this break.
You’re absolutely correct about the social media noise. There was also a so-to-speak revolt by some fans when we signed Noni, but I think that he is an exciting prospect for us!
Agree re Noni, he looks good, especially on the right side.
Morning Rico and all.
I did not see the match but just wondering if the reason why Martinelli didn’t pass to Gyokeres, was because he is not used to someone running down to our forward line so quickly to pass the ball to.
Well it seems that Trossard is not leaving for pastures new, in fact he signed a new contract just last month.
Martinelli is being slated for not passing to Viktor G. I guess he was in two minds about passing or going for one of his signature near-post shots. Had he scored all would have been right with the World, as it is……
Kelsey I don’t know about Potter, but I was at Quintin School under headmaster Dr. Worsnop, before the move to St. John’s Wood. A cousin of mine was at the school before the war and his mother, my aunt, went with the school when Dr. Worsnop evacuated it to Minehead during the blitz. After the war it moved back to the Regents Street Polytechnic and the Pulteny School in Soho.
Contrasting reports on Martinelli from the Brazillian media mainly they said he was good and played with a freedom not seen in England . The odd video on X shows him taking on a full back cutting inside and shooting but he had space to run into , something our slow build up doesn’t give him.
Typically though he dragged his shot 6 inches wide of the near post , don’t know if that’s better or worse than hitting the keeper like he does here or whether the Brazil manager a certain Carlo Ancelotti has seen this as a weakness in his game.
Incidentally Kelsey , I was at Quintin from 1958 to 1962 , I never went on to 6th form .The then headmaster Mr Holt explained that education was like baking a cake which took time , should I leave before my time i would, like the cake removed from the oven be half baked but I had a job to go to that earned a little money..
I think I only got in because my brother was already there and because of my sporting ability , having already played for St Pancras at under 11 in both cricket and football and Mr Worsnop believed in sport. Really as my life has turned out , the grandson of a blacksmith, perhaps I should have gone next door to the technical school Kynaston as I have always managed to scheme around problems with my hands rather than my brain.
But that’s life I suppose. Anyway enough about me, hope I haven’t bored you all too much.
I was at Quintin the same time as you potter from 59 to 63 having been at Kynaston the first year after my 11+ and was borderline and got promotion if that is the right word in 1959 with Mr Holt as headmaster,and you would know the rest .I didn’t stay for A levels either.
Hart was the school football captain and I played left wing,as I was completely left footed .
Amazing that that three of us all went to the same school. Chris Green was my best friend ,Hughie Green’s son. Small world.
Oh Cicero you are older than both potter and myself.The school opened in 1956 off Finchley Road.
I still have photos of all the school football teams year by year.
Afternoon Geoff, I too think it’s more than just Martinelli struggling to adjust. The whole team is imo and it’s hardly surprising as they’ve been playing without a proper striker for a number of years.
Well said Cicero.
8 new players is a hello of a lot and even though half were already playing in the PL it takes time to bed in and I am still not sure if our play can be adjusted quickly to get the best of our new number 9.
It’s a big ask for Arteta this season and I still keep thinking Berta is his immediate boss and has told him that he has now given him all the tools so go and win something though it’s not quite that easy
.3 games in and the injuries have already piled up so we don’t yet know the best team to fit the occasion. Saliba being out for 3/4 weeks is a big blow mainly because he has such a good understanding with Gabriel though Mosquera looked pretty impressive at Anfield. .
Afternoon boys, did you have a tuck shop?
Root 100, Bethel 110, Archer with some wickets, smashing the springboks, a bit late in the day but always enjoyable.
We did Kev, in the Pulteney school in Peter Street it was in the undercroft sort of open cellars. I’d be interested to know if the old building is still there.
No tuck shop at Quintin just revolting warm milk at morning break
No time for eating at break time , too much football to play ..
Would love to see the photos Kelsey , we might know a few of the players.
We did too Kev, a small bottle of milk too. Happy days..
And a few dropped catches in there too. SA were lucky to reach 50.
Archers pace and line was incredible.
We had a refectory for school dinners and milk in the morning and in the afternoon if there was any left over, but no tuck shop, just sweet shops nearby, there was always a couple, the one at my secondary school did the most marvellous cider flavour ice lollies.
Morning all
potter I was trying to work out if we were in the same school year or one year apart ,either up or down.
I have two school photos of the Under 14s and Under 15s .Hart was captain,Hodgeson CF, Buskell right wing,me as I mentioned left Wing,Fletcher midfield and can’t recall the others.
I need to know how to Post them or if even that is allowed (rico)
Cor blimey how bad must England be, headline from Tuchel’s after match (Andorra) press conference. “Let’s go route one” against Serbia. 😕
Did you know Chris Loucaides ? He was captain of the year above me . but Andy Zimbler was in my brothers year and I had Coxon in goal , Fairhead, as you say it was a long time ago to remember their names . I remember the teachers better Mansell , Way , Websdale , Gillen ,Clarke , Skull , Crystal et al.
Kelsey, Potter – if you’d like to swap email addresses please let me know, otherwise, I’m more than happy to forward your photos to Potter Kelsey.
I could do with a laugh. 😜
Cicero, did you see the headline about going route one and be better at set-pieces “like Arteta’s Arsenal”?
I saw the route one bit, but not the Arteta reference Rico. How can we go route one with Kane as a target when he’s always the last to arrive in the box?
Skull, or Skully as we called him, was a science teacher and ran the school Scout Pack.
“Killer” Clarke the gym instructor?
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/england-thomas-tuchel-world-cup-35863719
Selecting Kane is bonkers Cicero, Tuchel isn’t going to last long imo..
Good afternoon Rico and friends
Sorry its been a couple of days since I last wrote but had my hands full with an 8 day old kitten i rescued. That’s the fourth rescue cat in my household. Found him a few metres away from where I live. He still needs constant care for at least three more weeks. 10 days old and he is already a purring machine. Lady Pappa leads the group….she is 13 and a half years old. Shamp is the new kitten, a burmese cat. I still cant get to understand why people abandon kits or pups. It makes me really angry even thinking about it.
Lovely article Rico. I read it twice and all the comments…..but I think I have a partial answer to the question you posed. while all those who wrote gave good valid opinions which needs to pay attention to I feel that one word or rather one name, presents a more clear answer………XHAKA.
I feel, I may be wrong, that Xhaka used to cover well for Martinelli. He used to involve him in games and as you pointed out we used to work the left as much as the right. MArtinelli did not need to do much back tracking defending since Xhaka was covering him for Saka, Tierney etc. That is why MArtinelli was having a good season with an upward trajectory in the previous seasons. Xhaka was there and he was helping him along.
Now Martinelli has to defend because no one covers for him and the way the team plays requires him to track back…..so he wastes much more energy and breath. Previously he played in the attacking 40 metres, now he has to begin from the defensive third. And as you pointed out Rico…..he is like Theo, hot and cold. He needs to be instinctive to score. he is not a killer like TH14 or IW08.
Afternoon Devil, me neither re puppies/kittens etc. I’d like five minutes in a dark room with those who dump them, with Jack Reacher by my side of course…
You could be right, although didn’t we have a left back who defended first and foremost as well as Xhaka?
Tierney/Monreal were our left backs when Martinelli arrived.
Ahh Jack Reacher. Both were my favourites, one for his wittiness and the other for his brute raw strength. The scene in which he deals with the owner who abused of his tied up dog went down my throat better than anything. I really loved that scene. especially when he tied him up with the dog chain in place of his dog. Like you I would love to be in a locked and dark room with those who abandon or abuse any animal. It does my head in.
Unless one of the midfielders covers for him and the left back behind him then Martinelli has to go unfortunately. Unless he scores regularly again which, as Potter rightly pointed out, is difficult since the way the team plays out does not allow him the same space.
Kelsey, Cicero and Potter…..your comments about the nicknames you gave teachers made me chuckle and sent me back memory lane. Some of the nicknames I gave to teacher stuck well long enough after I had left school. And your experiences about the school tuck shop were not that different than mine. Any of you guys copped break ins or detentions? I used to.
It might be that as the team is speeding the play up a bit, Martinelli will flourish again. I certainly hope so.
Mourinho getting the sack again seems to have passed me by. Apparently his teams play boring football and the fans/director had seen enough..
Yeah Jack Reacher a great character. I couldn’t stop laughing when they chose the midget Tom Cruise to play him in the film. Ludicrous casting. 😁
Glad you said that. 😝
The recent guy is more fitting for the character portrayed in the books.
Jack Reacher a great character. I couldn’t stop laughing when they chose the midget Tom Cruise to play him in the film. Ludicrous casting.
Hollywood has a whole different look at life Truth doesn’t matter just box office figures.
And yes Rico you could send over my email address as maybe we could form a ex Quintin group. and stop boring the rest of you.
I know that Cicero lives not too far from me but I have no idea where Kelsey is lurking .
Sounds like the beginnings of an Old Boys club 😁
I’m enjoying it Potter, ideal chit chat to get us through an international break.
Reminds of a TV programme I used to watch, cannot remember what it was called but I’m sure Jimmy Edwards played a head teacher.
Wack-O! I cheated and looked it up..
That’s fine by me rico as well, re email addresses
Rico you beat me to it and I didn’t have to look it up. 😉
Pass my e mail on please Rico. The old boy network, can’t beat it.
I remembered the actor Cicero, that’s good for me. 😜
Okie dokie re the emails, I’ll do it shortly..
I went to The Fairs Cup Final in 1970 ,first leg in Brussels re Anderlecht and sitting next to me on the plane from Luton was by chance Jack Kelsey. We talked right through the flight until we got to the ground.
I paid £12.00 for flight and ticket.Kennedy got the vital Away goal.
Back at Highbury the return leg, a night never to forget,our first piece of silverware in 17 years.
Hence the name kelsey.
I take it he’d retired by then. 😜
Manchester City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in a legal dispute over the top flight’s associated party transaction (APT) rules.
City and the Premier League confirmed both parties had agreed to terminate proceedings with City, as part of the settlement, accepting “that the current APT rules are valid and binding”.
On the subject of investment : – https://youtu.be/whyismwGj7E?si=OrKzYVWg2QRAPwmn
£500m plus for 20,000 more seats, doesn’t seem worth it.
so much about the rules. as it sounds like the official have craped them self and given in to there love child Man C
The settlement between the Premier League and Manchester City was in relation to ATPs (Associated-party-transactions), Sponsorship deals between clubs and organisations linked to their owner. Nothing to do with the 130 charges brought by the Premier League related to breaches of competition financial rules. The conclusion of that process is expected within weeks.
Good morning Rico and all
Kev that you tube clip might be just a perspective of the person who posted it. Within the first couple of minutes one could understand the agenda behind the comments being said. And that simply was to put Arsenal in a bad light.
yes 500M is quite a lot to spend on just 20k seats but those extra seats will generate aroud 2.5M-3M extra per game just in entrance money alone. Merchandise will help as well and i am not incliding that. Personally I feel that the 500M quoted is mere speculation. I dont think that adding 20K extra seats will cost that much. And it will be done in stages not at one go. At the end of it we will have and 80K seater stadium. And that will generate more money.
Personally I look forward to the day Arsenal own a 100K seater stadium. It will be done slowly but surely.
Nuno gone ? Next up The Arsenal
Devil a 100K seat stadium sounds good but our Melbourne cricket ground (MCG) when full at 100K its a long walk up to the top tear and then the players look very small,
I know not many agree with me but i would prefer to see a roof that can open and close and around 800K fans.
Makes this weekends game even more interesting, if Ange goes there it’ll be entertaining for sure.
Yes Devil, the voice over was AI generated I reckon so we don’t know the source of the report, but the general feel of the video was one of Arsenal making a mistake expanding the stadium. The thing is KSE are far more experienced and knowledgeable in these things than the old Arsenal Board and Wenger back in the day. Liverpool did it without it impacting on the team so if can be done.
800K Geoff??? Blimey. That would cost in excess of 5billion to build. lol
Spain manager Luis de la Fuente on Mikel Merino: “Merino deserves more recognition we have some fantastic players, and Mikel is another example of a footballer who does many things well, who is a genius, a world-class player, and sometimes does not receive the recognition he deserves in Spain.
He is one of the best in the world in his position. What we have are good people, who are humble and want to continue growing.”
I saw the game a day after so I knew the score. And to be honest that is how Arsenal should play. We play similar to Spain but with a gear or two lower. Compared to SPain we are still in the first gear. We need to speed it up. One of Merino’s goals, the ball was so fast it was zipping from one side of penalty area to the other. It reached Merino who was unmarked and bamm…in the net it went. All the other goals had the ball zipping fast from one foot to another. One touch football. And dont tell me we dont have the players to do that. Which will always lead to the question why do we play slow football just to keep possession?
We could (and we have the players) go for the jugular in the first 30 mins and finish teams off. Just one or two gears above normal speed and would be out of sight. We are allowing teams to recover and keep shape before we shoot.
So Nuno sacked and Big Ange in already,they didn’t hang around.
I can’t see him lasting,I guess they brought him in because he won the Europa league last year,I didn’t see the final but people say it was the worst ever.
As long as we don’t face the new manager bounce on Saturday.
OOps should be 80K seats
Good job Edu has left Arsenal, we could have ended up with Ange is Arteta moved on. 😜
Afternoon guys..
I would not under estimate Ange as a manager,
Lewis Skelly out of the squad for tonight . Injured ?
I hope not re MLS..
Lewis-Skelly left out of England’s matchday squad to face Serbia
Latest from Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett:
Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly has been left out of England’s matchday squad to play Serbia tonight.
England boss Thomas Tuchel has 24 players in his squad but can only name 23 for a match day, and so the Arsenal teenager will not feature in Belgrade.
The 18-year-old played the full game of England’s 2-0 home win over Andorra on Saturday at Villa Park.
Sky Sports News understands the decision to leave Lewis-Skelly out is partly tactical and partly load management after his first 90 minutes of the season against Andorra.
If it’s load management I expect to see Rice and Madueke subbed early, half-time preferably and Eze playing only last fifteen to twenty minutes.
Yep, me too, not that I’ll be watching… lol
Rice creates a goal for Kane to nod in, Madueke makes a goal for himself. A bit too much passing around. A bit more direct play would be welcome.
Much better second half, more direct more goals. A bit disappointed with Serbia, I expected more from them, but that’s football.
0 – 5 away can’t be bad, but right back James a bit iffy.
Very impressed with Madueke, actually very impressed with England, seems as if Tuchel is really getting a tune out of the players.
Martin Odegaard played the full ninety minutes and scored in Norway’s eleven one win over Moldova.
Good morning Lady and Gentlemen
The heat here is dwindling. Thank goodness for that. Soon it will be autumn and temperatures will drop even further.
The internationals are over. But not all is doom and gloom. Sometimes international breaks arrive at just the right moment, and this one might have been perfect for Arsenal. Key players have had the chance to get valuable minutes under their belts, sharpening their fitness and rhythm ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
Even more encouraging are the goals scored by Merino, Ødegaard, Madueke, and Rice, each boost adding to the squad’s belief and momentum. With a big month ahead where Arsenal’s attacking play must step up, this international break could prove to be a timely springboard.
Martin Ødegaard provided a hat trick of assists and bagged a goal in Norway 11- 1 victory over Moldova. Noni Madueke scored his first ever goal for England national team last night. And Declan Rice also provided two assists in England 5-0 victory over Serbia. Piero Hincapie help Ecuador secure a historic victory over Argentina and was the highest rated player among his team in Ecuador 1-0 victory over Argentina.
The best news is that no injuries were recorded while those injured had a two week rest and recovery without affecting some of our games.
Next up is Forest under Postecoglu…..fingers crossed we thrash them like we did to Leeds. With Postecoglu we know what to expect. So Arteta should be doing his hw and plots a resounding victory.
Morning guys.
New post up now.