What a revelation Gabriel Martinelli has been for us this season. There is of course plenty of technical talent and he is playing with that freedom of being a youngster with relatively low expectations on his shoulder, but there are strong signs that this wee beasty from Brazil has what it takes to become a truly great player.
It is quite something to come to the UK as an 18 year young Brazilian and try and settle in AND perform straightaway whilst working for three managers in less than a season. Martinelli has build up good relationships and especially Saka is a good friend already. It shows on the pitch as they find each other with ease and celebrate each other goals with mutual appreciation.
If and when Martinelli is on the pitch he will put in a performance, and his passion combined with his technical ability and deadliness in front of goal has made him already a favourite with the fans. Together with Aubameyang he is our top scorer in the UEFA-League (3 goals, 2 assists) and in the PL he is currently our fourth best goal scorer with three goals in just 650 minutes, roughly a same average of minutes per goal as the experienced Lacazette.
It is great to watch Gabriel as he always wants to make things happen. He takes on players with his great initial acceleration and then has the calm to pick the right pass or cross. In this he is very similar to Saka and yet this is so rare to find in youngsters. We can count ourselves lucky to have (at least) two of these very fine youngsters in our squad.
The highlight of his so very young career is of course THAT goal v the Chavs. It typified him: always looking for an opportunity, giving everything once he gets one and then such determination to score that goal. But what has also been impressive is his positioning in the box and his finishing. Martinelli is cool customer in the heat of the fight and if he can develop that further he will really become a top, top player.
It is early days of course and once expectations have been raised young players will find things a lot harder. I also feel that he is not yet playing the way Arteta wants him to and as such we saw less of him in the last half a dozen games. Balancing this determination to go and attack with being an effective part in the ‘team-game’ is probably his biggest area of development. But with Gabriel’s ability, hunger and willingness to learn I have the highest hopes that this brightest of gems will shine for us in the foreseeable future, whenever that will be. 😦
Stay safe and at home fellow BKers. Look after yourself and loved ones and appreciate and support the Key Workers at much as possible.
TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
And Happy Easter to all of my friends at Bergkampesque!
Thanks for the summary and for the video, TA!
Looking forward to see big things from Martinelli.
Happy Easter, and stay frosty, y’all!
Cheers Pb, also for the quiz. 🙂
By the way, there has been a new comment for you on your Ozil replacement post….
That’s a very talented group of young player TA and if they are coached correctly they could well become the main stays of the Arsenal team.
It’s early days for all of them but in one way or another they have all had their moments to shine and have proved that they have a future with the club.
With no European games and the Covid-19 threatening a complete end to the 2019/20 season we may be reliant on then in 2020/21.
Martinilli is a gem that we need to keep shining, the big fear with all of them will be when other clubs come knocking on the door.
Happy Easter guys,
This year I’m cooking a turkey dinner for two, it’s going to be very strange as we usually host a big gathering for family and friends. My son surprised us when he arrived at our door with everything for our meal including the turkey, beer and wine.
Nice one, GN5. Enjoy the big bird! 🙂
Looks like everybody is still stuffed with turkey TA.
We ended up with a 12lb turkey, once cooked we froze half of what was left and with the remainder we will make turkey post pies, some of which we will freeze and we’ll also make a big turkey stew, using the stock I’ve made from the carcass.
You are doing that turkey proud, GN5. Hope you are okay and your family is keeping strong.
Martinelli models his game after Thierry Henry. I would like to see him in the CF position in years to come. He is a good team player and working with other youngsters and seniors he took charge and played good games after good games.
He will be a good player if he stays with the club and will aim to better Henry’s record.
Blessed Easter everyone.
We have a wonderful crop of young talents, reminiscent of the group of young players George Graham inherited in 1986 and who would form the basis of the squads that won two titles under Graham, history repeating itself under Arteta would be very enjoyable.
Of course tying our best two youngsters in Saka and Martinelli to long term contracts are central to the immediate future of the club.
I also cannot wait to see Saliba in an Arsenal shirt, that is the type of transfer business I want us to do, being smart in the market, especially during these troubled times, is absolutely imperative.
Kev, luckily we secured Saliba’s services last season. If we went for him this season I am not sure he will be available for us. Given Saliba’s calmness in defense and the arrival of Mari, which I am sure we will buy him, we have a solid backline who are ball players. Quick transition is the hallmark of Arsenal, and we need to do that with the right players.
The youngsters are calm enough to get the job done, play well with each other and are on good terms on and off the pitch, which is ticking all the correct boxes. We do not want a superstar signing that comes in and spoil all the good work we had done, and we are lucky to have a team that is together.
Hi guys… Sorry for dropping out for a few days. The weather finally got a bit nicer so there are chores to do and trails to check out (as the snow melts back). TA, I’ve been trying to take a few photos of my (various) views and I may send them to you…but I don’t want folks to be jealous. I’ve been working on my social distancing (read: isolation…) for a long time and it’s all very nice…except that I (or we…) need human interaction and I miss it. Now that we’ve gone to masks and other more extreme measures (it feels like THE critical time right now as the virus is probably in some sort of “peak” over here…) going out (for casual interaction, or just a little eye contact…) feels WAY off the table…so, it’s time to REALLY get into those chores…
As always, too much information…or personal musings or asking people to take a walk around inside my head… Apologies…
So, onto Martinelli, or Gabi-Gol or whatever he might morph into–at Arsenal or wherever he ends up In terms of Ar$enal’s most salable items (I think it goes PEA, Lacazette, Saka, Gabi at the moment…) he’s definitely a good one for the highlight reel as the ball bulges the net quite a bit (by Arsenal’s low standards…) when he’s involved. Those are some strong and decisive final balls, fo’ sho, and, when he puts his head down he can move it (the ball) forward nicely which seems a critical thing.
On that note, I tried reading this article…
http://7amkickoff.com/index.php/2020/04/07/arsenal-cant-get-the-ball-forward-and-need-to-buy-buy-buy-in-order-to-rebuild-the-team/
…but it got a little statsy for me. Tim, I think, is saying that we’ve become a very sit-back sort of team and that means fewer good chances at the opponent’s goal. Passing the ball is (IMO, and hopefully everybody else’s…) how we SHOULD get the ball forward, but, until we have the players who can do it, running with the ball (up and down the wings, where turnovers are less likely to hurt us) is probably our default. Gabby (and Saka) look good in this regard (down our left side)…the rest of the team, not so much…
That said, I feel like I’m (merely) reporting my (gut level) response to Martinelli’s highlight vid and that I need to watch (extensively) what he’s doing when he is away from the ball. Unfortunately, under Emery (and, I fear, things haven’t changed all that much since Arteta has taken over), Arsenal have become such a “back-foot” (or back-half–meaning our own half) team that the more forward players are often out of the picture (literally, when it comes to the TV or ‘puter screen) and that watching them (our forwards) or him (Gabi-gol) when they’re off the ball isn’t always possible…
Given that we don’t know when the footy will be watchable again (AND that it was pretty much unwatchable during Emery’s time, so, that era is kinda of a blank for me…i.e., What–TF–do I know)… I (find that I) really don’t have anything worthwhile to say. Nonetheless, I have fulfilled my word count… 😀
Over to y’all… And, maybe if Thursday used to be the new Friday…in these times, for me at least, Tuesday might be the new Monday…Have a good one…or enjoy what’s left of yours…
Thanks for the comments, gents.
17HT, please share more of your personal experiences…. and send those pics when you can. I like to hear the personal stories.
I agree that under Mikel we have not yet moved to much better footie – although it is definitely better imho – but reckon this will come when he has had a long break with the players.
Yes 84, it’s a judgement call, getting players at the right time makes them affordable and as you smuggest, 12 months later and we’re not getting Saliba…
We’re being linked 84 with all sorts, at all prices and at all ages, but you have to filter out the garbage put out there by agents, you know the ones, James Rodriguez, Phillipe Coutinho etc etc etc, but when we’re linked with players in their late teens/ early twenties, you know like Gueye, then I take a bit more notice.
Stay safe everyone…
Arteta is like Le Prof. We are now getting solid players, not superstars, and that will cause the team to gel easily. Le Prof’s philosophy is in the Arsenal blood.
Excuse ME! just want to promote my wikiquote of Mesut Ozil https://oldneg.com/mesut-ozil.html
Interesting article, 17HT.
I agree with some, especially with “trading Alexis for Mkhitaryan was one of the worst pieces of business the club could do”, yet I don’t share its conclusion, that the situation can only be mitigated with spending a lot.
I trust the players being skilled and motivated to do a lot, so we need great tactics and proper coaching. I have big expectations to Arteta and the club.
For those who feel nostalgic, here is some quality DB10 porn:
Morning all,
Good read on whether the Premier League should be opened.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52282288
Great reminiscence of Bergkamp PB, one of our very best.
Well good timing, PB….
new Post New post! 🙂