Arsenal fans get their No9 wish as Mikel Arteta is forced to get creative | OneFootball

Final two games of the season could see intriguing centre-forward experiment

Given the limited options available to him, Mikel Arteta will be relieved Gabriel Martinelli impressed as a striker against Liverpool.

Arsenal have had issues filling that position all season and, with just two games to go, they have escalated.

Gabriel Jesus and Mikel Merino will definitely miss out due to injury and suspension respectively, while Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard are doubts.

Trossard was forced off towards the end of Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Liverpool with a hamstring issue. Arteta recently expressed optimism that Havertz could play again this season, but it is hard to see how he could start this weekend after his hamstring injury.

Gabriel Martinelli impressed as a striker against Liverpool, sparking a second-half fightback with his goal

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It means Arteta must get creative once again and, essentially, turn to his fifth option to lead the line.

Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling can play as a striker but, on the evidence of Sunday, Martinelli should get the nod.

The Brazilian started on the flank against Liverpool but he was moved to play through the middle for the second half and Trossard was shifted out left.

Arteta made the switch due to Liverpool’s high line and aggressive press, as he believed Martinelli’s pace could bring Arsenal some joy.

It proved an inspired tactical tweak, with Arsenal coming from two goals down to earn a point that all but secures Champions League football next season.

Martinelli was at the heart of the comeback, heading home Trossard’s cross just minutes after the restart. Mikel Merino equalised with 20 minutes to go after heading home Martin Odegaard’s rebounded effort.

Arteta was fuming with Arsenal’s first-half performance, but he will take delight at Martinelli’s display.

Martinelli looked sharp and he gave Arsenal the threat in behind that they lacked in the first half.

Odegaard was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Martinelli as a No9 because he finally had a striker to play through-balls to.

One such pass so nearly brought Arsenal another goal, but Conor Bradley made a brilliant last-ditch tackle.

Arsenal fans have long wanted to see Martinelli given a chance through the middle, and they may well get their wish now.

Martinelli gives Arsenal a different threat when playing through the middle

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Arteta has been more reluctant to play the 23-year-old there, previously explaining how he sees his “evolution” on the left wing.

The Arsenal manager specifically thinks Martinelli is at his most effective when cutting in and making diagonal runs from the touchline.

Martinelli has historically thrived in that role and two seasons ago he was Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League with 15 goals.

His form has dipped since then, with injuries and the fact the left flank has struggled for consistent personnel having an impact.

Seeing Martinelli playing up front for the final two games of the season could prove to be an intriguing experiment.

When he joined the club in the summer of 2019, there was some debate about if he would end up as a winger or a No9.

Unai Emery, like Arteta, thought Martinelli was best out wide but he did use him as a striker, too.

Martinelli led the line in two of his first three games for Arsenal, scoring four goals in the process

“I’m using him as a striker because he played there in Brazil,” Emery explained at the time. “It’s not the best position for him - but the first thing in his mind is to help us.”

Six years on, Martinelli finds himself in a similar situation and Arsenal needing him to step up once again.

Arsenal are in the driving seat to qualify for the Champions League, second in the Premier League and five points clear of Aston Villa in sixth with a vastly superior goal difference.

A point against either Newcastle on Sunday at home or at Southampton on the final day of the season should get the job done.

But Arteta has his eyes on second place - even though Arsenal’s squad is starting to resemble the walking wounded.

Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber both missed the draw at Anfield, while Jorginho was also absent after making the bench against Paris Saint-Germain last Wednesday.

It means Arsenal could be without eight first-team players on Sunday due to injury and suspension.

Martinelli is one of the few starts left, particularly in attack, and he looks set to have a vital role to play as Arteta’s attempts to solve his No9 issues again.