Is Martinelli’s problem simply because he is trying too hard to impress?

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·22 août 2024

Is Martinelli’s problem simply because he is trying too hard to impress?

Following a tricky 2023–24 season in which he didn’t quite live up to his expectations, Gabriel Martinelli was expected to bounce back with a strong performance this new season. Last season, the Brazilian winger, who was a key player on Arsenal’s left wing in the 2022–23 season, seemed to have lost his touch.

Luckily, while he didn’t quite reach his peak, Leandro Trossard really stepped up and delivered some top-notch performances, scoring goals and providing assists from the left wing.

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Ready to show what he’s capable of, the Gooners expect Martinelli to bring his A-game for this campaign, a situation that could see fierce competition for the Arsenal left-wing role.

So, for Match Day 1 against Wolves, it was Martinelli who got the nod to start. Although the Brazilian international was quite lively, some felt that he was lacking something. Yes, he was pretty engaged in the game, but his lack of efficiency and reluctance to make simple decisions resulted in him struggling with the end product.

That said, there are still some doubts about whether Martinelli will regain his form. Former Premier League star Troy Deeney has pointed out one mistake that the winger is making, which won’t do him any favours in his comeback. Deeney thinks Martinelli might benefit from being a bit more relaxed and focused on creating opportunities for his teammates instead of always going for the goal himself.

“Saw a few little issues that could potentially come up,” the 36-year-old said on Ben Fosters YouTube. “Martinelli had a few chances. He could have squared it and someone scores, but he’s thinking like I have got to score now because Trossard’s going to play.”

Martinelli is pretty determined to get on the scoresheet, which makes sense because forwards are typically judged based on the goals they score. However, it’s important to remind him that he will still have opportunities if he does everything correctly (and not solely fixate on the goals).

He’s just not feeling very confident right now, and it would probably help if he just kept things simple instead of trying to make them more complicated. We used to describe him as one of Arsenal’s most clinical forwards. He’ll return to that form eventually, but for now, it’s important for him to keep things simple.

Jack Anderson

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