‘Just enjoy it’: Martin Keown shares the advice he gave to £180k-a-week Arsenal forward about scoring goals | OneFootball

Arsenal enhanced their chances of progressing to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League this season with a comfortable 3-0 victory over AS Monaco at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Mikel Arteta’s side beat Monaco 3-0 in North London in the League Stage game of Europe’s premier club competition. Bukayo Saka scored twice and Kai Havertz found the back of the net once.

Arsenal could have scored more. Brazil international striker Gabriel Jesus had two very good chances.

Gabriel Martinelli could have scored as well. The £180,000-a-week (Spotrac) Brazil international forward missed two big chances.

While analysing Martinelli’s failure to take one of his chances in the first half, Arsenal legend Martin Keown revealed the advice he recently gave to the 23-year-old, who is one of Arsenal’s best players.

The TNT Sports pundit made the comments at half-time and also made a note on Arsenal striker Jesus.

Martin Keown’s advice to Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli

Keown said on TNT Sports 1 (8:50pm, December 11, 2024): “I spoke to Martinelli recently and I said to him, ‘Look, just enjoy it, love those moments. The top players seem to, sort of, time stands still for those players’.

“Just a bit rushed in those moments, and I think it’s just about belief. And when the goals start to come, certainly for Jesus, I think they will come in droves.”

Gabriel Martinelli needs to score more goals

Martinelli is one of the finest young players around and is a key player for Arsenal. He is very good with the ball and is electric.

However, the forward needs to score more goals. Martinelli has found the back of the net four times and has given three assists in 21 matches in all competitions for Arsenal this season.

In the 2023-24 campaign, the 23-year-old scored eight goals and gave five assists in 44 appearances for the Gunners.

In the modern game, that is not good enough for a winger. Just look at Bukayo Saka’s stats, and you will notice the difference.

The England international has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 21 matches in all competitions for Arsenal this season.

In 2023-24, the 23-year-old winger scored 20 goals and gave 14 assists in 47 competitive games for the Gunners.