lorddulaarsenal he has to really once fully match fit. Martinelli just isn't doing offensively in a team that's lost a big portion of attacking firepower.
It's a shame because you feel if he gets a single goal it might unleash him from this funk but I'm not sure we're in a position where we can just play him into form right now.
Goals are not even my primary worry. He’s now unwilling (capable) to take on players too. Seems completely lost on how to fashion a chance and for whatever reason he always brings the ball to his left foot which is near useless.
MistaT He’s now unwilling (capable) to take on players too.
He just had the most successful dribbles of any player in a single PL game this season just last game.
DiabyKungFu He did, 6 I think, and was good overall vs Spurs but still managed to fuck up a 1 vs 1 with the keeper, he has more then 6 of those in a row for sure, well into double digits. His problem is a big one I think, you know, the long forgotten stat, scoring goals.
The way Arteta has been with players, the guy is done if he doesn't start scoring, and soon. We looked for a big signing this summer as well for his position, it was just not there. It is make or break for him, if he continues like this he will back to the bench in no time and then we will bring in someone else and good luck to him getting back into the team.
Arteta likes a broad range of attributes. Martinelli is working hard every game. He’s also getting on the ball much more this season than last season. Dribbling, cutting into the box, taking shots. One hopes it pays off soon
That 15 goal season was the exception.
Poor dribbling, head-down running, no vision or creativity, no composure.
I always wonder how he would have developed in a Klopp-like system, freed from defensive work and only focused on using his speed and finishing ability - which actually used to be pretty good and that's the most disturbing bit. That he can't finish anymore, and the more it goes on the less likely that it's purely a confidence thing at this point
Don Pacifico I think that's based on hope more than anything at this point. I'm on record as loving Martinelli and his chaos aura, but feel this season is make or break for him. He doesn't have the luxury of youth and naivety any more.
Sterling is his biggest danger. Sterling won't be a long (or even possibly medium) term option, but he could show Arteta what he is missing in that position in terms of output.
It'll be interesting to see how Sterling plays out. He's not got the legs of Martinelli or Saka so you'd think there will be a few tactical tweaks to accommodate that which we may not have seen yet from Arteta. I hope we end up with one or both wide players doing less running and staying higher as a result.
We also need to fit Timber, Calafiori and Merino into that set up. I'm not convinced this team has the same peak as last season.
lorddulaarsenal yep only a matter of time. a top left winger will be a game changer for us, if we ever land one
We should be monitoring the Rodrygo situation at Madrid, think they'll likely bench him when all their CMs are fit. I know we've been linked with Nico Williams, but I prefer the Brazilian because he's got more goals in him.
He (Rodrygo) has got the x-factor that eite forwards have and I believe he could be at least as good as Vinicius in the right environment. He's also very hard working and is a team player, so would be ideal for our pressing game.
FEBravo Klopp liked the look of him quite a lot, if I recall correctly.
Hasn't Rodrygo started every game for Real this season? He's a pipe dream much like Benzema was. People need to move on.
Martinelli is playing with a ton of fear and uncertainty at the moment. His mojo is at zero.
Worryingly I feel like it's gone beyond a 'he needs a goal', he needs a few to turn it around.
His only saving grace at the moment is his work rate and defensive awareness, and the fact that Trossard isn't very impressive either.
Yeah I agree with this point. His main attribute was getting the ball running at pace shifting it to get a gap and hitting a powerful strike on target quickly. He didn't have much else in his game and as teams have adapted to him he hasn't really been able to find those other areas he needs to develop.
As an attacking threat right now it just doesn't look like he's offering us anything with how he plays. He's going to give you his defensive hard work but then your approach falls in line with what we've seen. Your set up to be a defensive team without much goal threat and you are going to be trying to nick a 1-0 through a set piece and holding. But it's a risky approach because if you don't get that out the opponents get it then it's very hard to overhaul. We saw it in the champions League away last season especially.
awooga83 He didn't have much else in his game
Disagree completely with this. I'm gonna shut up because I don't want to sound like a broken record when it comes to him. What I will say though is that I have every confidence he's going to prove a lot of people wrong.
awooga83 As an attacking threat right now it just doesn't look like he's offering us anything
I wouldn't go that far. It's worth bearing in mind that he was the one who was missing chances and making the wrong decisions in the last couple of games while Saka was the one simply not involved. He's just wildly inefficient at the moment.
Big Willie What I will say though is that I have every confidence he's going to prove a lot of people wrong.
This still raises the same issue as about our form in the first half of last season. The league title isn't decided by the level you reach at the end, but by the average level throughout the season. If Martinelli plays badly for a while and then comes good, he will still have been a problem for us. It would bode well for the coming seasons, sure.
I don't think us going on thar insane run in the second half of last season proved wrong the people who thought our form earlier in the season was a problem for winning the title.
It shouldn’t take half a season to get some confidence back if you’re starting every week. I’d like to think you’ll see a change from him in the next few weeks, especially with the likes of Merino and Calafiori potentially coming in on his side of the pitch.
I think they will both have a massive impact on his performances.
