Highlights:
- 19 year old Gabriel Martinelli has only managed to make 8 appearances for Arsenal in 2020-21 campaign so far
- Martinelli had yet another injury-ridden campaign
- Martinelli tells what he has to do if he wants to see Arsenal game time
The 19 year old up and coming high-rather Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli has sustained yet another injury-ridden campaign, however, even when fit, has not been a regular for the Gunners.
Martinelli, 19, has been told what he needs to do if he wants to earn regular game time at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta looking for the Brazilian forward to make the selection calls “difficult” for him.
Martinelli has been unable to do that as often as he or his fans would like, especially in this season, with further injury issues complicating matters for the 19-year-old.
He has been used sparingly in a disjointed 2020-21 campaign, with Arteta leaving the youngster as an unused substitute in the Gunners’ 3-1 win over Leicester.
Puzzled on whether Martinelli’s fitness record is holding him back, Arteta told reporters: “Well, he needs to keep working and making it difficult for us.
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“He is a player that is going to give us a lot, but we need some time to find the right games for him and the right connections with him on the pitch so that he can do what he does best.
“But the way he is and the way he trains every day, he is going to be a really important player for us, no doubt.
“But, when you have many options, it is difficult when you look for certain qualities in certain games.”
The 19 year old Martinelli saw the start to his 2020-21 campaign delayed owing to a long-term knee issue which saw him miss as many as 30 games for Arsenal, while his calf and ankle injuries have been nursed since returning to the fold.
With others using the opportunity to their advantage to shine in his absence, Martinelli has been restricted to just eight appearances for the Gunners this season.
Only five of those have come in the Premier League, with mere 211 minutes spent on the field.
Since being withdrawn in the January 30th match against Manchester United at half-time in a 0-0 draw, Martinelli has not been able to figure out at all in the top league of England.
Having said this, the 19 year old Brazilian is still held in high regard at the Emirates Stadium, however, is having to prove himself all over again.
His debut campaign in England where he delivered 10 goals in 32 outings hinted at big things, with some people going as far as drawing comparisons to the Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, since then, only backwards steps have been taken, but time is still very much on the side of a “player who will be hoping to figure prominently in Arsenal’s top-four and Europa League challenges in the business end of 2020-21,” said Goal.com.
