Ian Wright cannot see one Arsenal player breaking back into Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up right now.
Arsenal made it five consecutive wins in the Premier League with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.
All eyes will be firmly on Manchester City’s trip to north London on Tuesday, with the Gunners hoping for a favour from rivals Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta will be fully aware of the need to get the job done on Arsenal’s end, with his side set to host Everton on the final day of the season.
And Ian Wright feels a key Arsenal star has work to do if he’s to break back into the starting XI anytime soon.
Wright claims Gabriel Martinelli needs to improve
It’s been a frustrating season for Gabriel Martinelli on an individual level. The Brazilian had a hand in 20 goals in 36 Premier League games last term.
This time around, Martinelli has managed just six goals and four assists, with Leandro Trossard very much the preferred option at the moment.
The Belgian also bagged the winner at Old Trafford yesterday after starting over Martinelli. And Wright believes the forward will have to show something different to regain his place as a starter.
“With Martinelli, I think that we know what Martinelli is about in respect of the pace in his finishing, I believe he may need now to start thinking about what more can I add to the game because if it is not going to happen for me on the left, he can use me on the left, can I do more to make sure to I can maybe be a centre-forward,” Wright said on the latest episode of his podcast.
“I think there is something to be said in respect of him upskilling again, otherwise with Mikel and the way Mikel plays, the control, you need to bring something else because the way Trossard is playing, if he continues in that manner, I can’t see how Martinelli will get him out unless he does something else.”
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Have opponents worked out Martinelli at Arsenal?
It’s no secret that teams have often doubled up on Martinelli and Bukayo Saka after the pair dazzled for Arsenal last season.
Saka has adjusted well as he continues to provide in the final third, bagging 20 goals and providing 14 assists in all competitions this term. The same cannot be said for Martinelli as his numbers have dropped off significantly.
A recent report from Football.London claimed that opposition analysts have picked up on a weakness in Martinelli’s game.
It was noted that opponents have forced the 22-year-old down the line this season, where he is easier to defend against.
Martinelli will have to adjust and add something different to his game if he is to regain his place over Trossard. The £6 million man clearly has the potential to become a world-class player but Wright makes a great point about the need to add more to his game.