An Arsenal player Ian Wright slammed for ‘switching off’ during the 2023/24 season has issued fans an honest promise after his disappointing term at Emirates Stadium.
It was a largely successful season for the Gunners as Mikel Arteta guided Arsenal in another Premier League title race. The north London natives also made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2010. But their domestic cup runs were not great.
Arsenal bowed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle with a 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool in the third round. West Ham United even dumped the Gunners out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-1 fourth-round result. Arsenal have not made it past the fourth round in either since 2022.
Gabriel Martinelli promises to ‘work hard’ to get back to his best version for Arsenal
The performances of one Gunners ace also left a lot to be desired at times as their standards slipped. Gabriel Martinelli failed to replicate the form the Brazil winger showed at Arsenal in 2022/23 in 23/24. He also ended the year behind Leandro Trossard in Arteta’s pecking order.
Martinelli was one of Arsenal’s best players in 22/23 after scoring 15 and assisting five goals in 36 Premier League games. He further started 34 of their games but only opened 24 of his 35 appearances last term. Martinelli ended the 23/24 season with six goals and four assists.
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Sustaining a cut to his foot at Sheffield United in March cut short Martinelli’s best run of the term after scoring four and assisting two goals in seven games. Now, the forward has vowed to work hard to rediscover his best form as Martinelli dreams of seeing Arsenal win trophies.
“I’m going to work hard to make it happen,” Martinelli has told AS. “I’m going to do my best to get to Arsenal as best as possible, in my best version. I hope it will be a year of many joys for Arsenal and for me.
“I hope to help my team with goals, assists [and] with good performances. I’m certainly going to do my best. I’m going to prepare a lot because it’s going to be a long season again. And, God willing, it will be a very victorious year for Arsenal, and also for Brazil.”
Gabriel Martinelli’s standards slipped at both ends during 2023/24 to frustrate Ian Wright
Martinelli ultimately finished the 23/24 season behind Trossard in Arteta’s pecking order as the Brazil winger often wasted opportunities in the final third with Arsenal. Throughout last term, he dallied on the ball rather than crossing and tried to do too much to work a chance.
The 11-cap dynamo’s defensive contributions also frustrated Wright when Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa in April. The Highbury hero took issue with how Martinelli failed to track Leon Bailey back for the Villans’ first goal as the Jamaican ran into acres of space to score.
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Wright told Premier League Productions after the game, via quotes by the Mirror: “Look at Martinelli. This is what we’ve been saying because Arsenal have been so good defensively this season. Everyone has been switched on but in this instance, he switches off.
“Bailey is his man, that’s his man in this situation. He has to get closer to him, it’s as simple as that. Arsenal gave Villa too many opportunities late on and they took them. Martinelli switches off at the back post. He realised too late. That’s the difference.”