“Imagine he lost the ball 11 times, had fewer touches than David Raya and also a very poor passing accuracy. He can’t even hold on to the ball just to save his life” Arsenal Legend Patrick Vieira says £180k-p/w Arsenal star is the biggest problem for Mikel Arteta and the team he’s trying to build

“Imagine he lost the ball 11 times and had a very poor passing accuracy. He can’t even hold on to the ball just to save his life” Arsenal Legend Patrick Vieira says £180k-p/w Arsenal star is the biggest problem for Mikel Arteta and the team he’s trying to build

£180k-p/w Arsenal Star is Becoming a Major Problem Arteta Must Solve

Gabriel Martinelli struggled in the Aston Villa game, with a poor display.

Leandro Trossard proved his worth with a quick goal, and is pushing for a starting spot.
Arsenal may look to add Nico Williams as competition for Martinelli on the left wing with Mikel Arteta needing to make a change.
It has been a good start for Arsenal in the Premier League with the club going two for two so far in the English top-flight. While they were expected to beat Wolves on the opening day, the win over Aston Villa was a real marker of their title-chasing intentions.

The Gunners had to rely on the brilliance of David Raya to keep them in it, but with Ollie Watkins spurning some major changes, Mikel Arteta’s men took home all three points with two second-half goals. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the 67th minute before Thomas Partey sealed all three points just 10 minutes later.

And while everyone involved would have been delighted with the win, it was a poor performance from Gabriel Martinelli. His form has been a bit of an issue for some time now and Arteta has a big decision to make regarding the right-hand side of his attack.

Martinelli Poor Against Villa
Fewer touches than David Raya

For those who watched the game, it’s clear that Martinelli was far from his best at Villa Park. His 5/10 display made him the worst player on the pitch for Arsenal and the stats back this up.

Indeed, he finished the game having had fewer touches than goalkeeper Raya. Despite that, he still gave away the ball 11 times (the second-highest amount for the Gunners). What’s more, his passing percentage, down at 76% (13/17), was also the worst of any player to start for Arteta on the day.

And with zero shots attempted, just one out of two attempted dribbles completed, and one ground duel won out of five attempts, it’s not hard to see why he got the hook with the game still in the balance. Journalist Kaya Kaynak summed it up well when writing player ratings for football.london. He wrote:

Trossard Shines
Pushing to start ahead of Martinelli

While Martinelli – who earns £180k-p/w – struggled to make an impact during his 65-minute display, his replacement had a day to remember. Within two minutes of coming off the bench, Trossard had already found the back of the net.

And the Belgian’s efficiency, especially in comparison to the Brazilian’s, has been an ongoing theme for some time now. For instance, Trossard scored nine league goals in the final 18 games of the 2023/24 season, while Martinelli scored just four times in that same period.

The younger winger was given the nod against both Wolves and Villa but failed to register any goal contribution in 155 minutes of game time, while Trossard has delivered one goal despite having played far fewer minutes (35 combined across both games).

As was obvious by his muted celebration, the 29-year-old isn’t happy with his role as a substitute and will understandably feel he has done more than enough to start. Arteta has acknowledged this and praised the ‘upset’ player for his response.

The Spaniard will appreciate the impact of Trossard off the bench and Martinelli’s inability to rediscover his best form is far from ideal in a team with title ambitions. There is another solution to the problem, however, that could allow Arteta to keep using the Belgian as a super-sub.

Nico Williams Wanted
Could arrive as competition for Martinelli

Gabriel Martinelli struggled in the Aston Villa game, with a poor display.
Leandro Trossard proved his worth with a quick goal, and is pushing for a starting spot.
Arsenal may look to add Nico Williams as competition for Martinelli on the left wing with Mikel Arteta needing to make a change.
It has been a good start for Arsenal in the Premier League with the club going two for two so far in the English top-flight. While they were expected to beat Wolves on the opening day, the win over Aston Villa was a real marker of their title-chasing intentions.

The Gunners had to rely on the brilliance of David Raya to keep them in it, but with Ollie Watkins spurning some major changes, Mikel Arteta’s men took home all three points with two second-half goals. Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the 67th minute before Thomas Partey sealed all three points just 10 minutes later.

And while everyone involved would have been delighted with the win, it was a poor performance from Gabriel Martinelli. His form has been a bit of an issue for some time now and Arteta has a big decision to make regarding the right-hand side of his attack.

Martinelli Poor Against Villa
Fewer touches than David Raya

For those who watched the game, it’s clear that Martinelli was far from his best at Villa Park. His 5/10 display made him the worst player on the pitch for Arsenal and the stats back this up.

Indeed, he finished the game having had fewer touches than goalkeeper Raya. Despite that, he still gave away the ball 11 times (the second-highest amount for the Gunners). What’s more, his passing percentage, down at 76% (13/17), was also the worst of any player to start for Arteta on the day.

And with zero shots attempted, just one out of two attempted dribbles completed, and one ground duel won out of five attempts, it’s not hard to see why he got the hook with the game still in the balance. Journalist Kaya Kaynak summed it up well when writing player ratings for football.london. He wrote:

“His end product continues to be disappointing when he’s forced on to his left foot. Held on to it for too long on occasions while on the counter.”


Pushing to start ahead of Martinelli

While Martinelli – who earns £180k-p/w – struggled to make an impact during his 65-minute display, his replacement had a day to remember. Within two minutes of coming off the bench, Trossard had already found the back of the net.

And the Belgian’s efficiency, especially in comparison to the Brazilian’s, has been an ongoing theme for some time now. For instance, Trossard scored nine league goals in the final 18 games of the 2023/24 season, while Martinelli scored just four times in that same period.

The younger winger was given the nod against both Wolves and Villa but failed to register any goal contribution in 155 minutes of game time, while Trossard has delivered one goal despite having played far fewer minutes (35 combined across both games).

As was obvious by his muted celebration, the 29-year-old isn’t happy with his role as a substitute and will understandably feel he has done more than enough to start. Arteta has acknowledged this and praised the ‘upset’ player for his response.

The Spaniard will appreciate the impact of Trossard off the bench and Martinelli’s inability to rediscover his best form is far from ideal in a team with title ambitions. There is another solution to the problem, however, that could allow Arteta to keep using the Belgian as a super-sub.

Nico Williams Wanted
Could arrive as competition for Martinelli

Indeed, there is every suggestion that Arteta has already viewed the wing as one area to improve. Of course, Bukayo Saka needs someone to help ease the burden on the right flank when fatigue sets in, but perhaps the Gunners could land an upgrade on the left wing as well.

As we reach the final stages of the summer transfer window, one rumoured player sticks out above the others, and it’s an exciting name too. GIVEMESPORT sources understand that Arsenal are still hoping to sign Nico Williams. While Barcelona have long been viewed as his preferred option, it seems as though they won’t have the money to get a deal across the line this summer, amid their struggles to get summer signing Dani Olmo registered to play. This could open the door for the north London outfit.

The 22-year-old had a blistering summer, winning Euro 2024 with Spain – scoring vs England in the final – and cementing his status as one of the most exciting young wingers in the game. The good news for Martinelli is that if he did arrive, Williams would not necessarily put an end to his Arsenal career.

Both are still young enough to thrive in the team together over the coming years, while providing cover for Saka on the right, and battling it out with Trossard for the starting berth on the left. And despite his lofty reputation, the Spaniard is far from the finished article.

After all, he is yet to even play in the Champions League or any other European club competition. What’s more with 20 goals and 26 assists in 124 senior games for Bilbao, his numbers aren’t that much better than Martinelli who has 41 and 24 in 176 Arsenal outings.

That said, if Trossard maintains his form, and Williams does arrive, Martinelli will have to significantly up his game. Right now, his form is becoming a problem for Arteta and if the Gunners are to win the Premier League, the Spaniard may have to be ruthless and drop the 23-year-old.

Stats via Transfermarkt, SofaScore (as of 25/08/24).