Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott has told Gabriel Martinelli exactly where he must improve to do better for the Gunners in the months ahead.
It comes as the Brazilian has struggled to replicate the output that is often seen on the right flank through the duo of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
Gabriel Martinelli, at his very best, has shown lightning pace and a clinical ability to strike a ball into the back of the net.
However, so far this season, the winger has struggled to produce quite as much on the left and has brought questions from supporters and pundits alike as Arsenal fail to break teams down.
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Theo Walcott urges Gabriel Martinelli to make clear improvement
Former star Theo Walcott has called upon a clear improvement to be made by Gabriel Martinelli with more positive displays.
The winger has often been criticised for his inability to take a defender on in a one-on-one situation, sometimes turning to pass back to the full-back.
It was something that Walcott suggested he was fed up with as he said on Sky Sports: “I’ve said this because he’s [Martinelli] a player that at times can be a bit like a headless chicken, I do feel like. I was sometimes head down. Use your strengths, his is pace.
“When you’re one-on-one, I’m at times, I get sick to death when players give it back to the full-back and expect him to do something.
“I’m like ‘You’re a forward player, you do that job, you do the gifts that god gave you that got you to become a professional footballer’.
“I think it will benefit him [being on the right], it might benefit Havertz on the outside.”
Despite talking about making a change to play on the right, Mikel Arteta decided to play Martinelli back on the left against Newcastle in the EFL Cup, with Leandro Trossard on the right.
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Gabriel Martinelli must step up in response Bukayo Saka injury
With Bukayo Saka now out for a few months, the impact on Arsenal’s creative forward ranks may be hit even harder.
The winger was instrumental at creating something from nothing, be it on the outside, cutting inside and shooting or even from his pinpoint set-pieces.
With Saka out of action, Martinelli must step up to try and get closer to recreating his output with goals and assists.
So far this season, he has just eight goal involvements across all competitions, though he has recently come into form.
There will be some hope that he can pick up that goal scoring run, with some big weeks ahead.
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