Mikel Arteta has a lot of difficult decisions to make before every game at Arsenal.
The Spaniard has been in the job for nearly six years now, but he has never had a squad as big and competitive as the current one.
With that, competition for places has increased massively, so some players in the first team will have to settle for a spot on the bench at times.
However, former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has suggested a different theory now.
Emmanuel Adebayor says Mikel Arteta could be punishing Gabriel Martinelli at Arsenal
Gabriel Martinelli was a regular starter for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.
The Brazilian is a tremendous player on his day and has the ability to score against any side. He has often come up with goals against big teams for Arsenal.
However, Martinelli has started just two games so far this season – the opener against Manchester United and the next away game at Liverpool.
Arteta has benched him since Eberechi Eze’s arrival and due to Leandro Trossard’s form, but Martinelli has not sulked.
The former Ituano man came off the bench and scored against Athletic Club and did the exact same thing on Sunday when Manchester City came to the Emirates.
Adebayor has now suggested that Arteta and the Arsenal coaching staff may have punished Martinelli by keeping him on the bench, but he has proven them all wrong.
He said on Premier League Productions’ The Weekend Wrap: “He’s a big player. Whether you start the game or not, you have to be ready.
“You’re paid to play football. You have to keep your ego. You’re here to represent Arsenal, and he’s shown again that Arsenal fans can believe in him and believe in his ability.
“We all thought he would start the game, but we were wrong, but he has also proved us wrong. When he can come in, it can be a difference, he can score goals. That’s a strong message to the coaches now.
“Maybe they put him on the bench, maybe to punish him, but he’s proved them again wrong.”
Is Emmanuel Adebayor right about Gabriel Martinelli?
Adebayor is right about Martinelli proving people wrong, but his theory about Arteta punishing him is not true at all.
The Brazil international struggled with form for most of last season, and he wasn’t great in his two starts against Manchester United and Liverpool either.
With Eze now an Arsenal player, Arteta was right to prefer him, and Trossard got the nod against City because he scored once and assisted twice in his two previous substitute appearances.
Arteta did what every other manager would do, but there was no punishment whatsoever.
The Arsenal manager fully trusts Martinelli, and we expect him to start against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
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