Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will hope to see more of an attacking spark from his side against Crystal Palace.
The Gunners are preparing to face Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup quarter-final, welcoming the Eagles to the Emirates on Wednesday night.
In the cup, Arteta has the opportunity to respond to recent criticism of Arsenal’s attack amid the North Londoners’ struggle to score from open play.
It’s been three games since the Arsenal squad last found the net from open-play, signalling where improvement needs to be urgently seen.
Mikel Arteta’s latest demand must alert Gabriel Martinelli
Amid Arsenal’s difficulties in converting chances, one player in particular has been blasted for his recent form going forward.
Fans are not pleased with Gabriel Martinelli, who has yet to rediscover the dazzling form he showcased during the 2022/23 campaign.
Martinelli has been urged to step up in recent weeks, having consistently missed opportunities to score, seeing his decision-making questioned.
It’s not just externally that the Brazilian has been prompted to do better, as Arteta just sent a clear demand to his squad, something that Martinelli in particular should take note of.
Arteta was discussing magic moments that win games, where the boss claimed that some players are producing ‘magic moments’ every ‘three days’ – which he believes makes an individual world-class.
“That’s when you become a world-class player, a player that wins games with individual actions,” Arteta said in his pre-match press conference before the Palace clash.
“We’re trying to develop our players to have more of that because that would be another source of winning games,” he added.
Given Martinelli’s recent performances on the left side, there’s a strong chance that the boss was alluding to the winger’s lack of output, something that must alert the Brazilian.
Martinelli’s warning from Thierry Henry
Arteta isn’t the only figure to stress the importance of having players who can influence a game with a single action.
Thierry Henry took aim at Martinelli when discussing the forward on Sky Sports Monday Night Football alongside Jamie Carragher.
“People say Arsenal didn’t create. You did create, it’s the choice that you didn’t take.
“Martinelli knows that if he dummies with his shoulder here and goes inside, he has one tap-in, two tap-in, three tap-in even about now, if he goes inside.
“That [going outside] was the last thing he should’ve done, going on your wrong foot for a shot and Tarkowski blocks it.”
Henry wanted to see more from Martinelli when presented with a chance on goal, something that many agree with when reflecting on the Brazilian’s season so far.
The winger doesn’t need reminding that he’s performing below par however, constructive criticism might just be the difference between the 23-year-old coasting by and improving his output.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
