The November international break has come to a close with plenty of action for the Arsenal squad to reflect on.
Mikel Arteta will be delighted to have his squad return to Colney ahead of the continuation of the Premier League.
The Arsenal players on international duty will now head to North London in preparation for the domestic challenges to come, with the November break being the last of 2024.
While the manager will be unhappy with the Gunners’ injury situation ahead of match day 12 of the season, there have been some positives for Arteta to study.
- READ MORE: How many minutes Arsenal stars played in international break compared to Liverpool and Man City
Gabriel Martinelli plays surprise position for Brazil
The last of the Arsenal first team to be involved on duty were the Brazilians, as Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes featured for the Selecao.
November duty was eventful for Martinelli, who was involved in a red card incident during Brazil’s opener against Venezuela.
Dorival Junior utilised the Arsenal winger off the bench in that game and did the same in his side’s 1-1 draw against Uruguay.
- READ MORE: What Brazil fans really think of Gabriel Martinelli’s international call-up amid Arsenal struggles
Martinelli played 32 minutes in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with something he did sure to capture Arteta’s attention.
Dorival Junior opted to play the Arsenal ace centrally, seeing Martinelli take up positions both leading the line and playing predominantly behind the front line of attack.
The 23-year-old was a creative outlet playing away from his usual left wing role, showing confidence and desire to get in the box, something that has been lacking in North London of late.
While Martinelli is commonly stuck to the sideline when playing on the left at Arsenal, the Brazilian moved more freely for his country against Uruguay, which could broaden Arteta’s views on his player.
Martinelli’s statistics for Brazil vs Uruguay
Martinelli played just over half an hour in Brazil’s draw and had a memorable cameo, getting stuck into the action.
The Arsenal ace had two shots in the game, one of which being on target, as well as attempting two dribbles, via Sofascore.
From his 26 touches on the ball, 15 represented completed passes, missplacing just two of his attempted passes during the game.
Despite Martinelli’s dip in form for Arsenal, Arteta has been persistent with his confidence in the winger however, could perhaps be inspired to utilise the Brazilian in a different role in the near future.
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