Mikel Arteta warned 5 Arsenal stars look ‘weak mentally’ with 22-y/o ‘scared’

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Richard Dunne believes the five Arsenal forwards looked ‘weak mentally’ at FC Porto with Kai Havertz and a ‘scared’ Gabriel Martinelli singled out for their lack of impact.

The Gunners fell to a 1-0 defeat at the Estadio do Dragao this Wednesday night to trail after one leg. Porto visit Emirates Stadium for the reverse match of the Champions League last 16 tie on March 12. But Arsenal will rue Martinelli losing possession to help Porto take an edge.

Galeno struck in stoppage time to claim the aggregate advantage with a superb finesse into the far corner of David Raya’s goal. Yet the Brazilian’s strike came after compatriot Martinelli cheaply lost the ball as the Gunners tried to break on an overall frustrating night for Arsenal.

Gabriel Martinelli fell short in the final third as Arsenal lost at Porto

Porto were happy to let Arsenal have most of the possession as Mikel Arteta’s team enjoyed 65% of the control. Yet the north London giants only turned their time on the ball into seven shots. The Dragoes took eight shots from their 35% share and had more on target (2-0), too.

Martinelli did not account for any of Arsenal’s efforts on Diogo Costa’s goal, and further saw just 3.4% of their possession at Porto. Just Leandro Trossard (1.6%) – who was substituted – and goalkeeper Raya (2.8%) saw less of the ball for the Gunners than the 22-year-old would.

The Brazilian’s time in possession was also only just below the 3.7% share that Havertz also enjoyed. While the German used his time on the ball to record one shot and create another key chance. He also won in one of the 24-year-old’s two attempted tackles away in Portugal.

Richard Dunne feels Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz were ‘weak mentally’

But Dunne expected more from Martinelli and Havertz as Arsenal fell to their 1-0 defeat at Porto. The former Aston Villa and Manchester City centre-back believes the pair, as well as Trossard, Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard, were all ‘weak’ mentally in the attack.

“Martinelli looked scared,” Dunne said on Virgin Media Sport. “He’d get past one player and then dangle a toe in, and that would be him away from it. Kai Havertz was pulling out of 50-50s. They looked weak mentally upfront, that front five.”