Max Dowman and Gabriel Martinelli had differing nights down at Southampton this evening.
Dowman was one of the few shining lights for the Gunners as he once again impressed both off the right and in the middle near the end. Martinelli, meanwhile, struggled to do much and was out of the game for long periods.
Indeed, watching Martinelli closely from pitchside, BBC duo Mark Chapman and Theo Walcott have suggested Martinelli will be frustrated with his teammates.
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In fairness to Martinelli, he did keep plugging away down that left side but just couldn’t fashion anything.
Still, it was interesting to see just how much Arsenal used Dowman and Martinelli and according to Chapman and Walcott, Martinelli may well be cheesed off.
“Do you know one of the things that you notice when you sort of sit pitchside here is that the first look of many Arsenal players is to the right. I’ve seen Martinelli here screaming for it and not getting it because they are looking right,” the BBC’s Mark Chapman said.
“He’s so positive, not just that, he can now kind of operate anywhere in that front line, and he’s always, always asking for the ball,” Theo Walcott added.
“He’s always challenging, making runs, even if he doesn’t get it, he still wants the ball. And that’s what I think is a good sign if you’re a player that you’re getting so much support.
“Martinelli will be a player looking at himself thinking ‘I want the ball more than him, he’s a 16-year-old boy coming through.’ But Mikel trusts him, and he doesn’t look 16, he has a stature about him.”
With Manchester City hammering Liverpool, this was another eye-opener for the Gunners and Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal needed a performance to show that they too are up for the fight and while they remain in contention in Europe and at the top of the league, this will be a worry.
We’re now at a point where after looking like the Gunners might win four trophies, it could well be City who win two and Arsenal win a maximum of two as well.
Arteta will be desperate for his team to bounce back in style next time out. If they don’t, then alarm bells will be more than ringing among some fans.
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