Arsenal began their pre-season with a defeat in Scotland against Hibernian this evening and a poor mistake by young Arthur Okonkwo gifted the Scots the opening goal.
Hibs went on to double their lead in the second half and that put them in the driving seat. Nicolas Pepe won a penalty and took it, but his strike was saved. Emile Smith Rowe scored a brilliant volley in the end, but that only proved to be a consolation.
Some Arsenal fans, predictably, are going mad on Twitter. Arteta Out is trending already, and there has been some very harsh criticism towards 19-year-old Okonkwo as well, which really is uncalled for after a pre-season friendly.
Thankfully for the teenager, only a minority of supporters have taken the wrong approach after an error in a meaningless fixture. Most fans have fully got his back, with some even comparing him to an Arsenal fan favourite.
Some Arsenal fans compare Arthur Okonkwo to Emi Martinez
Before Martinez became the star he is today, the Argentine had plenty of shaky moments in Arsenal colours. His performance against Reading in the famous 5-7 game comes to mind and not many people saw a top-level goalkeeper in him then.
However, after years of hard work and a number of loan spells, Martinez showed his worth. He helped Arsenal win the FA Cup and the Community Shield, had a fantastic debut season at Aston Villa and played a massive part in helping Argentina win the Copa America.
Martinez is the perfect example for Okonkwo. Mistakes at a young age don’t define you. This is only the start and if the 19-year-old can keep his head down and work hard, there’s no reason why he can’t become Arsenal’s number one in the future.
Read more: Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira has contacted Arsenal to discuss potential transfers
Here’s how a few Arsenal fans reacted to Okonkwo’s mistake…
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
