One Arsenal player must see the opportunity there for him to start the season strongly against Wolves this afternoon.
The wait is finally over as Premier League action returns to the Emirates this afternoon as the 2024/25 campaign commences.
Arsenal welcome Wolves to North London to battle for the first three points available this season, with so much at stake from the off for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping for nothing but three points and a strong display from his squad however, one player will be hoping for far more.
Gabriel Martinelli must exploit Wolves squad concern in Premier League opener
The 2023/24 campaign was incredibly bright for Arsenal yet concerningly dull for Gabriel Martinelli.
While the Brazilian contributed to 10 Premier League goals, the winger was far from the level fans grew accustomed to seeing him at the season prior.
Now, Martinelli can right his wrongs from last term and get off to a flying start against Wolves, as the visitors are without one key player.
Gary O’Neil’s first-choice right-back Nelson Semedo is out due to a suspension he carried from the final day of the 2023/24 season, leaving the club’s options thin in that area.
As a result, it’s expected that either Matt Doherty or 18-year-old Pedro Lima will inherit Semedo’s starting spot, giving Martinelli a challenge to exploit the Old Gold’s second-choice fullback.
On his day, the 23-year-old is an unplayable figure on the left side of Arsenal’s defence, something that was missed over the course of last season and something that can mark its revival against Wolves.
Arsenal must see more from Martinelli
The 2022/23 season saw Martinelli hit world-class levels, making the £6m price tag that the Gunners paid for him become even more of a bargain.
As seen in the table below, the Brazil international’s form declined significantly in the final third last term, whether it be down to several absences through injury or a general dip.
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| Goals | 6 | 15 |
| Assists | 4 | 5 |
| Dribbles per game | 1.1 | 1.7 |
| Key passes per game | 1.3 | 1.6 |
| Shots per game | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Average match rating | 6.89 | 7.25 |
The issue that the winger has is that competition is growing in the squad, with the likes of Leandro Trossard showing what can be done in his absence.
Given that Wolves will be forced to start a player who had little playing time last season, Martinelli must see this as a huge opportunity to start the campaign where he left off back in 2022/23.
Only time will tell if the 23-year-old can make his mark on the opening day, with every Arsenal fan wanting to see the Brazilian’s form revived after a trialling year.
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