There was nothing to separate Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday afternoon as they played out a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Mikel Arteta is convinced that Arsenal outplayed Chelsea, but it was not enough for the Gunners to leave West London with all three points in the bag.
Arsenal’s performance in this match marked an improvement on their recent form, but Arteta’s side still aren’t entirely back to their best. However, the return of Martin Odegaard certainly gave Arsenal a boost.
The Norwegian playmaker was able to add craft and guile to the Gunners’ play, and he provided the assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s goal. However, Arteta slammed his Arsenal players for the manner in which they allowed Pedro Neto to snatch an equaliser for the Blues, showing that there is still work to be done.
Gary Neville comments on Pedro Neto apply to Gabriel Martinelli
Neto was given far too much time and space, which allowed the Portuguese winger to pick his spot and line up his shot. He was then able to beat David Raya from range.
It was the 24-year-old’s best moment of the game, having otherwise been kept quiet by the Arsenal defence.
However, Gary Neville was convinced that Neto let the visitors off too easily at times.
Commentating on Sky Sports (10/11/2024), the former Manchester United defender said of the Chelsea attacker: “I wish sometimes he had more confidence… Just went at them. They’d be frightened to death of you… Just sometimes he makes it easy [for opposition defenders].”
Exactly the same criticism can be applied to Martinelli. Like Neto, the Brazilian got on the scoresheet on Sunday, but there is certainly a sense that he could deliver more.
Martinelli missed other chances against the Blues, and is guilty of slowing the game down all too often. He has certainly looked short on confidence in recent weeks, too.
Martinelli is playing for his Arsenal future at the moment, and took steps in the right direction against Chelsea.
However, the Gunners have title winning ambitions, and to achieve those aims they need players who can deliver consistently at the highest level. Martinelli is now at the stage in his career where he needs to cast off the shackles and kick on, or Arteta needs to find an upgrade.
What Martinelli needs from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta
In order to reach the next level he is searching for, Martinelli will need support from his manager and teammates.
Far too regularly, the 23-year-old is left isolated on the left flank. The likes of Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber need to rapidly establish a more effective connection with the Brazil international.
Arteta must also adjust his tactical demands when it comes to the winger. Martinelli can be relied upon to perform his defensive tasks, but this drags him away from the final third too frequently.
He must be given the freedom to remain further up the pitch, offering a threat on the counterattack with his blistering pace, rather than constantly being asked to track back and support the left-back.
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