"I've grown up in the winger position, but I can also play in the middle of the pitch. I can do whatever the coach wants me to do," Martinelli told the media last month. A severe knee injury in 2020 forced the Brazilian to miss most of the 2020-21 season, but now Martinelli is back and is giving it his all for the team. Although he has only five league goals, that doesn't mean the Brazilian is bad for a team with top scorers Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka who have also scored just nine goals. However, arsenal (44) have scored the fewest goals in the top seven teams in the league. They may be competing for glory with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in next season's Champions League, but if – or when – Arsenal really want to make a difference in Europe, the lack of a goal-scoring and consistent goalscorer could be a problem.
Aubameyang left early this year, while Nkedia and Lacazette's contracts expired in the summer. That means the Gunners will add a new striker at the end of the season, with Calvert Lewin, Isaac and Nunez all likely to move to emirates when the transfer window opens. However, will Mikel Arteta take a different approach to the market in the summer? According to British media reports. Arsenal said earlier this month that Martinelli had been working on special training, perhaps to switch to playing centre-forwards. This would partly explain the links associated with the transfer of Jacques Indhoven. The young Dutchman has been a highlight for this season's Eredivisie title contenders, with Eindhoven currently in third place in the Dutch top flight. Only Ajax's Tadić (15) have more assists than Gakpo (13) in the 2021-22 Eredivisie, while the 22-year-old is second in terms of clear chances created (10) and fifth for key passes (59).
He excelled in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which wasn't much different from the system Arteta preferred, with the Gunners stressing that wingers cut inside to score goals, opening up space for full-backs to insert. So, in theory, Gackpo should seamlessly get into the Emirates Stadium. Six of his eight goals in the league this season have been right-footed shots, and 51 of the 60 shots on goal (85%) are right-footed shots. Arsenal's attack on the right (39 per cent) may be more than the attack on the left (35 per cent), but The threat of Gackbo's shot could lead to a change in tactics. This helped the winger to be able to pick a one-on-one pass when needed, and Jacques Giacombe has completed 59 successful dribblings this season, the fourth-best dribbling stats in the Eredivisie this season. A 58.4% dribbling success rate means he has room for improvement, but a determination to beat the defenders is a good trait fans have come to expect.
Importantly, however, Gakpo used his dribbling ability to work well when needed, and he was also a team member. For a player in his position, the 77.3% pass success rate of 30.3 passes per game in the Eredivisie this season is a gratifying performance, which means that the youngster can build a strong partnership with a teammate who is good at grabbing points. This extra quality of play means that only Ajax (85.1%) have had a higher passing success rate than PSV (82.5%) this season, and there is some evidence that Gacpo did not simply dribble in a dead end and tried to force himself to solve the problem.
However, the criticism of him is the lack of defense. While his efforts in possession have pushed him into the spotlight, Arteta wants him to contribute to defense as an attacking player. Erdegaard (1.8), Martinelli (1.6) and Bukayo-Saka (1.2) all averaged more than one tackle per game, which is where Gakpo fell behind (0.8) in the game. However, at such a young age, this is a weakness, and if properly guided and applied, it may be translated into an advantage in time. Arteta has turned his current attacker into an all-out defender, and Gakpo will improve in this regard under his tutelage. While Martinelli's current position on the left has been determined, The arrival of Gacpo will allow the Brazilian international to play his shooting ability in the middle.
Similarly, Arsenal can expect to sign a striker in the summer, even if there are rumors that they are interested in Gackpo, but that would greatly enhance Arteta's attacking options and tactical flexibility near the opposing penalty area. With European football back on the Gunners' mission, the Dutchman will not be short of playing time, and given the expected increase in game time, Arteta needs more options. But Gacpo's value will not be cheap, arsenal have spent a lot of money on wingers before, who have also impressed on the european continent but have difficulty adapting to the Game of England. However, the Gunners have one of England's most dynamic strikelines, and The addition of Gacpo will enhance attacking ability, giving Martinelli the possibility to focus his development on the centre. Could this not be better for Arsenal today?