#足球助力团 #
"Enchanted" Martin Jr., the future of Arsenal
As Martinelli walked out of the dressing room tired but excited after the 3-2 win over Liverpool, Arsenal board member Tim Lewis excitedly handed the Brazilian a pen to sign something.
Sorry to disappoint Arsenal fans: it's not a new contract – at least not yet. This time, Lewis just wanted a little Martin's autograph at a young fan souvenir show. Martin Jr. agreed, as promised. But surely it won't be long before he signs a contract that reflects the growing importance of his value to the club.
In the future, when Martin Jr.'s team sits down with technical director Edu to negotiate a contract extension, they are likely to use this dazzling performance against Liverpool as one of the cards to renew the 21-year-old's contract. Arsenal believe they are well positioned to grasp Martin Jr.'s future. His current contract starts in July 2020 and runs until 2024, with the club having the option to trigger an extension.
There is a growing recognition that his recent performance deserves a reward. In his post-match press conference, coach Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Martin Jr. "He's a great player and I think today he played well against top defenders and top teams, and like the other players, he played a role in the game. Then comes the next phase: standing up in these big races, playing as planned, and ultimately winning. ”
Martin Jr. dribbled in and Arsenal got off to a fantastic start
On whether this performance will serve as a catalyst for a new contract, Arteta said: "We will not let this performance dictate our decision. Martin Jr. doesn't need to prove to me whether he played well today or not, it's going to be his after all. His hunger for the game, his will and his love for the sport, so you don't know where his peak is because he always holds himself to a higher standard. ”
This perpetually hungry and self-demanding "enchantment" is characteristic of Martin Jr.'s game, as well as Arsenal's new trident, including Jesus and Saka. Against Liverpool, Saka and Martinelli continued to threaten Klopp's side efficiently. Granite Xhaka described Martin Jr. as playing football at "100 miles per hour", which reflects Martin Jr.'s "enchanted state".
Perhaps it is against Liverpool, a special opponent, that Martin Jr. is fitting to put out such a performance. Klopp has always given high praise to Martin Jr.
At the end of 2019, the 18-year-old scored twice for Arsenal in a 5-5 loss to Liverpool in a Carabao Cup match at Anfield. Later, Klopp, conquered by Martin Jr., described him as the "genius of the century."
In January, Klopp talked about him again. "Martin Jr.: I can guarantee that we (Liverpool) will continue to watch him in the future", exclaimed Klopp after Liverpool's 2-0 aggregate win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final. "If he doesn't have a serious injury, he's going to have a perfect career."
This week, Klopp reiterated his admiration. "He's been the player I'm looking forward to,' he told his pre-match press conference against Arsenal. It's easy to see why.
It took Martinelli just 58 seconds to prove Klopp right again. On a counter-attack, he quickly stepped behind Alexander-Arnold to open the scoring for Arsenal. The second time, he dangled past Alexander-Arnold and Henderson and crossed to Saka to score. At just 21 years and 113 days, Martinelli became the youngest Arsenal player to score and assist in a Premier League match against Liverpool, according to Opta, a sports data agency. In his last 14 appearances, the Brazilian has been directly involved in 10 goals (five goals and five assists).
Currently, Martinelli has more than four times his expected total of goals, with an xG of 2.4.
Amazingly, however, he averaged nearly three shots per game. This is an amazing result for a player who is not a pure centre-forward.
Martinelli's first thought was to score goals – and he gave Arsenal the straightforwardness they have needed for a long time. In a way, he's playing a numbers game, seizing the few opportunities he has to give quality feedback.
Against Liverpool, especially in the first half for a while, Arsenal were in a passive, recycling defence. However, Martinelli's speed and aggressiveness ensured that they could always pose a threat on counter-attacks.
It is worth noting that if you look at Martinelli's attacking area this season, you can almost always see him cutting inside from the left into the box. When he gets the ball, the first thing he thinks of is the goal.
Jesus received a lot of praise for improving Arsenal's attack, but on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, Martinelli stepped out of Jesus' shelter. In fact, the two Brazilians pushed each other on the pitch – Gabou worked together, and his profit was golden.
There are many people, such as Klopp, who have long recognized Martinelli's potential and they are eyeing it. However, just this afternoon, every pair of greedy eyes staring at Martin Jr. became more attentive.
Martinelli won numerous admirers in this game. It's time for Arsenal to reward him for that and secure his future in the process.