Gabriel Martinelli (11)

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Hopefully he plays the second leg. We're going in with three away goals so we don't need PEA to start on the left.

[LMAO]

The last few times he played, he was almost in tears after every knock he took as if fearing another long term injury. Maybe physically he's over his injury but not mentally

Fresh breath of rationality.

He's still on the bench in every single game. If he's not ready to play, why is he in the matchday squad?

Being on the bench isn't a guarantee of playtime. Arteta might be waiting for a certain scenario before reintroducing Martinelli? Arteta doesn't want to disrupt the momentum from other attacking players? Arteta could be doing it so Martinelli stays 'involved' during games instead of being in the stands or at home where he'd be father removed from the action?

Ultimately, none of us know Arteta's actual reason without actually being in his head, so I highlighted PG's speculation for offering an alternative explanation that holds as much weight as the one where people are jumping to conclusions that Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli or he isn't a favorite.

I'd also like to see more of Martinelli, but I'm not behind the scenes at the club, so I don't know the real story as to his exclusion.

[theHotHead]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

[LMAO]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

[jayramfootball]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

If he rated him he'd be giving him some minutes.
He's giving him none - even in games we've won with a few minutes left.

The fact he hasn't played any minutes is not a theory, it's a fact.

[LMAO]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

If he rated him he'd be giving him some minutes.
He's giving him none - even in games we've won with a few minutes left.

The fact he hasn't played any minutes is not a theory, it's a fact.

That's not evidence that Arteta doesn't rate him. That's only evidence that he hasn't played. PG offered another valid explanation suggesting why that may be.

[Salibatelli]

If a player never plays, generally it’s because the manager doesn’t really rate him.

If a manager did rate him he would feature some of time at least, that’s fairly conclusive evidence.

Right from his arrival Martinelli was sidelined, this despite him being very good under Emery, the only time he really featured was when their was no choice and Auba was suspended and he made himself undroppable. Then the lockdown happened, he didn’t feature again due to some obscure reason and then got injured.

Just like it’s evident the manager rates Xhaka and Willian as they play all the time.

You could argue he doesn’t, but that doesn’t really make sense.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

That's not evidence that Arteta doesn't rate him. That's only evidence that he hasn't played. PG offered another valid explanation suggesting why that may be.

It's not rocket science. We saw this play out last season with Reiss Nelson. He made the bench for Project Restart after Martinelli's initial injury. He got a couple of games here and there but disappeared after Willian was signed.

Our starting lineups now have 3 wide players in PEA, Saka and Willian. Pepe's on the bench but he still gets regular minutes. If a CF comes off, Laca or Nketiah comes on. Martinelli is quite clearly at the bottom of the pecking order.

[jayramfootball]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

If he rated him he'd be giving him some minutes.
He's giving him none - even in games we've won with a few minutes left.

The fact he hasn't played any minutes is not a theory, it's a fact.

That's not evidence that Arteta doesn't rate him. That's only evidence that he hasn't played. PG offered another valid explanation suggesting why that may be.

There could be many explanations, but the more probable one - by some distance - is that Arteta does not think he is good enough to play minutes in the first team. Right now he is treating him like Theo Walcott going to the World Cup at 17 on a sightseeing tour.

Same manager thinks Willian is great.

[theHotHead]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

If he rated him he'd be giving him some minutes.
He's giving him none - even in games we've won with a few minutes left.

The fact he hasn't played any minutes is not a theory, it's a fact.

That's not evidence that Arteta doesn't rate him. That's only evidence that he hasn't played. PG offered another valid explanation suggesting why that may be.

How does that make any sense?? He rates him but doesn't play him

The other explanation may be valid and I use the term extremely loosely, because it is unlikely.

[Arsenal Tone]

It doesn't hold as much weight though, thats the problem. Yes it is valid, inasmuch as we cannot prove it is not true, but I also can't disprove that there is an alternate universe where an Arsenal team exits where Pepe, Mustafi, Willian, Xhaka, Nketiah, are star players and sit at the top of the league, doesn't mean it is true either.

Just as we can't prove Arteta doesn't rate Martinelli. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't

If he rated him he'd be giving him some minutes.
He's giving him none - even in games we've won with a few minutes left.

The fact he hasn't played any minutes is not a theory, it's a fact.

That's not evidence that Arteta doesn't rate him. That's only evidence that he hasn't played. PG offered another valid explanation suggesting why that may be.

How does that make any sense?? He rates him but doesn't play him

.

The last few times he played, he was almost in tears after every knock he took as if fearing another long term injury. Maybe physically he's over his injury but not mentally

If every knock he takes he's fearing getting seriously injured then maybe he needs time to build his confidence behind closed doors. Even without fans, the cameras are following everything during games.

Keep him on the bench so he is part of it, give him time to get over the injury both physically snd mentally so he is ready to kick on next season.

[theHotHead]

We have seen plenty of footballers go off in tears after suffering a recurring injury. I am not aware of any that were too scared to play again, playing again is the goal that keeps them going, its the reason they push on through the hard work of rehabilitation. Look at Ramsey, now I'm not suggesting everyone is the same but they are pro footballers, they love doing what they do. Ramsey may have had some concerns about the first full blooded tackle he would receive but not enough to stop him from making himself available.

Don't forget - and this is key, for Martinelli to be in the match day squad he would have trained with the first team, so if he was scared to play he wouldn't even train with the first team, its not like they don't do exactly the same in training as they do in a match.

Another reason why this theory makes no sense.

[jayramfootball]

We have seen plenty of footballers go off in tears after suffering a recurring injury. I am not aware of any that were too scared to play again, playing again is the goal that keeps them going, its the reason they push on through the hard work of rehabilitation. Look at Ramsey, now I'm not suggesting everyone is the same but they are pro footballers, they love doing what they do. Ramsey may have had some concerns about the first full blooded tackle he would receive but not enough to stop him from making himself available.

Don't forget - and this is key, for Martinelli to be in the match day squad he would have trained with the first team, so if he was scared to play he wouldn't even train with the first team.

Another reason why this theory makes no sense.

It also doesn't make any sense because Martinelli has said he is fit and raring to play just 4 weeks ago.
If Arteta had taken him to one side with some kind of fatherly... I'll keep you involved whilst we build your confidence... then Martinelli wouldn't be talking to the press about how he is ready when Arteta needs him.

No, the most obvious explanation is that Arteta does not rate him enough to think he's even worth a minute's football.
Meanwhile, old man Willian is apparently great in Arteta's view.

#favourites

Doesn't matter now what Arteta does. The damage is done. He took a kid, a potential superstar, with no fear and total belief in his abilities and wrecked him. The same total BS 'he needs time' nonsense he uses whenever he doesn't like a young player. Even if he does get minutes now, he'll be completely unready fitness-wise and lacking any form of confidence.

[ESR10]

Gabi deserves better...

[jayramfootball]

So not in even in the squad?
Arteta has stepped up his public humiliation of Martinelli, if true.
Wow.