Remember that assist against Nottingham Forest a couple of years back? You know the one. Gabriel Martinelli, pinned against the byline, looking like he had nowhere to go, then poof—an audacious pirouette backheel that left two defenders asking their moms for a ride home. Eddie Nketiah finished the job, and the Emirates went wild. It was a flash of pure, unadulterated genius. The kind of magic that makes you believe a player is truly special.
The problem is, those moments have become collector’s items. We’re left wondering if that trickster has been replaced by his less-talented, more predictable cousin. Martinelli, once the electric winger who terrified defenders, now often looks like a shadow of his former self. His decision-making can be frustrating, his end product is inconsistent, and frankly, time is starting to run out.
With Arsenal splashing cash on shiny new toys like Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, Martinelli is no longer the guaranteed starter. He’s in a scrap for his spot, and maybe even his future at the club.
Is Martinelli Even the Best Option on the Left Anymore?
Let’s be real, the competition is heating up. When Arsenal dropped a cool £60 million on Eberechi Eze, it wasn’t for him to warm the bench. Eze is a playmaker, a line-breaker, and he brings a creative spark that Martinelli seems to have misplaced. In his brief cameo against Liverpool, Eze was a breath of fresh air, immediately looking more dangerous and unpredictable than Martinelli had all game.
Then there’s Noni Madueke. He’s two-footed, which is a novelty compared to Martinelli’s “cut inside and pray” strategy that every defender in the league has figured out. Madueke can go inside or outside, keeping his fullback guessing and opening up space for others. He offers a directness and versatility that makes him a better fit for Arteta’s current system.
The pecking order is shifting, and Martinelli is sliding down. He’s no longer just competing; he’s fighting to prove he even belongs in the conversation.
What Happened to the Fearless Winger?
Photo by Huy Phan courtesy of PexelsSo, what went wrong? It’s not like Martinelli forgot how to play football. A big part of the issue is that the team around him has completely changed. His best season, 2022-23, saw him thrive in a more expansive system. He had a telepathic connection with Gabriel Jesus, whose clever movement created acres of space for Martinelli to exploit.
But Jesus has been plagued by injuries, and key figures like Granit Xhaka and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who made that left side tick, are gone. Arteta has also shifted tactics, favoring a more controlled, compact style. This has stifled Martinelli, turning him from a free-roaming maverick into just another cog in a very structured machine. He looks lost, a player whose greatest strengths have been neutered by the system he’s in.
His confidence is also shot. You can see it in his play. The hesitation, the safe passes, the failure to take on his man. Against Liverpool, he had a golden opportunity to roast a makeshift fullback in Dominic Szoboszlai but ended up running the ball out for a goal-kick. That’s not the Martinelli we know. It’s a player overthinking every move, paralyzed by the fear of making a mistake.
Can Martinelli Turn It Around?
All is not lost, at least not yet. Mikel Arteta still publicly backs his man, insisting he remains a “very, very, very important” player. That’s manager-speak for “I haven’t given up on you, but please start playing better.”
There’s a glimmer of hope. The arrival of striker Viktor Gyokeres could be a lifeline. Gyokeres, like Jesus, enjoys drifting to the left, which might just recreate the dynamic that allowed Martinelli to flourish. If they can build a rapport, we might see the Brazilian making those devastating inside runs again.
But it’s a big “if.” This season feels like the final audition. Martinelli needs to do more than just work hard; he needs to start delivering goals and assists. He needs to rediscover that fearless streak, that bit of magic that made him so exciting in the first place.
Whether he starts against Nottingham Forest or comes off the bench, every minute counts. The pressure is on, and it’s no exaggeration to say his Arsenal career is hanging in the balance. It’s time to show us if the magician is still in there or if the act is over for good.
