In a recent interview following Arsenal’s 5-0 victory against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, Unai Emery was full of praise for Gabriel Martinelli after he put in a match-winning display in the League Cup third-round tie (via talkSPORT). The Gunners new signing managed to grab the headlines by scoring a brace versus the Tricky Trees last night. When asked about Martinelli’s performance, Emery said (via talkSPORT), “Martinelli is a very young player but he came here and we were waiting and watching him, how he could improve with us.
“He played very well. He was working each training with a big spirit and with a big performance.
“I spoke with him to have some patience to get his opportunity to play, to do like he was doing in training and in the matches in pre-season and tonight he did that and really he deserved it because he’s a very humble player.
“He fights, he is hungry to have that opportunity to help us and his work was perfect tonight.”
Martinelli’s Impressive Start To Life At North London
The Guarulhos-born prospect came through the youth ranks of Ituano Futebol Clube before his big switch to Arsenal earlier this summer. The Brazilian wide player made his debut for the Gunners when he came off the bench to feature for six minutes against Newcastle United in the opening weekend of this Premier League campaign.
Martinelli managed to find the back of the net twice in the EFL Cup which will give him a big boost of confidence ahead of the showdown versus Manchester United on Monday night. Emery could use the talented youngster off the bench if he can prove his worth on the training ground. The Brazilian youngster showed a few glimpses of his incredible potential against Nottingham Forest last night.
The North London giants will now hope that the South American sensation can continue improving his game over the coming weeks so that he can play a significant role for the club in the cup competitions this season.
What Are The Brazilian Whizkid’s Best Attributes?
Martinelli boasts blistering pace, which enables him to dribble with the ball at high speed down the wide areas. He is versatile enough to feature on either flank, but he primarily operates from the left side as he can then focus on cutting inside to create chances using his stronger right foot. However, as last night showed, he can feature down the middle as well.
Is Martinelli A Star In The Making?
However, the Brazilian is still quite a raw talent and would need to work on his link-up play if he wants to be a success story in English football. For now, the Arsenal teen sensation should concentrate on proving his worth on the field so that he can get even more first-team opportunities under his belt. There is no doubt that Martinelli has all the skill set required to be a future star in the top tier of England as long as he can continue developing his game with each year.
