Man Utd icon tells Mikel Arteta one Arsenal star has ‘gone backwards’ underneath his reign
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes reckons Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli has “gone backwards a little bit” under the watch of Gunners boss Mikel Arteta
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes believes that Arsenal ace Gabriel Martinelli has regressed under Mikel Arteta.
The Brazilian forward has managed to score only four goals this season, which marks a decrease from the eight goals netted last term after a standout 2022/23 campaign where he netted in 15 times. Currently not a guaranteed starter for the Gunners, Martinelli’s fit for Arteta’s plan as they pursue top trophies is now in question, reports the Mirror.
Both Scholes and ex-Liverpool star Jamie Carragher have raised concerns over the 23-year-old’s development compared to fellow team-mates Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. During The Overlap Fan Debate, Carragher said: “Do you think it’s necessarily a striker or just another top attacking player?
“I look at Martinelli and actually think probably three years ago when this team was just getting built, it felt like Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli were all at the same sort of level, looked like they could go on and be top players. I think the other two have, I’m not sure about Martinelli.”
Scholes responded: “Yeah, it feels like he’s gone backwards a little bit. You thought a year, 18 months ago, ‘Wow, what a player’, and he has stalled a little bit.
“He’s still young, isn’t he? We said pre-season a centre forward was always something that we felt Arsenal needed, and for some reason I don’t think the manager did.
“Then we all thought Odegaard coming back into the team would create more and I think he has made them a better team and I think eventually they will be okay. But January is so hard, who is out there? I think you need goals from everywhere, and I don’t see them coming from the midfield area for Arsenal.”
The former England star believes Arsenal needs more goals from their midfield to clinch the Premier League title, with the Gunners already trailing Liverpool by six points, despite having played an extra game. “You think Declan Rice could be that man to go and get you 10, 15 goals,” Scholes added.
“But I’ve never actually seen it, and I don’t see where other than Saka scoring, [Kai] Havertz drying up as well, I think Odegaard is still getting chances and eventually with the quality he’s got he is going to contribute but I think they all have to contribute. At some point you’ve got to try to affect the game.
“I think too many times these days the midfield try to stay there, try to control the game, help defensively. But when you’re a midfield player it’s every aspect of the game.
“Someone different has got to try and win a game, they don’t seem to be thinking about that. It’s, ‘I’m playing my position, I’m alright’, not taking responsibility. To win a league everyone has to contribute and I don’t think they all are.”
