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Morning all.
March 2023, Bournemouth were at The Emirates to face top of the league Arsenal. Ten seconds into the game and Mikel Arteta’s team were a goal down. Early in the second half, the visitors doubled their lead. It looked like being a dreadful day for The Arsenal. But then Thomas Partey pulled one back and it was game on with 30 minutes to play. Eight minutes later, substitute Reiss Nelson crossed for fellow substitute Ben White to make it 2-2. A draw was better than defeat I guess as the seconds ticked down in added time. Then, with virtually the final kick of the match, Nelson popped up with a winner, a stunning half-volley it was too. That was probably one of the best moments during his long stay at Arsenal. A stay which looks set to end as reports suggests he’s moving to West Ham on a permanent deal. He’s still young with many years in the game left and I wish him well. Honestly, I hope being at a new club permanently serves him well. When I think of who has come and gone over the time Nelson has been at the club, I often wondered how he might have fared given the same opportunities. Yes, I think that even now when watching a certain right winger in an Arsenal shirt.
I think the same when wondering why Gabriel Martinelli has suddenly become the player we no longer need. Selling him, a player who works so hard for the team, makes no sense to me when just a year ago, we spent a similar amount of money as we might get for Martinelli, on a player who might have a lot of pace but has little else.
Nor do I understand the idea of moving our top goal scorer of last season on when we’ve just won the league with him. Perhaps even because of him or at least his goals. With the footballing handbrake appearing to be slightly released this season, he would surely benefit? If Viktor Gyokeres departs and I know it’s still a big if, we’ll be back to square one of needing a top notch striker. We’ll be saying goodbye to a player who fought tooth and nail to sign for Arsenal, supposedly for a player who is fighting tooth and nail to join Barcelona. Yes, that makes sense doesn’t it, not!
Reading around the internet and fans opinion, quite a few fans cannot wait to see the back of Martinelli and Gyokeres which I find strange but I guess it’s easier to focus on what marmite players don’t do rather than what they do. The moment which stands out for me from Martinelli last season which brought so much joy to so many Arsenal fans was the headed penalty area clearance against Everton which set Max Dowman racing off down the pitch with the ball. Martinelli stayed with him like one of the three musketeers, no one was stopping our young winger on his journey towards goal and they didn’t. Dowman scored and Martinelli was as happy for him as he would have been for himself had he poked the ball home.
Let’s not forget Martinelli’s Champions League goals either as we raced through the group stage with ease as well reaching the final. Martinelli didn’t miss his spot kick did he?
Like Nelson, if Martinelli leaves, I hope he thrives in the game. He’s still young enough to get a move to a big club in the future and should he do so, he’ll be a lot richer because Saudi clubs pay well. If rumours become the truth, then Gyokeres will be at Barcelona and if is, I hope Arsenal don’t come up against them or him.
I know that as Premier League Champions we cannot afford to stand still but I just cannot see how selling two players to get one, especially one who has already tried and left the Premier League quite recently, is going to improve this Arsenal team. Pep must have agreed to sell him for a reason….
Catch up in the comments.