Freddie Ljungberg was the one who handed Gabriel Martinelli his first Premier League start back in 2019.
It proved to be a masterstroke because the then-teenager would score the opening goal and help his side to a 3-1 win over West Ham United.
Fast forward to the present and Gabriel Martinelli is a key player for a Mikel Arteta team pushing for the Premier League title.
The Arsenal legend explained that he provided that chance to the Brazil international because he ‘believed’ in the youngsters and how the player himself is an off-the-cuff forward.
Freddie Ljungberg added that something like this ‘annoys’ his manager Mikel Arteta because there are times when ‘he isn’t doing exactly what he is told’, as he told Premier League Productions (04/03/24 at 7:40 pm)
But that’s what makes Gabriel Martinelli great according to his former coach, as he continues to from strength to strength in Arsenal colours.
To think that the London club, or Edu Gaspar in particular, plucked out the speedster from the lower leagues of Brazilian football and he is now a top Premier League performer, is pretty incredible.
Gabriel Martinelli’s rise
On Martinelli scoring in his full debut at West Ham when he was in charge: “He did, that’s exactly what I told him before the game,” joked Ljungberg.
“Martinelli, that’s a feeling of football. Arsenal are quite rigid and structured in how they play.
“But I think Martinelli is the one, and I think Arteta gets annoyed with him sometimes, he isn’t doing exactly what he is told. He goes and does his thing. I love that, he is hard to read, Martinelli.
“I think he has more to offer. He has that (bit) extra. Sometimes in training, he didn’t get angry, but he goes where you go ‘woah, that was good’. I believed in that, it’s why I wanted to give the young ones a shot.”
Arsenal’s young players
From Bukayo Saka to Declan Rice, for the next decade, is well and truly sorted if you are an Arsenal fan.
Yes, many are questioning if they have it to get over the line and win a title this season, but it’s not like the team is ageing.
You just feel the best is yet to come for this team and the belief it would give the players if they can win that major trophy would be massive.
Now it’s just a case of doing your talking on the field, rather than it just being hype.
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