Mario Melchiot says it’s ‘scary’ the quality and goals output Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are producing, as he told Premier League Productions (20/03/23 at 2:50 pm).
The former Chelsea defender pointed out that normally it’s your striker, like Manchester City have with Erling Haaland, that is hitting the top, top numbers.
But for Mikel Arteta’s men, it’s their wide men that are constantly hitting the back of the net with ease.
That was proven on Sunday when Saka netted a brace and Martinelli opened the scoring as the Premier League leaders brushed aside Crystal Palace at the Emirates.
It means that, over the cause of the season, Saka has 12 league goals to his name and Martinelli has 13, not forgetting the 10 strikes from the captain, Martin Odegaard.
Mario Melchiot just can’t believe what these young guns are doing, as he gave them their flowers with the Gunners sitting at the top of the Premier League table with an eight-point lead.
“The key thing is that you have two wingers,” said Melchiot. “The time that Arsenal was running the show. Pires and Ljungberg. Great guys.
“I am talking about wingers that can score goals. Now you have one kid that scores 13 (Martinelli) and the other scores 12 (Saka). Then what is it ten assists (for Saka)?!
“So, having that in your team, two wingers that can produce that many goals and quality is scary!
“Normally, it’s only your striker you have to focus on, like at Man City with Haaland – then, your number 10 Odegaard (and his ten goals)”
ARSENAL YOUNGSTERS SHINING BRIGHT
All of this is a credit to Arteta, his coaching staff and those young guns putting their name in the spotlight.
Saka came through the Hale-End academy and he is now getting high praise from the likes of Thierry Henry, and rightly so.
Then someone like Martinelli was plucked from the lower leagues of Brazil as a teenager, yet years later, he is pretty close to becoming a Premier League champion.
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