Theo Walcott thinks Gabriel Martinelli has one quality that sets him apart from everyone else in the Arsenal squad.
Martinelli scored a stoppage-time equaliser against Manchester City on Sunday, capping off a great week with another crucial goal.
He timed his run perfectly from the right, met Eberechi Eze’s clipped pass, and calmly finished over Gianluigi Donnarumma to bring Arsenal level.
It was also his second decisive goal of the week. On Wednesday’s Champions League tie, he came off the bench to score just 36 seconds later against Athletic Club in Bilbao.
Theo Walcott points to one thing Gabriel Martinelli does better than any other Arsenal player
Martinelli has not always looked this sharp. His progress had levelled off and his performances were not meeting expectations.
Too often, the 24-year-old found himself isolated on the wing, tasked with taking on multiple defenders at once. It is not where he thrives.
But this week, he has looked far more like himself again. Martinelli has a real knack for timing his runs behind defences, and in the past two matches, it has paid off with a goal in each.
Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott emphasised on the Overlap US how the Brazilian’s off-the-ball movement distinguishes him within Mikel Arteta’s squad.
“He’s the only player in that Arsenal team who loves to run without the ball.
“Too many players like to come to feet, and I get it. There was a lack of creativity and he needed something different. He’s that game-changer – Mikel calls it ‘the finishers’, and maybe that’s his job this year, maybe.”
Walcott surprised by Arteta’s decision to bench Martinelli
Arteta’s team selection for the City match drew plenty of criticism.
His choice to start Mikel Merino in a more reserved midfield trio stood out, but his decision on the left wing also drew attention.
Arteta opted to leave both Martinelli and Eze on the bench in favour of Leandro Trossard, who did not offer much across his 84 minutes before coming off.
Ironically, it was Martinelli and Eze who later linked up for the equaliser.
Before kick-off, Walcott admitted he was hoping to see one of them in the starting line-up.
“Yeah, to be honest, when I looked at the starting line-up, I was a bit disappointed for the likes of a Martinelli or Eze, because obviously Trossard did come off the bench and he scored.
“I get it. However, I just felt like this game needed a different kind of player.”
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