While Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was widely caned for his decision to start the out-of-form Gabriel Martinelli instead of Leandro Trossard in his side’s 3-1 defeat to Man City, we still think he made the right call.
Since the World Cup, the £90,000-a-week starlet has been nowhere near his brilliant best during the first half of the season, as noticed by pundits such as Jamie O’Hara, Gabby Agbonlahor and Martin Keown.
While that is perhaps true, we still think Mikel Arteta was right to keep Leandro Trossard on the bench to start Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal in their gut-wrenching loss to Man City.
Arsenal boss Arteta made the right decision to start Martinelli over Trossard vs Man City
Well, for starters, a lot of hindsight is talking when assessing the Brazilian’s admittedly poor display, which ultimately is a wonderful thing.
It’s safe to assume that Mikel Arteta must have felt that Gabriel Martinelli suited Leandro Trossard a lot more to an open game against Man City, considering the former thrives in behind defences due to his frightening pace and off-the-ball movement.
Aside from being a monster in transition, the youngster has also been one of Arsenal’s biggest protagonists in their title charge, and to drop him for the ‘brave’ Belgian would have been a huge gamble, especially in a game of such magnitude.
Furthermore, Mikel Arteta must know that the biggest players in a side like Gabriel Martinelli tend to step up in big games, and while Leandro Trossard could well have done so against Man City, the 21-year-old has been there and done that plenty of times against Arsenal.
Imagine if Bukayo Saka, who started the season in underwhelming fashion was benched against Manchester United in the side’s 3-1 defeat. Well, we would not have been witness to a stellar display that perhaps was the catalyst behind him returning to his best.
To chuck all the aforementioned factors into the bin to play a relatively new addition in the club’s biggest game of the campaign would have been as risky as it goes.
While the argument can be made that Mikel Arteta should perhaps start Leandro Trossard over Gabriel Martinelli in the coming games, it is easier said than done in a potential title decider against the mighty Man City.
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