Arteta will give Eddie Nketiah the opportunity to fill the big Jesus’ Boots

Big boots to fill

The World Cup has been enjoyable, with surprises galore and of course star performances from our boy Bukayo. However, as Arsenal fans are desperate for our domestic form to continue later this month, we will all have been watching with fingers crossed that none of our players picked up the dreaded injury. Hence, the news about Gabriel Jesus was what we had hoped desperately not to hear.

We now know Jesus has undergone surgery, but we await confirmation of the seriousness of the injury, and exactly how long we will be without our main man. Obviously, our thoughts have turned to what Arteta and Arsenal will do in response. I have to admit my initial reaction was to gauge fans thoughts by running a Twitter poll. The question I asked was whether folk would wish to see Jesus’ inform compatriot, Martinelli, moved centrally, given the fact that Smith Rowe who played much of last season on the left, was soon to be fit.

Here is the poll:
link –

Strong Argument for Martinelli moving central with ESR returning and Jesus injured?

Would we lose too much on the left in our structure?

Martinelli CF?

Interested in everyone’s thoughts here.

— Dave Seager (@goonerdave66) December 4, 2022

If we take the results from a very good cross section of supporters it suggests well over a half would indeed like to see Martinelli filling in for Jesus, and see the Croydon de Bruyne restored to the left flank. On the face of it a relatively seamless solution, and one Arteta will undoubtedly consider. Although at this point with no firm news on an ESR return, the resurgent Neslon seems the likelier candidate.

However, the comments and feedback to the poll last week was more considered and more in line with my own thinking, raising very valid points and arguments. I will endeavour to synthesis and summarise the collective thoughts with which I concur.

Gabi so valuable from the left

Firstly, and strongly, it came across how valuable young Gabi is to Arsenal on the left, holding the width on one flank while Saka is far more likely to come in-field on the other. The difference in style when Arsenal attack on either flank, and the variation has been integral to our success.

Martinelli himself has stated he prefers his wide role, which does not limit his obvious goal threat as he is able to join the central striker, or indeed create for him, but relieves him of the centre forward’s responsibilities. In truth, whilst in the longer term, the Brazilian may operate more centrally, he is still learning, and he has not proved successful in the role for Arsenal when used there in the recent past.

The other relevant observation was that Arsenal demonstrated their faith in Eddie Nketiah in the summer, and the young Englishman deserves the opportunity to step up and prove he was worth the considerable pay rise. I wholeheartedly concur and he certainly came of age last spring when Arteta finally lost faith in Lacazette. It was far more injuries in other key positions that cost Arsenal Champion’s League football than Eddie’s failings.

It is Eddie’s honour

Indeed, as we have seen of late with Jesus, in our current system the central striker is as much in the team to create havoc and openings for others, as for personal goals. Some might point to Nketiah’s less than convincing performances in the Europa league this season, but I would rather highlight his significant impact off the bench in the Premier League.

This important distinction is valid because in the Europa, Nketiah has been playing largely with the B team and in the Premier League when playing with Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka and Jesus himself, we see the real player. A player who has matured, is stronger, has intelligent movement off the ball and has a work ethic similar to the man whose massive boots he will need to fill.

What Arsenal are doing in the league is working and that is largely down to a fabulous system which Arteta, has created, in which each individual knows their role with and without the ball, and which opposition teams are still struggling to come to terns with. Martinelli on the left is so essential to the system at present, as are the players around him, so it seems to me that making as few changes as possible is the best course.

Eddie can show what he can do whilst Jesus out

For this reason, I would hand Eddie Nketiah the Jesus shirt rather than move and of the players around the central striker role. His teammates trust him, and if Arteta makes the player aware he has the shirt for a good few matches, which will come thick and fast, in the Christmas period, I think the confidence boost will pay dividends. Add to this the fact that Nketiah will be fresh and Martinelli may not even be available for the first few post tournament matches.

This is a much altered version of yesterday’s Fan View Column for Sun Football

Dave Seager

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.

He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.

The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.