Gabriel Martinelli returned to his best form at times last season. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Gabriel Martinelli
The 21-year-old Brazilian teased his most destructive form last season and many expect him to take his game up a notch in 2022/23. Martinelli started the Gunners’ opening two games before being relegated to the bench and he didn’t see any league action for five games.
He did make a 14-minute appearance in the EFL Cup win over West Brom and was largely sighted in that competition early on as he was a regular substitute for league games. It wasn’t until Arsenal’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United in December that the Brazilian became a starter again.
In total, Martinelli was a starter for 21 games and came on as a sub another eight times in the league. His pace, tenacity, and cool finishing saw him raise his level of play to the extent that he gave Trent Alexander-Arnold fits at the Emirates in March.
Armed with everything needed to succeed for the club, the speedy winger has untapped potential that could see him rival Bukayo Saka in the not-so-distant future. That might seem like an outlandish statement, but the 21-year-old has all the tools to become a star winger in the Premier League.
With Europa League football coming to the Emirates this upcoming season, Martinelli will again get the chance to improve his game out of sight and nail down a starting spot in Mikel Arteta’s side.
Continued on next slide…
pic.twitter.com/tJQYceLemC
<p>— GOAL (@goal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"https://twitter.com/goal/status/1278728892556050432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 2, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>In total, Martinelli was a starter for 21 games and came on as a sub another eight times in the league. His pace, tenacity, and cool finishing saw him raise his level of play to the extent that he gave Trent Alexander-Arnold fits at the Emirates in March.</p>
<p>Armed with everything needed to succeed for the club, the speedy winger has untapped potential that could see him rival Bukayo Saka in the not-so-distant future. That might seem like an outlandish statement, but the 21-year-old has all the tools to become a star winger in the Premier League.</p>
<p>With Europa League football coming to the Emirates this upcoming season, Martinelli will again get the chance to improve his game out of sight and nail down a starting spot in Mikel Arteta’s side.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player Who Could Go To New Level #3 </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-125410 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1240112113.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Eddie" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240112113.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240112113-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Eddie Nketiah has committed his long-term future to Arsenal. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Eddie Nketiah</h2>
<p>This one goes without saying, and it might not be that hard for Eddie to lift his game to another level. Given what we saw last season when he was given an extended run in the side, the upside is huge for the 23-year-old.</p>
<p>His stats of ten goals in 27 games across all competitions might not look superb, but you must factor in that he did not see any game time until the 14th matchday.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1128738568564875271?s=20&t=ICz49MJxwWSbXsCTZQrWiA</p>
<p>Such was his plight that a contract offer put forth to him by the club was swiftly rejected. He was a substitute right up until he was named the starter against Southampton in April. After that, Nketiah started the remaining seven games, scoring five goals in the process as he relegated Alexandre Lacazette to the bench.</p>
<p>Now, having signed a new contract and boasting an<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/19/eddie-nketiah-is-worthy-of-arsenals-number-14/"> iconic new shirt number</a> to boot, Eddie is set to again take his game to new heights. We have seen what talent he has (just look at his first goal against Chelsea), and with a real chance to feature far more often than the 27 times in all competitions last season, Nketiah will surely improve in 2022/23.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Player Who Could Go To New Level #4 </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-127175 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/06/23/4-arsenal-players-go-level-2022-23/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1392638639.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1392638639.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1392638639-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">It was an up-and-down season for Emile Smith Rowe. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Emile Smith Rowe</h2>
<p>Handed the No.10 shirt after his impressive outings during the 2020/21 season, Emile Smith Rowe again improved on his output; netting 11 times and grabbing two assists in his 37 games in all competitions.</p>
<p>In the first 14 league games, Smith Rowe scored five times, three of which came in consecutive games against Aston Villa, Leicester City, and Watford. He again scored in three successive games five matches later.</p>
<p>He netted against West Ham, Norwich, and Leeds; which took his tally to eight goals through 18 games in the league. Not too shabby. But after the Boxing Day game against Norwich, Smith Rowe would only score two more times for the season.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/UPYOURARSENAL04/status/1496480456392556544?s=20&t=ICz49MJxwWSbXsCTZQrWiA</p>
<p>His season fell by the wayside and he’d end up being relegated to the bench for the most part. He was a used substitute for his last four games and did not see the field against Everton on the final day of the season.</p>
<p>Whether it was a case of the campaign taking its toll or the COVID and injury interruptions, Smith Rowe faded severely towards the end of the season.</p>
<p>He has everything needed to take his game to another level in 2022/23, however. His ability to take the ball on the half-turn, his body feints, and his capacity to find space where there is none are all qualities he can build on.</p>
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<p>Still only 21, our ‘Croydon De Bruyne’ can hit a new level of play with ease this upcoming season.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
