Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli overlooked Gunners captain Martin Odegaard by naming the team’s true leader on the pitch.
What did Gabriel Martinelli say?
Gabriel Martinelli has been in dazzling form for Arsenal this season, registering four goals and two assists, while the performances of others have allowed him to thrive on the flanks. Norway national team player Martin Odegaard continued to catch the eye, but Gabriel says Swiss player Granit Xhaka – who once removed his bandage in north London after a public outburst of disgruntled supporters – was the true driving force behind Arteta’s side.
The Brazilian striker said that Xhaka always says very positive things – keep walking, keep the ball and try to attack from behind. According to him, this kind of thing. Granit is the one who always leads them to the field.
Gabriel Martinelli said that Granit is an amazing guy. They see how dedicated Xhaka is to the team, how much he cares about the match and the players as well – he is definitely one of their leaders. Immediately after their first goal against Spurs, he calls everyone into a lull, asking them to remain calm and telling them that more goals will be scored. That’s when they see how important it is for all players. Gabriel Martinelli says it’s very important for young players like him and Bukayo Saka to have a teammate like Xhaka.
A little about the topic
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in the Gunners as he seemed destined for exits at one stage but is now a key figure in Mikel Arteta’s plans for up to 261 appearances for Arsenal.
The Gunners have won eight of their nine Premier League games this season (L1) – in 1903-04 alone (in the second tier) they won as many as nine of their starting 10 games in the league campaign. Each of the last four sides to win nine of their starting 10 games in the PL season have gone on to win the title (The Blues in 2005-06, the Citizens in 2011-12 and 2017-18 and the Reds in 2019-20).