Why Mikel Arteta’s one game-changing tactical tweak vs Liverpool actually reflects badly on him – opinion

Mikel Arteta is one of the best tactical minds in world football and that was on show against Liverpool as Arsenal drew 2-2 at Anfield.

In the second half, Arteta decided to shift Leandro Trossard’s position by tasking him to play behind the striker rather than leading the line — where the Belgian international looked far more comfortable.

But perhaps most notably, the Spaniard deployed Gabriel Martinelli as a makeshift centre-forward.

Thomas Partey revealed Martinelli is a tricky customer and Liverpool’s defence must have realised that, especially after he tucked away Arsenal’s first goal of the game with a magnificent header right into the bottom corner.

Mikel Arteta made a smart decision to play the Brazilian up front, whose eye for goal, clinical finishing and pace to stretch defences is perhaps why Unai Emery did the same during his time at the Emirates Stadium.

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Mikel Arteta should’ve played Gabriel Martinelli as a striker earlier

However, the question worth asking Arteta is why he decided that Arsenal’s 35th Premier League game of the season against Liverpool was the time when it struck him to chuck Martinelli up top.

The number nine role is not foreign to the former Ituano speedster anyway and the Gunners were in need of a solution up front after Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus’ respective injuries.

Arsenal could be ready to sell Martinelli due to his dip in form since last season and for the player’s sake as well, Mikel Arteta could have lent him a helping hand by not persisting with him on the left-wing.

Unlike Mikel Merino, who did a serviceable job as a makeshift striker, the 23-year-old showed his natural instincts as a forward by constantly making runs behind Liverpool’s backline.

Even unlike Havertz and Jesus at times, Martinelli was constantly positioned inside the box ready to pounce on any potential opportunities as the lone man up front.

While hindsight is a wonderful thing, it is worth questioning whether the North Londoners’ season could have been saved had he been played as a striker earlier by Mikel Arteta.

Gabriel Martinelli stats for Arsenal vs Liverpool

But regardless, Arteta would have been proud of Martinelli’s display against Liverpool and his latest showing may have given the Arsenal boss some food for thought.

Arsenal have bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres and it seems like Andrea Berta’s intention is to sign an established marksman in the summer.

But Martinelli’s stats against Liverpool show why Arsenal should consider sticking with him up front.

On the surface, the numbers do not make for the best reading.

However, the positive is that Martinelli managed to grab a goal despite taking the least touches out of any player on the pitch (29).

But the fact that the Brazilian international lost possession eight times and perhaps most alarmingly did not complete a single dribble is proof that it is futile for the time being to play him out wide.

With Merino being suspended for Arsenal’s next game, Arteta might just have to stick with the experiment involving Martinelli.

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