Since the arrival of Leandro Trossard into the Arsenal first team, the immediate response has been the analysis of Gabriel Martinelli’s improvement. This is for good reason and certainly the Brazilian looks now the in-form player in the Gunners’ XI.
Arsenal went into the World Cup break five points ahead of Manchester City, with Gabriel Jesus their starting striker. Since the completion of the winter tournament, Eddie Nketiah came into the side and after 11 Premier League games, the gap to Manchester City remains five points despite a disappointing defeat to their title rivals in February - a testament to how good a job Nketiah has done since coming into the team.
That said, in the past two matches though Nketiah lost his place due to a combination of factors including rest, a slight injury issue and the impressive showing of Trossard. Yet, whilst in the team and scoring big goals against West Ham, Brighton and Manchester United, a view of the relationship between Martinelli and the No. 14 grew.
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The combinations between the pair were limited and in the eight games they started together from the home win over West Ham United to the defeat to City, they never broke into double digits in passing combinations. And against Manchester United they didn't pass to each other once.
In the clash with Leicester City in which Trossard started at centre-forward for the first time, the Belgian and Martinelli had 11 passing combinations – breaking double digits in their first appearance together. So did this, therefore, confirm that all along this was indeed an issue in Arsenal’s attack between Nketiah and Martinelli? No.
It was disproven in last night’s game against Everton just four days later. In a brilliant attacking display from the opening Bukayo Saka goal, Martinelli and Trossard contributed to the following three goals; the Brazilian scoring the second and fourth and the former Brighton man setting up Martin Odegaard for the third.
However, despite this display of offensive might, Martinelli and Trossard never passed to each other once. In their entire time on the field, their performances never included a single combination.
So, is there therefore absolutely no link between the upturn in form and Trossard’s integration into the squad and it is all coincidental? Of course not.
However, where previously the perception of it being a passing combination issue between the two is the reason behind perhaps the drop in Martinelli’s output, instead the problem lies more so in positioning. What the Belgian allows Martinelli, similar to when Gabriel Jesus is in play, is greater freedom to dart away from his natural left-wing habitat.
Looking at the below passing positions and heat maps of Trossard against both Leicester City (right) and Everton (left) the pair are playing very close to one another. In fact, Martinelli’s circle is barely visible because it’s hidden from view behind the 19 circle of Trossard.
Think back to the sole goal that Martinelli scored to win the game against Leicester. Trossard moved to the left flank to pick up the long ball from Gabriel Magalhães before he passed through to his forward teammate to score.
Although Nketiah can and has used the left half space and even wide area, his positioning compared to Trossard is more narrow. Therefore Martinelli has less freedom to work in the spaces more centrally.
With Trossard, his movement to the left has given the Brazilian more freedom. Therefore despite them not passing to one another, the presence of the duo raises the overall level. However, that being said, in an instance last night a chance for Martinelli to play in Trossard was missed and so perhaps this can still be worked on.
The great irony of course is Nketiah assisted Martinelli last night by running into the left half-space and the newly renewed forward ran into the central space to tap in the Gunners’ fourth of the night.
It was an evening that solidly disproved the notion of there being an issue between the two forwards but furthered the understanding of the benefit of Trossard playing centre-forward and perhaps where Nketiah needs to grow his tactical understanding of his wide teammate to maximise both their games when they start together.
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