“Put Martinelli on the bench and play this player on the left” – Mikel Arteta has been seriously warned to stop using Martinelli and play a £47m player on the wing for Arsenal – not Trossard and Sterling

According to John Terry, a Chelsea legend, Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions this season hinge on the young Gabriel Martinelli being the “biggest problem”. According to Terry, the Gunners might finally end up winning the cup because of Martinelli’s inconsistency and poor decision-making, so opening the door for Liverpool or Manchester City to snatch the league from the Gunners.

Speaking on a football panel, Terry did not hold back in his critique of the Brazilian winger, who has been a pivotal figure for Mikel Arteta’s side. He said, “Martinelli is Arsenal’s biggest problem.” He went on, “True, he is quick and might possess skills, but his end product is suspect. He tends to be unable to deliver in those all-important moments. Defeats are inevitable when one has players who make great mistakes or go missing in the big games.”

He went ahead to compare him with the likes of the wingers in rival teams highlighting how they are different from him in terms of effectiveness. “Look at players like Mohamed Salah or Jack Grealish; they are decisive, composed, and make things happen when it matters. Martinelli has talent, but talent without consistency won’t win you titles. He’s not at the level Arsenal need to compete with the best.”

Martinelli had stints of peak and other times lower in the season; while his speed and directness threaten on the wings, he has widely been criticized for missing opportunities and occasionally being a defensive liability; Terry now lays more charges over Martinelli’s ability to step up to high-pressure roles that he has pointed out could derail Arsenal’s campaign.

Facing the fight with Manchester City and Liverpool to grab the top spot, Arsenal finds itself in a scarce margin of error. With such tight competition, a missed chance or a bad decision could combust at any moment. Terry says that Arsenal will fail for the title this season because Martinelli is not up to the task of the title challenge.

Terry’s words will surely sting Arsenal fans, but they also underscore the severity of the test Martinelli presents to the critics as the season comes around.