‘Not fair’: Kevin Campbell thinks Mikel Arteta isn’t using Arsenal star properly

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal icon Kevin Campbell has expressed concern Gunners boss Mikel Arteta throwing Gabriel Martinelli into games “all the time”.

Alarm bells are ringing once again at the Emirates Stadium following three defeats from their last four Premier League games.

In addition, the Arsenal front line is struggling, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not scoring since October.

Meanwhile, Gunners record signing Nicolas Pepe isn’t even coming off the bench.

Martinelli has played in Arsenal’s last three Premier League games and started the last two.

The 20-year-old came off the bench against Newcastle and instantly scored a superb volley.

However, Martinelli had to come off 71 minutes into Monday’s 2-1 defeat at Everton.

Campbell, speaking on Highbury Squad, was asked whether he thought the Arsenal coaches could turn the Brazilian into a striker.

He feels that turning a winger into a centre-forward during a season is difficult, noting how Martinelli is young and “not used to the rough and tumble” of playing in that position.

Campbell then spoke of Martinelli’s injury record, which suggests he should really be “ticking over” at this stage.

But given Arsenal’s struggles up front, he’s now under much more pressure.

“Really, he should be a luxury”

“The issue – it’s difficult to develop a young striker who’s a winger into a centre-forward during the season,” said Campbell.

“You need specialists – even our own captain can’t do it himself at the minute, that’s how difficult that position is.

“It’s the only position where you play with your back to goal on the pitch and it’s a hard position because you get the buffeting and the hits.

“Fact of the matter is, if he’s broken down again, that doesn’t bode well.

“It’s concerning because you take your time and he comes on and does really well, then an injury.

“He’s a young player, he’s not used to the rough and tumble – he had a great start to his Arsenal career, he’s had some serious injuries since.

“What we really want to do is try to keep him ticking over but we’re so poor going forward, we have to throw him in all the time if we can.

“Really, he should be a luxury that we can play sometime and keep the bench sometime.

“Now there’s more pressure on a Martinelli… the fact Aubameyang ain’t doing it puts even more pressure on this young man, and it’s not fair on him.”