Arsenal legend, Alan Smith has told Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, to allow Gabriel Martinelli to lead the line in their Premier League tie against Everton on Monday.
Smith wants Arteta to play Martinelli as a false nine during Monday night’s Premier League match.
Martinelli has struggled so far this season, having scored just one goal in 11 appearances to date.
However, the 20-year-old was singled out for praise by his manager following his performance in the Gunners’ 3-2 defeat to Manchester United last week.
Smith wants Arteta to allow the Brazil youth international to function in the striker position, hoping that the youngster could do a job through the middle against the Toffees.
This is given the lack of form of club captain and highest earner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has fired blanks in each of his last five matches.
“Arteta could go with a false nine, which a lot of the top coaches like to do,” Smith told Off the Ball.
“[Martinelli] is getting that competitive edge back and that fitness back, then he could be a handful. I don’t think he is going to be the answer through the middle. But short-term maybe he could do a job.
“I think if you have got a nice structure that everyone understands then it’s a bit easier for somebody like Martinelli to move inside and do a job.
“We have seen it at Manchester City with Bernardo Silva, Sterling and Foden. They have all played through the middle because everyone understands the system and how it works. And Arteta is trying to move towards that.”
Arsenal would hope to bounce back on Monday night after suffering a 3-2 defeat in the hands of Manchester United on Thursday night.
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