Gabriel Martinelli will miss Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Brentford through suspension and his place in the matchday squad could be awarded to an academy starlet
Arsenal’s business in the January transfer window should create first-team opportunities for some of the club’s most promising youngsters.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sead Kolasinac, Calum Chambers, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Pablo Mari and Folarin Balogun all departing in some capacity last month, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is working with a slightly smaller squad for the remainder of the season.
Going off Arsenal.com, there are currently 21 first-team players listed as despite letting six leave, Arteta and technical director Edu opted against bringing in any new faces.
As Premier League teams are permitted to name a 20-man matchday squad for each game, it means if every Arsenal player is available for selection, there will always be one unlucky individual that misses out – and that’s likely to be third-choice goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.
However, as injuries, suspensions and Covid-19 absences are a possibility between now and May, it’s unlikely that Arteta will have the dream scenario of being able to select every first-team player for the final 16 games of the campaign.
As a result, this increases the chances of some academy starlets earning call-ups to a Premier League matchday squad.In January when the Arsenal squad was stretched, it benefitted Charlie Patino as he made his first start at senior level against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round, whilst he alongside a mix of Mika Biereth, Omari Hutchinson, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand and Ryan Alebiosu were named on the bench for games against Liverpool and Burnley.
But with Takehiro Tomiyasu ruled out of last week’s 1-0 win over Wolves, youngster Zach Awe was named in a Gunners senior matchday squad for the very first time as he provided defensive cover alongside left-back Nuno Tavares.
And ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Brentford on Saturday afternoon, another youngster – or two – is in line to be included on the substitutes’ bench.
This is mainly because Gabriel Martinelli will be serving a one-game suspension after his rather controversial sending off at Molineux and with Tomiyasu doubtful with a calf problem despite returning to training.
Whilst Emile Smith Rowe is likely to come into the Gunners’ starting lineup at the Emirates Stadium, the Brazilian will drop out of the squad altogether and can be replaced.
With Bernd Leno back in training after missing the Wolves game because of Covid, Arteta could opt to name two goalkeepers on the bench to fill the allocated quota of nine substitutes.
Although, the Spaniard’s matchday squad decisions last month and against Wolves is a sign that he prefers to have eight outfield players on his substitutes’ bench.
Considering Martinelli is a forward, Arteta could call up one of Arsenal’s exciting attackers for the visit of Brentford as a direct replacement for the 20-year-old.
Therefore, it could be between Hutchinson and Biereth to make the squad on Saturday, thus increasing the possibility of one making his Premier League debut.
The former can operate on the flanks as well as centrally and has 13 goal contributions (7g, 6a) in 18 appearances at youth level so far this season, proving he could soon be ready to make the jump to the first-team.
Meanwhile, as reported by football.london back in November, the plan has been to gradually integrate Biereth into the first-team this season with a view to going out on loan in the 2022/23 campaign.
An arrival on a free transfer last summer after turning down a professional contract at London rivals Fulham, the 19-year-old has also caught the eye this season with eight goals and four assists in 21 appearances for the U23’s.
Those impressive numbers, the departures of Aubameyang and Balogun leaving Arsenal short of natural centre-forwards coupled with Martinelli’s suspension could work in Biereth’s favour this weekend.
