With all the doom and gloom surrounding the club and the unexpected rise to stardom of our young Brazilian some of us may have missed the fact that there is a very difficult decision approaching Arsenal and Arteta reacting to Martinelli.
Between 18 January 2020 and 9 February 2020 there is a football tournament taking place in Columbia, it is called the CONMEBOL it features under 23 teams from the 
South American nations aiming to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics. I am sure when we signed the young Brazilian there was no question he would be allowed to travel to Columbia but the form of the first team and Martinelli’s obvious qualities have thrown up quite a difficult decision for the club and new head coach.
This is not an official tournament in the FIFA calendar, so there is no obligation on The Arsenal or Arteta to grant Martinelli permission to play for Brazil in the tournament should he be called up.
Currently he would miss 4 games (assuming we overcome Leeds in the FA Cup 3rd round) and he only has to arrive in South America on 18th January, fortunately the 8 February is Arsenal’s scheduled mid season break.
Undoubtedly Martinelli has been one of the players we have wanted to see week in week out, he is giving a very good account of himself, working tirelessly and one of the few players who consistently shows for the ball even when more senior heads around him are dropping.
If you were Mikel what would you do? Let Martinelli travel off to South America and miss an important cog in the team for 4 weeks or refuse permission?
Gooner in Exile
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Sure, let him go.
Pepe, Nelson can cover him properly, and Auba can still play out wide, In the meantime Kolasinac is expected to recover, so young Saka can be deployed again on the wings.
Yes, it is not an official FIFA tournament, but I think it is within the club’s interest to let Martinelli establish himself as a Brazil U23 regular.
Hi pbarany and welcome … all the way from Budapest!
That’s a very generous viewpoint. I wonder what Martinelli would say if Arteta explained that he was planning to give him regular first team football?
Surely that level of performance at his young age would raise his profile so that he would automatically be included in the Brazillian U23 squads in the future.
For Dennis’sake, my record of getting caught by the “new post” is as bad as our net shots on goal stats this season. May as well put it in even if not relevant to the new post which I will go and read shortly.
Peaches, I’ve just sprayed some shaving foam through a colander onto my p.c screen and it works a treat for snow effect. Thought I woulds share that with the A.A faithful so they too can get into the Christmas spirit.
LB, @6.46pm, I think “Busses and Basques” would be a suitable title now that you point that quirk of fate out.
I am pleased that Freddie is staying. It was one of my worries that he would be the casualty in this process. One thought though is that Mikel is giving players a clean slate but Freddie has just publicly shamed Ozil.
I think Ozil’s response and handling of this will tell us all we need to know about what he can or cannot do for us over the next season and a half. Freddie is right, and if Ozil acknowledges that then we can move on, but if he bears any grudge against Freddie for saying that then he is a lost cause.
Thanks for the post Rasp. I don’t watch AFTV as it doesn’t do anything for me or enlighten me in any way. I would rather be in disagreement with esteemed bloggers on here, because at least you get a reasoned argument that will sometimes change your stance.
Having said that they had a right to exist (past tense relevant). One thing that hasn’t been mentioned is why they have become so prolific and talked about. Obviously they thrive on controversy and to an extent all media outlets seek this like an extreme addiction; it is what the modern media is about, and not exclusive to AFTV.
They exist because the Kroenke regime has been a disaster and has taken us to new lows through poor management and (what I believe to be) a distinct lack of affinity with this club as a successful sporting institution. Mediocrity has been the accepted norm for Kroenke as long as the wheels weren’t totally falling off and the finances looked healthy.
That said I am never one to dwell on the past if the regime is getting its act together and things are turning a corner. Draw a line under past misdemeanors by all means, but don’t forget them because the regime is still on report for those failings. We shouldn’t conveniently ignore these historical failings and rewrite history but at the same time if the regime script a better future then they will become a distant memory for me.
Not quite yet though because I am still unsure whether there has been a change of heart of if the apparent stronger involvement of the Kroenkes recently is just temporary disaster management before returning to an acceptable mediocrity.
In short AFTV doesn’t exist, at least not in its current guise, without the failing of the Kroenke regime. The reason I used past tense earlier for Robbies outlet is because I believe it should cease to exist now. Not because of the outrageous angle it takes but because of Robbies cheap use of the racism card, which I was not aware of. That demeans true racism and its fight so is a far bigger crime than all the outrageous clips they put up, and should see a call for him to cease to exist for using a serious issue like this for his own personal gain.
Refuse, we need him and Arteta wants to have a full team at his disposal to the extent possible
If he wants to go we cannot refuse him. That way leads to disharmony, and we dont want that with one of our emerging stars. We can cover those few games as pbarany says. The decision should rest with Martinelli.
Keep him here. Martinelli is the future up front.
Aubang to leave. Laca hopefully to support him for a season or two until Pepe, Nelson, Saka are more developed.
Four games on other side of World. Tiredness, injury. Plenty of time to become vital to Brazilian National team.
Good to read (if true) that Arteta will seek to bring Ceballos back into the team … I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more impressive debut than his first game. I would imagine that Dani is better suited to the style of play Mikel will be trying to establish.
Very good post GiE, raising an issue of which I was completely unaware.
My gut reaction is: “To hell with this pointless international tournament. Arsenal come first as far as I am concerned so there’s no way he should go. If his presence at Arsenal during the period of the tournament meant just one extra point nicked or saved, it’s worth it.”
Then I read this from GoonerB: “If he wants to go we cannot refuse him. That way leads to disharmony.”
And that made me think again (in fact it’s a perfect example of something GoonerB said in his long comment about AFTV: “I would rather be in disagreement with esteemed bloggers on here, because at least you get a reasoned argument that will sometimes change your stance.”).
So there you have it. I have read a reasoned argument for letting Martinelli go (if he wants to) and I have changed my mind because in the interests of long-term harmony and making a young player feel like he is properly valued by the club, perhaps it is best to let him go.
My compromise would be to ask him. If he wants go, we let him. If we wants to stay and take advantage of continuing first team opportunities, he doesn’t go.
Thanks, GIE… tough call. For purely selfish reasons (Chelsea away) I’d rather he stayed. But as everyone wants to represent their country, even though as LBG said, there’ll be plenty of time for that, we’ll more than likely end up letting him go.. and hope to god he doesn’t end up injured! With those Duracell batteries he’s on, I can’t see him becoming fatigued 😀
It’s Christmas Eve, folks! Just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! The Christmas tunes are playing, presents are nearly wrapped… excited!!
Also, would just like to thank Peaches & Rasp, well actually everyone on here! It’s a great site and I’ve really enjoyed every second of my time on here! Long may it continue! And here’s to a successful 2020 (on the pitch, of course 😄) 🎅🎄
Give him a British Passport immediately and tell him he is going nowhere.
You have to ask him, but let him know he would be valued here and get lots of minutes. I think he’d stay anyway, and then everyone will be happy. You would risk a lot more long term if he really wanted to go and we didn’t let him, in my opinion.
To echo Sue’s comments, a special thank you from me to this wonderful blog and everyone who contributes. Thank you for keeping me entertained through the hard times and for basically being my own personal form of psychiatrist through the really hard times haha.
Your efforts and energy in keeping this site going does not go unnoticed nor forgotten.
Happy Christmas everyone x
Seasons Greetings to you Sue and seedee … we shall be publishing our own thank you tomorrow.
Good Morrow, peoples,
A very nice Post, GIE, which is no surprise, as I have always been an avid reader of your articles laced with your ‘profesional’ background which adds to either our understandings of how the club operate, or you throw in a tidbit like “the Martinelli Issue” — anyway, thank you for that.
It brought to mind that Martinelli is eligible to play for more that one country – in this case Italy, and I understand that rather than take years to get into the Brazil sides, he has said he is ‘open’ to become an Italy international, as now that he is plying his trade over here, he is more likely to noticed by Italy, well before the Brazilian FA realise how good he is.
In any event, if Brazil came calling and put pressure on him to play for them, or go hang, that would force him into a choice that would put him at odds with Arsenal, if we tried to stop him – and that’s the last thing we want at this time.
Italy would be fine.
Interesting point Redders.
I guess if he plumps for Italy the issue becomes moot.
Yes, Rocky, we will have to hope he will toot the moot. 🤪
Well, just as I get back to the UK, the lads and lasses of AA seem to have disappeared, leaving only the grandiloquent to talk to himself, and very impressed I am with me, regardless.
I will have to don another of my nom de plumes, and ingratiate myself elsewhere.
Fare thee well, esteemed AAers — I bid you ALL a Merry Xmas and a happy New Year. 🤠
Where’ve you been Redders (apologies if you mentioned earlier and I missed it).
Apologies GIE, I hadn’t realised that you wrote this post fir some reason. Thanks for the post, and merry Christmas to one and all on here
Just want to wish you all a Merry Xmas and wonderful time with family! I am glad I stumbled upon this blog a while back now and got to virtually meet all of you and can’t wait to really meet some of you soon! Thanks for the great posts, comments and banter. Merry Xmas once again
May the blessings of Christmas spread around the AA world, and may Father Mikel bring us all joy and happiness.
If Mikel is a parent it’ll help negotiation skills….we have been negotiating every half hour since 2:30am……..
Merry Christmas all.
PS, if let him play if he wants too, will help in the long term for relationship of trust. But if he choose Italy we can all do a little dance as travelling round the world during FIFA breaks is not beneficial to a players fitness.
Morning all ….
…. Merry Christmas …..
……….. New post ….
Feliz Navidad everyone
Fred – we’re on a new post …..